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Subject: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Amy Mann on 01/29/04 at 01:00 p.m.

grrrrrr!!!  this is driving me crazy.  A coworker and I are discussing the original text on the shirts printed for Frankie goes To Hollywood.   Was it FRANKIE SAY RELAX?   or FRANKIE SAYS RELAX?   Also, I've seen ones that added "don't do it"  at the bottom.    So, what did the original shirts have on them?

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/29/04 at 07:02 p.m.

It was
FRANKIE SAY RELAX!
on those t-shirts.  I used to see them all over the malls in the mid '80s.  I wonder how many of those mall rats REALLY knew what Relax was about?  I didn't know then, and I don't know now! ;D

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: OptimusPrime on 01/29/04 at 08:28 p.m.


Quoting:
It was
FRANKIE SAY RELAX!
on those t-shirts.  I used to see them all over the malls in the mid '80s.  I wonder how many of those mall rats REALLY knew what Relax was about?  I didn't know then, and I don't know now! ;D
End Quote



When the radio stations in the UK realised what the song was about, they pulled it from air; only making it even more of a smash song :)

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: stingr22 on 01/29/04 at 09:51 p.m.

Definitely

http://www.bobfromaccounting.com/bfastore/relaxtee.jpg

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/29/04 at 11:59 p.m.

But who could REALLY understand all the lyrics to "RELAX"?  I guess "Dream those dreams/Scheme those schemes/Hit me hit me hit me with those Laser Beams" was relatively explicit, but still left room for plausible deniability!

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Bobby on 01/30/04 at 03:20 a.m.

I suppose it was the idea not the lyrics that were explicit.

Has anyone seen the video? VH-1 usually shows a concert video of them being set upon by fans but I did see the proper vid. I'm reckoning it was banned based on what the censors saw.

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: rubixgirl on 01/30/04 at 07:49 a.m.

It makes a weird sort of sense if you see the video they did for it that probably never aired. (some sort of s&m, gay club scene) Also, it was used in the movie Body Double and the song fit ini there as well.

Quoting:
But who could REALLY understand all the lyrics to "RELAX"?  I guess "Dream those dreams/Scheme those schemes/Hit me hit me hit me with those Laser Beams" was relatively explicit, but still left room for plausible deniability!
End Quote

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Zed_Omega on 01/30/04 at 11:21 a.m.


Quoting:
It makes a weird sort of sense if you see the video they did for it that probably never aired. (some sort of s&m, gay club scene) Also, it was used in the movie Body Double and the song fit ini there as well.

End Quote



I was just going to mention "Relax" in Body Double when I saw your post. You beat me to it!

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Howard on 01/30/04 at 11:26 a.m.

Why couldn't Frankie say something else?

Howard

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: rubixgirl on 01/30/04 at 12:04 a.m.

http://forum.buffyworld.com/images/smilies/zzwhip.gif

Quoting:
I was just going to mention "Relax" in Body Double when I saw your post. You beat me to it!
End Quote

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: stingr22 on 01/31/04 at 08:47 a.m.


Quoting:
Why couldn't Frankie say something else?

Howard
End Quote



Frankie was a man of few words.  If he had said anything else, that probably would have been made into a t-shirt too!   ;D

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/31/04 at 09:27 a.m.


Quoting:
It makes a weird sort of sense if you see the video they did for it that probably never aired. (some sort of s&m, gay club scene) Also, it was used in the movie Body Double and the song fit ini there as well.
End Quote


I do remember a "Relax" video in which Holly Johnson is walking along with a guy in an argyle sweater and lip-syncing the lyrics so it sounds like he's advising this fellow.

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Howard on 01/31/04 at 10:51 a.m.


Quoting:


Frankie was a man of few words.  If he had said anything else, that probably would have been made into a t-shirt too!   ;D
End Quote



could've made loads of money though. ;D


Howard

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: SafetyDance on 01/31/04 at 04:42 p.m.

My shirt said Frankie SAY Relax


I still have the original 12in single of Relax. The cover had artwork of a couple in a suggestive S&M position, it was later pulled and replaced with a plain cover by their label. I may have a real collectors item!

If memory serves, there was about 4 versions of the Relax video, one took place in a gay bar and showed some guys throwing Holly J. onto a trampoline, then a man on a balcony "hoses" him at the line " when ya wanna come, come, come..." It was pretty racy!

I also remember a version when they were on stage, and another when they were in front of laser beams.

Subject: Re: Frankie SAYS? or SAY? RELAX!

Written By: Paul_UK on 01/31/04 at 05:02 p.m.

Quoting:


If memory serves, there was about 4 versions of the Relax video, one took place in a gay bar and showed some guys throwing Holly J. onto a trampoline, then a man on a balcony "hoses" him at the line " when ya wanna come, come, come..." It was pretty racy!

End Quote



The video described so nicely by SafetyDance above, was the original - it was only shown a handful of times mostly on 'hip and happening' shows like 'The Tube'...but even then (December 1983) the record was slow in selling...

Enter top DJ Mike Read, who used to host the flagship breakfast show on BBC Radio 1. He was initially concerned about the songs' dubious content (apparently it contains thinly-veiled references about anal sex), and as he also used to front a kids' TV show at the time, he deemed it 'unsuitable' for daytime airplay - his bosses agreed...

And because of the ban, that very week the record shot from #35 to #6! Of course, now it had become a hit, the BBC were obliged to play it on 'Top Of The Pops', and this is where the 'amended' video (the 'stage' version) comes in...

Funnily enough, by the time 'Frankiemania' had gripped most of the nation's yoof later that year, there were T-shirts being sold that said 'Who Gives A **** What Frankie Says'...Ah! Marketing!