Thats CRAZY! I had no idea. I never listened to SynthPop when I was growing up in the 80's. But I am well aware of each of those bands music,, VERY Talented Musician WOW!
We need early Depeche Mode more New Wave and less dark....even though I am all about the dark, I think we need to ease them into it lol How about Everything Counts?
Vince Clarke was the main song writer on the first Depeche Mode album. You can hear some Just Can't Get Enough sound in here. He left and formed Yazoo (Yaz in the US) with Alison. When she left, he started Erasure.
Upstairs at Eric’s is a 80s synth pop banger album! I’m glad you’ve done Don’t Go and Situation from it now! Alison just has such a unique powerhouse voice!
The Lead singer, Alison Moyet has such an incredible and iconic voice. She has many solo albums, but she sells much better in Europe. The synth player from Yazoo, Vince Clark, found a male singer named Andy Bell that sounded very similar to Alison, and they started the group Erasure, who I think you have listened to before. They are incredibly prolific. They were YAZOO in England, but in the U.S. there was already a group called Yazoo, so the changed it to YAZ.
Yaz also recorded one of the quintessential synth-pop ballads, the song "Only You." I think you guys would love it. Yazoo/Yaz had problems with their name. At the time they released their first album in the UK under the name Yazoo, but learned they couldn't use the name in the US because another band had released an album under that name. So, for the US release of their first album, they shortened it to Yaz. The singer is a woman named Allison Moyet, she had a great solo career after Yazoo/Yaz disolved. Her voice is absolutely incredible.
@@davedave8602 no, that wasn't confusing as that was a former model called Yasmin Evans. She broke through with that single in 1988, well after Yazoo split...
I can't imagine what we'll look like dancing to this in another 20 years time. Maybe we'll be pop-locking in our wheelchairs or canes, spilling the contents of our cholostomy bags all over the nursing room floor.
Jay & Amber, you'll love their "Only You" !!! Very different vibe on "Only You". Also you'll love their amazing lead singer Alison Moyet's solo song "Love Resurrection"!! Yaz in North America, Yazoo everywhere else.
Allison Moyet is the singer of this song ! She went on to have a great solo career ! Her first debut album was titled "Alf " It's one of those albums you put the needle on it and let it go ! The last song on the album is titled Where Hides Sleep ! Amazing Song 🎵
@@debra146 Opps 😆 ... Shame on me ! I bought that album the day it came out ! Thanks for bringing that to my attention ! ✌️... I actually have that on Vinyl , Cassette and CD !
The music that helped set the tone for House music in the late 80s to early 90s! I see you Jay & Amber! Keep dancin'...that's what the music was made for. 💯❤️👍✌️
What made Yaz so great, was the cool, mechanical synth pop blended with Alison Moyet's incredibly full, rich, bluesy voice. it was such a great blend. I highly recommend some her solo stuff, most notably: It Won't Be Long, Whispering Your Name or Wishing You Were Here. Although if you want more of their synth-pop sound, check out Don't Walk Away from Love or Don't Go.
5:01 The 80s were just a special time. The whole decade was lighting in a bottle. It was frickin awesome. Well, it was to me and many other 80s kids/youth's.
@@treetopjones737 yawn!😴 Always some partypooper that comes along to take a dump on the 80s. Let me guess, Reagan and Thatcher? That's the politics you didn't like?
@@treetopjones737 No, no it isn't a fact. We can't take you seriously when your political bias is showing. If Britain and America had left wing government's in the 80s, you'd be on here saying it was a socialist dystopia, lol. When Thatcher and the Tories came into power in the late 70s, Britain was the sick man of Europe. The previous labour government had gone cap in hand to the IMF because we were in such dire straits. We had a few bad year's in the early part of the 80s, then had the longest peace time expansion on record. The economy was booming. That, is actually a statistical fact.
Yess, were back to Alison Moyet. She has a wonderful voice. The music insustry treated her badly back in the 80s because she didnt "look the part of a pop star" She released a ballad when went solo, its called "Invisible" I would love it if you coukd react to that one next. ❤🎼🎙🇬🇧
"Don't Go" is a must-listen, and a great video. Alison Moyet had/has a huge voice, and it fit that time perfectly. Also, Vince Clarke (synth wizard) worked with bands like Depeche Mode for a while, and I think even Human League. He was one of the pioneers of that early-80s synth-pop sound.
Lead singer of Yazoo , Alison Moyet , had a very successful solo career shortly after the group broke up . Check out her song Invisible . Total powerhouse vocals . Also while still with Yazoo they had a great ballad , Only You .
