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.

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 as B sides of European 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 – her first record with Soft Cell, which will give hints on her influence on the duo. Additional new lines by Almond, toward the end of the song, also refer to drug influenced dance floor experience. Dave Ball and Mike Thorne, producer of Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, made music more percussion heavy, with addition of trumpet play by John Gatchell.

'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 being 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, as "Cicada Dub Version". It's closer to Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing version, using vocals by Almond and Cindy Ecstasy from it.

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.

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 video mostly consists of various Super 8 footage, starting with one of Almond's college short films, with a 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 Huw Feather. Ball's New York footage from 1978 was also used, such as views of building and street traffics behind Cindy Ecstasy.

“Memorabilia” flows from the end of “Youth” video, with Feather's animated drawings of flamenco dancers in front of a rewinding footage. 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 final frames being distorted. 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.

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 acid themed track, not by its sound, but by lyrics and attempt to catch the feeling of music under drug's influence.

Listen

 * Official uploads on YouTube

Trivia

 * 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