B-side Reel World Genre New wave Label Jimboco | Released 1982 Length 4:47 | |
Writer(s) Marc Campbell, David Kaufman | ||
"88 Lines About 44 Women" is the name of a hit single by the new wave band The Nails. Originally recorded for their EP Hotel for Women, the song was re-recorded and released to critical and commercial acclaim on the band's 1984 album Mood Swing. Along with the track, "Let It All Hang Out", "88 Lines About 44 Women" peaked at number forty-six on the US dance chart in March 1985.
Contents
Both "88 Lines About 44 Women" and its B-side, "Reel World (Beat Boys and B-Girls)", were digitally remastered and appear on the extended Hotel for Women CD that was released in November 2009.
History and composition
Marc Campbell and David Kaufman of The Nails wrote "88 Lines About 44 Women" in a Manhattan loft. The rhythm track on the song was a preprogrammed track on Kaufman's Casio keyboard. Campbell wrote the lyrics to the song and has noted that "[s]ome of the women [referenced in the song] are real, some are made up." Campbell wrote the song in two hours on a manual typewriter and the band recorded it the next day. The Nails never produced a music video for "88 Lines About 44 Women."
Litigation
The Nails filed several lawsuits over use of "88 Lines About 44 Women", including a successful lawsuit over use of the song to promote the television show Dexter, as well as use by the state of Massachusetts in an anti-drinking advertising campaign.
Original pressing
- "88 Lines About 44 Women" - 4:32
- "Reel World (Beat Boys & B Girls)" - 5:00
1992 repressing
- "88 Lines About 44 Women" - 4:32
- "Things You Left Behind" - 4:03
Parodies
In 1997, parody musician The great Luke Ski recorded a parody entitled "88 Lines About 44 Simpsons," a song about The Simpsons, each line about a different Simpsons character.
In 1999, David Nielsen of The Brunching Shuttlecocks recorded a parody entitled "88 Lines About 42 Presidents" about the Presidents of the United States through Bill Clinton.