That entire album (Upstairs at Eric's) is so good. Can you believe that was 1982? They were ahead of their time. Re: the name, they were Yazoo first, then later changed to Yaz in the U.S. due to a lawsuit from the record label Yazoo Records, and there was also a U.S. rock band named Yazoo.
Love your reaction. I grew up in the 60's during the first British music invasion and began going to New Wave dance clubs in March 1980, right at the beginning. And you are right, it was more awesome than you can possibly imagine. The 80's was by far my favorite decade. Not just from music and movies, but things like home computers, the Internet, and gaming systems, video games at the arcades...etc...I could go on and on. Life changed completely in the 1980's, and most of the tech things we take for granted today originated in that decade. But it was the music that drove everything. And this song written and synthed by the legendary Vince Clarke was a HUGE hit that you could just get totally lost in on the dance floor. So Jay said a while back that he wanted to know how this type of synth-based music started, and who started it. Vince Clarke, The King of Synth, who started Yazoo and Erasure, was also the original founder of Depeche Mode in 1981. His biggest influence to start Depeche he said was the band OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark), a band you listened to once I think. But it was one of their later songs from 1986 or so. But it was OMD, in 1979 that really started the New Wave synth-based music style. Though they were influenced by German band Kraftwerk, another favorite of mine(Listen to their songs "The Model" and "Computer Love" if you want to feel what it was like to justcompletely phase out on the dance floor), OMD's 1st album came out in February 1980 and was really the beginning of New Wave/(or New Romantic in England) as it came to be called. They instantly became my favorite band when I first started hitting the clubs a month later. If you want to start at the beginning the most New wavey song you can listen to is OMD's song" Messages". "Messages" is the pure essence of New Wave music, and should be listened to before you listen to any more new wave synth songs. I would also suggest their other hits Electricity, Julia's Song, Enola Gay,and Almost. This was the beginning of New wave synth based music. And I promise you will not be disappointed Cheers
She was pretty big though at least for a quick second in the very early 80s as a soloist too when videos first came out. I remember her videos were on heavy rotation for a very brief moment when I was 14. Everyone knew her name for a second at least that year.
Happy you dig this song. My favorite of Yazoo’s is “Nobody’s Diary”, if you’re curious for more from them. For Female Friday, maybe maybe some more Enya? She has tons of great music, my pick for next is “Far and Away” Thank you guys!
Well it's about time you got to this group. In the '80s, at the Teenage Dance Clubs, this song was amazing to dance to. The remix was freaking long, seem like it was never ending. Shout out to the '80s💯👊💥
Weren't you listening? Both Amber and Jay literally say they've listened to this band once before, like twenty seconds into the video. 😂 Maybe you missed it somehow, oh well 🤷 Have a blessed day
Alison Moyet has an incredible voice and add to it the incredible genius of Vince Clark and you have this exceptional club banger. This was fire in the clubs. Vince Clark is such an under appreciated talent on synth and writing. His contribution to early Depeche Mode, then Yaz and his continued efforts with Erasure are simply incredible.
This song always cleared the seats and loaded up the dance floor back then! Allison's voice and Vince's synths are quintessential 80s! Y'all *really* should check out Allison's solo work for Female Friday. "Invisible" is an incredible track and her voice is astounding!
😂You two are really feeling it today with this song. I’m sure everyone else is bopping and dancing along with you too. Vince Clark and Alison Moyet are great together as Yaz. Vince also formed Erasure and Alison went on to have a successful solo career. I’m happy to say I’ve seen both perform live. Amazing musicians! Thanks for reacting to this!
Was in the Army stationed in Berlin Germany when this hit the Dance Clubs - can still see the black lights, strobe lights and people dancing with color lights between their fingers having a great time just enjoying life!
I remember when I first heard this song was in a Club in Hollywood. When the record would stop in the middle of the song the DJ would crank up the Base and man the floor would start shaking. He had that floor screaming like they were at a World Series with 1800 people dancing. It was Awesome. That was back in 1982 when I just got back from Mexico after 3 weeks and all they played there was Abba and Michael Jackson. Like every half hour on the radio station. That's when Los Angeles was getting HOT with all the dance music.
Simply put, Vince Clark is THE GOD of Synth Pop! Founding member and main music composer of Depeche Mode, then Yazoo (Yaz), The Assembly and finally, the super duo that is Erasure! No one had the pulse of the energetic dance sound like he did! I mean, his first ever hit was "Just Can't Get Enough" and it's become a cult classic. And that was in 1981! Add this song, then Don't Go, then the Erasure classics like Oh L'amour, Stop, Victim of Love and Sometimes, and no one came close to Vince when it came to danceable club anthem style synth pop! True legend!!!!
