Released 11 November 1983 | ||
B-side "Keep Your Hands off My Power Supply", "Don't Tame a Hurricane" Genre Rock, soft rock, hard rock Length 4:12 (7" version)5:34 (12" version) | ||
"My Oh My" is a song by rock band Slade, which appeared on their album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (released in 1983) and on the band's 1984 American counterpart release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song reached number two in the UK chart by Christmas 1983 and soon after became the band's second US Top 40 hit, reaching number 37. The single was kept from the #1 spot in the UK by The Flying Pickets cover of Only You. The single's chart run in the UK began at only #73, the following week it had moved into the top 40 at #36 and the week after it made #15. After, it stayed in the top 10 for 5 weeks.
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Slade re-recorded the song in swing-style for the b-side of the single "Do You Believe in Miracles?", released in 1985. This version was apparently suggested by Frank Sinatra and was recorded with the Monty Babson Big Band. Holder did his vocal in one take after an evening in the pub.
The single was certified UK Gold by BPI in January 1984. In Sweden, the song topped the chart and was awarded in 1984 with a Swedish Platinum Award for sales in excess of 50,000.
Background
The track came from an idea that Lea had while listening to Hill and Holder tuning up in the dressing room before a gig at a University in Wales. "It reminded me of bagpipes," says Jim. "I wrote the melody in my head to the drone of the strings". This was the first track that Lea and Holder had ever demoed because for the first time the group were working with a record producer - John Punter. The raw demo of Holder singing over Lea's piano was received with wild enthusiasm by Slade's record label.
In a 1987 fan club interview, Holder was asked why there were minor lyrical changes to the lyrics of "My Oh My" in comparison to the demo version. Holder replied: "The record ends up the same as the demo. But sometimes it gets changed. 'My Oh My' got changed because John Punter didn't like one verse in it, so we put a new verse in. I in fact like the original demo verse, personally!"
In a 1987 interview, guitarist Dave Hill was asked by a fan which is his favourite single, Hill replied "although I didn't like 'My Oh My' when I first heard it, by the time I started playing on it and promoting it, I discovered a certain magic and hidden power in it. I would say 'My Oh My' is my favourite to date."
In the September–December 1986 Slade fan club magazine, the poll results were announced for the 1986 opinion poll based on Slade’s material. For the best single of the 80s, My Oh My placed at #1. In the same poll, for the best single picture sleeve, My Oh My placed at #2. For the songs most wanted to be heard live, My Oh My placed at #1. The poll result notes explain that the song was performed live during the band’s College/University Tour in December 1983. Also in the same poll, for the best b-side of the 80s, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply placed at #2.
In 2011, the song was performed live on the German RSH Pop Awards Show, which was broadcast nationally, by the current lineup of Slade where the band also performed Far Far Away. This current line-up features Hill and Powell with bassist John Berry and vocalist Mal McNulty.
During 1985, a Swing version of the song was made. Holder was interviewed in London 5 June 1986 by Trevor Slaughter and Paul Lythe about the track. "It came about originally because a few people asked us for demos of songs to cover. A lot of people wanted to cover 'My oh my'. I mean 'middle of the road' sort of people. Colin actually suggested it, saying we couldn't send them our own version, because they've all heard that. Anyway, we had people like Frank Sinatra saying that we ought to do a 'swing version' of it. Well, we weren't going to do it, so we got a mate of ours - Monty Babson - to sing it on the original demo, which went out to all these 'middle of the road' people. When I heard it, I really liked it, so as an added extra on the 12", I said 'Why don't we put my voice with Monty Babson's band?' and that's what we did. I just had a couple of drinks in the pub and went and sang with him in one take. We didn't spend any time on it or anything. There is actually a 'swing version' of 'All join hands', which I haven't put the vocal on yet."
Promotion
A promo video was made for the American release of the single which was never seen in the UK until 1991 on the video compilation Wall of Hits.
The track was also performed on many UK TV shows at the time as Slade competed for the Christmas number one slot. Despite the band not performing the song on European TV, except for a 1984 performance on an unknown Swedish TV show along with Run Runaway, the single was still hugely successful across Europe from early to mid 1984. Although not confirmed, it is possible the music video was shown within Europe too.
The band's first performances of the song was on Central TV's flagship Children's show The Saturday Show in November 1983, which featured a different backing track and live vocal.
The song was performed on Top of The Pops on a number of occasions whilst the band mimed the song's on the UK TV shows Hall of Fame, the Russell Harty Show and Saturday Superstore. The song was also performed on David Frost's End of the Year Show, on December 31, 1983.
On February 21, 1984, the band mimed the song on the BBC British Rock and Pop Awards, sponsored by the Daily Mirror and recorded at the Lyceum Ballroom in London. The show was later to become the Brits Awards.
The band also performed the song on their last UK tour during the time of the single's release. A bootleg video of the band performing the song on the band's last ever UK gig is unofficially available, filmed at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre, December 18, 1983.
In America, the song was performed with the 1984 hit single Run Runaway on American Bandstand.
Music Video
The video for the single was filmed long after My Oh My was a hit - it was mainly made for showing in the United States to try and break the single there, which it successfully did. The video depicts Slade walking around in the countryside and one by one they get picked up by an articulated lorry which has Slade’s stage set on the back. The band are seen playing live on the lorry, together with a full lightshow, as they drive across the moors. The truck eventually arrives in London at a ‘live’ concert and is surrounded by kids with Slade scarves being waved in time to the music. The driver of the truck jumps from the truck seat, takes off their crash helmet, and to everyone’s surprise it’s a blonde female. Live scenes for this video were filmed in London’s Surrey Docks and School kids from the local area were drafted in by a convoy of coaches. It is interesting to note that shots were made of a group of choirboys dressing in the usual regalia - high above the audiences’ heads for the chorus sections, but these were never used in the final edit. Keith Coe, of Pipes of Peace fame, made this video.
Formats
- "My Oh My" - 4:09
- "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" - 3:34
- "My Oh My" - 4:09
- "Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin')" - 3:28
- "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" - 3:34
- "My Oh My (Extended version)" - 5:30
- "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" - 3:34
- "Don't Tame A Hurricane" - 2:30
Critical reception
In early 2010, Classic Rock magazine featured Slade as part of their ‘The Hard Stuff Buyers Guide’ where the magazine reviewed numerous Slade albums. As part of this article, an ‘Essential Playlist’ listed 14 Slade songs which included My Oh My.