Memorabilia (song)

Origin
The main inspiration behind “Memorabilia” were New York disco records with hard pulsating beat which Marc Almond used to hear during his work time at the Warehouse club in Leeds. The club was notable for having the best sound system in the city and various, largely obscure in UK, US records played by DJs from New York. The idea to make heavily dance oriented record came to Almond before one of Soft Cell's studio sessions in December 1980, while listening to James Brown and Donna Summer records. He also wanted a song where repetitive instrumental would let him improvise with vocals.

Record and release
At Stage One Studio Almond improvised the lyrics of the song while recording vocals and to retain trashy subjects of band's songs he imagined a stream of thoughts of a serial killer who is obsessed with collecting souvenirs after his murders. The track in the end utilizes first vocal take. Dave Ball and producer Daniel Miller improved the musical part of Almond's idea, most notably with Miller's sequencer based approach.

Initially the track was recorded as a long version for 12″ single of the same name, which would fit dance club format. Then it was shortened and included on B side of 7″ A Man Can Get Lost.

Both versions of “Memorabilia” were released on 21 March 1981. A bit later they would appear on B sides of some of Tainted Love singles.

Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing
“Memorabilia” was one of the songs to be re-recorded for Soft Cell's first ‘dance remix’ release, Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing mini album. The song received new meaning after Almond and Ball dived into New York club scene and met Cindy Ecstasy, which eventually are the reasons for them to make a much more dance oriented record, and also are shining trough its title. Almond has shortened original lyrics and wrote a rapping part for Cindy Ecstasy, which will give hints on her influence on the duo. Dave Ball and Mike Thorne, producer of Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, made music more percussion heavy, with addition of trumpet play by John Gatchell. This version was also released as B side on US version of following single, What!.

'91 version
In 1991 “Memorabilia”, with a variety of other Soft Cell tracks, was re-recorded and released as ‘Soft Cell and Marc Almond’. This version is fairly closer to original 1981 mix, with Almond recording new vocals and The Grid are credited as remixers. It appears on B-Side of Say Hello Wave Goodbye '91 single, as ‘Extended Grid Remix’, and on Memorabilia – The Singles compilation, in shorter form. Extended version will also appear on CD reissue of The Twelve Inch Singles box set, in 1999.

Remixes
“Memorabilia” was remixed in 2008 for Heat: The Remixes compilation by electronic band Cicada, as ‘Cicada Dub Version’. It uses vocals by Almond and Cindy Ecstasy from ‘Ecstatic’ version.

Live versions
“Memorabilia” was performed live since 1981, with the release of original single, and recordings of it appear on a variety of bootlegs, until 2018 – Keychains And Snowstorms box set includes audio recording from one of 1983 show in Los Angeles and performance on video, during 1981 show in Leeds.

Since 2000 reunion the song became constant opening number of the shows and first officially released live versions emerged: on 2002 video Live In Milan and 2003 album Live, followed by Say Hello Wave Goodbye: The O2 London releases in 2019.

Personnel

 * Original version
 * Written-By (lyrics, music), vocals – Marc Almond
 * Written-By (music), instruments – David Ball
 * Production – Daniel Miller
 * Engineering – Pete Maben
 * Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing version
 * Written-By (rap) – Marc Almond
 * Rap – Cindy Ecstasy
 * Trumpet – John Gatchell
 * Production – Mike Thorne
 * Engineering – Don Wershba
 * Mixing – Harvey Goldberg

Music video
Music video on Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing version of the song was produced in 1982 and directed by Tim Pope, for Non-Stop Exotic Video Show.

The beginning of the video flows from the end of “Youth” video, with Huw Feather's animated drawings of flamenco dancers in front of a rewinding footage. It consists mostly of various Super 8 footage, starting with one of Almond's college short films, with pale person looking trough photo albums. It continues with videos taken by him and Ball during band's time in New York, Los Angeles and Athenas, with appearances of Cindy Ecstasy, Stevo and Feather. Ball's New York footage from 1978 was also used, such as views of building and street traffics behind Cindy Ecstasy.

Throughout video Almond and Cindy Ecstasy, filmed against blue chroma key, appear singing their parts of the song. The latter, upon finishing her part, turns away and transforms into Almond in the same drag and make up. Other chroma key video effects would be applied on Almond, such as painting of his face to make it look transparent or paint flowing down over his image.

Video ends with an added rattle sound of tape reel and distorted final frames. After that a gag in a porno cinema, before “Sex Dwarf” video, starts.

In 1991 the video was included on Memorabilia – The Video Singles compilation.

Availability
“Memorabilia” appears on following records.

All officially released versions of the song are also available on streaming platforms.

Legacy
Original version of “Memorabilia” is considered to be one of the earliest examples of house (sometimes called ‘proto house’) or even techno genres, due to its sequenced arrangement. Since the track was inspired by similarly sounding New York disco records, it is at least right to say that “Memorabilia” is the first early house record originated from UK. At the same time the song is slightly incorrectly hailed as the first acid house track – it wasn't until late 1981 when Almond and Ball discovered ecstasy and early club culture surrounding it. ‘Ecstatic’ version was recorded in 1982 and it is, in fact, the first ‘E song’, not by its sound, but by lyrics and attempt to catch the feeling of music under drug's influence. The reference gets even more obvious with music video having footage of Cindy Ecstasy and Dave Ball actually taking the drug. And yet, the meaning still didn't catch in the UK at the time.

Although Memorabilia single failed to get into UK charts, reaching only to number 101, it gained popularity in clubs due to novelty and mixing possibilities of “Memorabilia”, with cases such as Rusty Egan of famous Blitz Club, London, playing two 12″ copies up to 30 minutes. The single eventually got into US Billboard dance club charts, reaching number 35, and becomes a crossover hit in black and white clubs. Thus track made a full circle to its New York roots, earned Soft Cell early recognition in US, before Tainted Love, and made Phonogram Records give the duo chance to record second single, despite failing in charts, against their initial deal.

Through years “Memorabilia” was praised by critics and musicians, leading to tributes. The most famous is a cover by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, from their 1994 record Closer To God. Other notable artists covering the song include British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik (on 2003 Soft Cell tribute album) and Japanese new wave and rock band Polysics (on 2004 new wave tribute album).

Listen

 * Official uploads on YouTube

Trivia

 * “Memorabilia” marks the first appearance of Cindy Ecstasy on a Soft Cell record, with Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing version.
 * Almond's lead out in ‘Ecstatic’ version, after Cindy Ecstasy rap, is a reference to classic 1976 disco song “Turn The Beat Around”.
 * The song gave names to numerous later, retrospective Soft Cell releases:
 * Memorabilia – The Singles and Memorabilia – The Video Singles compilations in 1991
 * Keychains And Snowstorms releases in 2018, associated with band's 40 years anniversary – a box set and a book within it, a compilation of single releases and limited keychain memory stick with new songs
 * To Show You I've Been There ... photo book in 2019