New wave, synth pop. Not only the '80s. It was popular in the late '70s and also early '90s. Lots of new wave had some disco infleunces too as well as punk , post-punk influences, because they were in the same era. Dance energetic music. But, yes. It was at its peak in the '80s. Yaz is similar Eurythmics. Annie Lennox also had strong voice. Grace Jones as well (she did some new wave, too).
Alison Moyet has one of those powerhouse voices that just BOOM! gets going from the start and doesn't let you go. If you want to hear one of her awesome solo pieces, "Invisible" is a banger (even as a moderate speed, heartbreak song).
I’m so glad y’all are checking out this band. I was obsessed with them back in the day. If you want a slower song where you can hear Alison’s voice better, try Ode to Boy from their second album, “You and Me Both.”
And of course Vince Clarke would be nothing without talented people around him. The singer is the amazing Alison Moyet. She's one of the great underrated voices of all time.
Vince Clarke, founding member of Depeche Mode, decided to go out on his own. Alison Moyet, British punk singer with an extremely soulful voice put an ad in a British music magazine. Vince replied to Alison's ad. The collaboration turned into the group Yazoo (shortened to just "Yaz" in the US). Although they only recorded 2 albums, their sound was highly influential. Alison went onto an extremely successful solo career. Vince went on to form the Synth group Erasure.
Oh my gosh, you guys are so ADORKABLE, I love you! 😂 That was the most fun review I’ve seen to date. 😆 Great song. Glad y’all dug it. Keep on dancin. 🥰
In Great Britain and Europe they were known as Yazoo, in the states it was shortened to Yaz by the record co and the band. The entire album , Upstairs at Eric’s, was incredible.
I'm glad you came back and gave them another lister. Alison Moyet is brilliant. Some of her solo stuff is really solid. She did a great gig with Burberry Menswear by providing the live music during one of their annual shows. Was nice to see and hear her looking and sounding so well.
There is a reason this song is standard still in dance clubs a well as just about every wedding reception you will attend. Stay long enough and you WILL see people dancing to this, because like most of the music from our era, it stands up as still great music to dance to-or roller skate to, as Jay guessed.
This entire album, Upstairs at Eric’s, is a freaking masterpiece! I was a 15 year old club kid when it dropped and it ruled dance floors for years! Never gets old. Been on my playlists since I first heard it!
In the mid 80's there were some people who wore all black. Some some people were wearing crazy bright colors. Those 2 crowds would blend at a synth pop show.
"Midnight" is another EXCEPTIONAL tune of theirs! Also, "Invisible" by Alison Moyet, is a MUST listen. One of my favorite songs ever, a true masterpiece of her's.
OK, definitely dating myself here, but this song was PERFECT for breaking out your "mannequin" moves! 😂 You could really show off every single move you had in your arsenal on this one. Then have a friend snap you out of it when the full sound was about to kick back in--WOW! What a flashback!!
When I was in the Navy in the 90's we stopped in Gibraltar for a port visit. I found an Alison Moyet greatest hits CD that i have never seen in the USA. What an absolutely Amazing find! Even though it was the 90's they were still playing this music consistently in the clubs in Europe.
Thank you SO MUCH for finally doing this song! Since you liked Alison Moyet's voice on Don't Go, you should do her solo song Invisible. Also recommended of this era: Yarbrough & Peoples--Don't Stop the Music, a synth funk classic! You'd also dig Neneh Cherry's Buffalo Stance, and if you want some great J reactions, Yello's OH YEAH is a must!!
This is one of all time favorites. It in my kitchen disco play list. I turn the lights out, sync my phone to my disco speaker and dance like there's no one watching. It's what I'm doing right now. Thanks guys, cheers, Paul.😁👍📀❤️
This brought me back! I love Jay and Amber’s reaction to a song from my past! I remember the club and my outfits! But it was Amber that chair danced with “diva” attitude that was wonderfully delicious to me!
So this is a key song that starts the transition between New Wave (New Romantic) and electronica/House. Also Moyet added a soul voice to our music at the time, which was rare as at the time it was all about less emotion equals more cool. For a couple other major New Romantic--electronica bridge songs: "Fade to Grey, by Visage "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell "Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode
According to my sister, this song was guaranteed to fill the dance floor - !! She's the one that introduced me to Yazoo (she's 13 years older than me, I was 5 when this came out) - I played the crap out of this album! Vince Clarke had such vision...whether it be with the origins of Depeche Mode, then Yazoo, Erasure...the guy knew synths, and how to groove! Then you add the deep, soulful vox of Alison Moyet - and you have this incredible duo! I'd HIGHLY suggest checking Only You - a beautiful ballad from this same album. It was Yaz here in North America as there was another outfit with the name Yazoo here at the time.
