Goodbye '70s

Album: Upstairs at Eric's (1982)
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Songfacts®:

  • Alison Moyet was a 17-year-old punk rocker when she wrote "Goodbye '70s" in 1978. She ended up recording it for Upstairs at Eric's, the 1982 debut album by Yazoo, her duo with Vince Clarke, formerly of Depeche Mode.

    "When I was a punk I believed I'd always be a punk," Moyet explained. "'Goodbye '70's was my 17-year-old self reacting to the wake up call that everything will change. It will."

    In England, where she was based, this was a time of tribalism in music and fashion as punk rock was ceding ground to the New Romantic movement. Note the line, "I'm tired of fighting in your fashion war." Somewhat ironic that her punk screed ended up becoming a new wave song.
  • Yazoo (known as Yaz in America, where there was already a group called Yazoo) were an unlikely pairing, with Vince Clarke bringing his synth-pop expertise and Moyet steeped in blues music. The pairing worked very well; they were supposed to record just one single ("Only You") but ended up making two albums. They didn't get along particularly well and did their songwriting separately, but did come together in 2008 for a reunion tour. Post Yazoo, Clarke formed Erasure and Moyet went solo; her debut album, Alf, was released in 1984 and went to #1 in the UK.

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