This entire album is outstanding and you hit it on the head with the uniqueness of the sound. Vince Clark created some incredible soundscapes and truly Alison Moyet has one of the most unique, strong, sexy voices in music. I highly recommend Midnight and Only You from this same album - masterpieces.
80s Pop music was so deliciously creative! Musicians weren't afraid to experiment in those days, and the record companies supported the creativity of their artists then, far more than they do now. Nowadays, it's so formulaic to what the record labels think sells the most, and that part of the problem as to why so much of the music today sounds the same, why most singers have almost identical cadences, and tone, why (in Hip-Hop) rappers all have the same flow, and why songs altogether seemingly have little to no character in them. the 80s truly was a special time for music, and I'm so glad I was able to grow up during those years.
If you want another futuristic synth pop/funk type song from the 80s try Freak-A-Zoid by Midnight Star. :) You loved their "No Parking On The Dance Floor" song
Alison Moyet has a super-strong voice, and has been solo since Yazoo broke up. She's done a lot of stuff, including one of the best versions of "Windmills of Your Mind".
In the 80s, if my friends and I were in a club and leaving and Yaz come on - we'd still hit the dance floor - dead of winter in Chicago with coats on - you still danced. You NEVER walk out on Yaz. The 80s were THE BEST!!!! I had more fun than any human deserves. Funny thing - don't have a single picture of being out at any club or anywhere - different times.
I'm sorry I'm late to this but thank you sooooo much for doing another Yazzoo reaction ❤ and I implore you to do some Alison Moyet solo reactions. She's covered everything from 80's pop to soulful goth pop rock I'll call it (her Hoodoo era) to brit pop (Essex) to well adult contemporary pop of the time (Hometime) and back to synth pop (The Minutes) and everything between all of that. She's sorely underrated and underappreciated imo.
Yazoo were a class act and went down a treat in the clubs! They could hardly fail, with synth god Vince Clarke (also of Depeche Mode and Erasure) providing the sound and the incomparable, marvelous, magnificent Alison Moyet on vocals! They only made 2 albums but what albums they were! Unlike a lot of 80s music, it still sounds great today! :)
Seminal album for me growing up. Upstairs at Eric’s is a great album front to back. I still love to listen to it on road trips from start to finish. Keep working your way through it.
💕😎 so much fun and I just love to watch you guys dance when you watch these types of videos, this song drove everyone to the dance floor like crazy, good to feel young again thanks for the Memories!
Also agree with other comments on here you simply have to listen to "only you" which was there first hit. Coincidentally this song was originally the B side to "only you", it would later be released as a single in 1990 well after Yazoo had split, reaching number 14 in the UK charts.
Another club banger. I loved how these Euro bands crossed over into the black/latino clubs in the 80s. we used to break dance to this! I used to mix this with Aleem's "Release Yourself". Didn't matter the race or what country the artist was from, we all danced to the same joints.
This to me, 40 yrs on, sounds almost like proto-house. I know early house DJs played Italo disco and some other European stuff, I wonder if this was on their radar.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Vince Clarke is one of those little-known music legends: founded Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure. Crazy talented.
They need to react to more Erasure like "Chains Of Love".
Thats CRAZY! I had no idea. I never listened to SynthPop when I was growing up in the 80's. But I am well aware of each of those bands music,, VERY Talented Musician WOW!
@@seanswinton6242 I think Oh L'Amour before Chains of Love
We need early Depeche Mode more New Wave and less dark....even though I am all about the dark, I think we need to ease them into it lol How about Everything Counts?
I wouldn't say little known - he is bit of a synth legend over here in UK
Former Depeche Mode synth player and later formed ERASURE. Singer, Alison Moyet, super strong voice - and later a solo career.
Wow...didn't know all that...I fully hear a little bit of Depeche, Erasure, and Alison....
HELP! I’m tryna make it out the hood so on my UA-cam channel i do food reviews while I’m super high 😎
No way! I knew they became Erasure later but was not aware of the Depeche Mode connection. This song is SO Depeche Mode!
She has toured with Tears For Fears for the last couple of tours. Great backup to Roland & Curt in Woman in Chains.
Vince Clarke was the main song writer on the first Depeche Mode album. You can hear some Just Can't Get Enough sound in here. He left and formed Yazoo (Yaz in the US) with Alison. When she left, he started Erasure.
Upstairs at Eric’s is a 80s synth pop banger album! I’m glad you’ve done Don’t Go and Situation from it now! Alison just has such a unique powerhouse voice!
Just yesterday I was clearing my storage room, where my vinyls were and guess what lp I happenned to see...
It is a great album but I prefer "You and me both" personally
You And Me Both also had some outstanding cuts. My 2 faves there are Ode to Boy and Unmarked. Both show off both Allison's and Vince's immense talent
Midnight!
@@nessaseetah1805 Yesss! I love that one, I'm surprised someone brought that one up 👏
I used to listen to all these songs with 2 very good friends. Thanks for being them again in my life.
The Lead singer, Alison Moyet has such an incredible and iconic voice. She has many solo albums, but she sells much better in Europe. The synth player from Yazoo, Vince Clark, found a male singer named Andy Bell that sounded very similar to Alison, and they started the group Erasure, who I think you have listened to before. They are incredibly prolific. They were YAZOO in England, but in the U.S. there was already a group called Yazoo, so the changed it to YAZ.
@@hyperfex No, an American Rock band was called Yazoo, and they sued over the name, so they had to change it to Yaz in the U S
Yaz also recorded one of the quintessential synth-pop ballads, the song "Only You." I think you guys would love it. Yazoo/Yaz had problems with their name. At the time they released their first album in the UK under the name Yazoo, but learned they couldn't use the name in the US because another band had released an album under that name. So, for the US release of their first album, they shortened it to Yaz. The singer is a woman named Allison Moyet, she had a great solo career after Yazoo/Yaz disolved. Her voice is absolutely incredible.
And there was another UK band named Yazz in the 80's, also a synth band with a female singer, so that made it even more confusing.
You nailed it. Good synopsis.
Only You is so sweet. The juxtaposition with the pinging synth was always a bit odd to me, but I liked it anyway.
@@davedave8602Wasn't the other band Yaz & The Plastic Population - the did "The Only Way Is Up"?
@@davedave8602 no, that wasn't confusing as that was a former model called Yasmin Evans. She broke through with that single in 1988, well after Yazoo split...
If you ever want to see a bunch of 50 somethings hit the dance floor, play this one! All-time favorite and classic!
I can still smell the cloves
I can't imagine what we'll look like dancing to this in another 20 years time. Maybe we'll be pop-locking in our wheelchairs or canes, spilling the contents of our cholostomy bags all over the nursing room floor.
😂
Awwww yeah, imma bust moves just like Elaine Benes!
To be sure!
Isn’t it amazing when music from 40 years ago is still ahead of its time. ✌️
It's iconic!
Their album “Upstairs at Eric’s” is one of the best complete albums in music history…every song is AMAZING!
You're not wrong, my friend. Phenomenal album!
Absolutely 💯
Upstair's At Eric's was awesome I remember listening to this all the time
Midnight is a masterpiece
Alison Moyet is a vocal powerhouse.
Jay & Amber, you'll love their "Only You" !!! Very different vibe on "Only You".
Also you'll love their amazing lead singer Alison Moyet's solo song "Love Resurrection"!!
Yaz in North America, Yazoo everywhere else.
Also "Invisible"
@@seanswinton6242 You can add Alison's - Weak (in the presence of beauty). Full range of pipes!!
“ONLY YOU” is one of my favorite songs ever!! Great recommendation!!
You are forgetting All Cried Out, which is a must.
Agree with Love Resurrection, just wonder if they'll realise what the lyrics are about...
I love Alison Moyet. One of my favourite female singers.
Alison Moyet... one of the most incredible voices ever... everything she does is brilliant! So glad you got a chance to "discover" her...
Alison Moyet, the singer, had a great solo career. I loved her song: "All Cried Out". " Invisible" and "Honey for the Bees" were also great songs.
I second 'All Cried Out' 👍
That old devil called Love.
Definitely 'All Cried Out', great song. I also love her version of 'Love Letters. Such a great, unique voice.
Only You - Yazoo is a beautiful song from the early 80s. The sound is real unique! Would be great to see you react to it!
Yaz. 😑
@@SupercellSucks Yaz only in the US/North America, due to a lawsuit by a band that already had the name Yazoo.
Allison Moyet is the singer of this song ! She went on to have a great solo career ! Her first debut album was titled "Alf " It's one of those albums you put the needle on it and let it go ! The last song on the album is titled Where Hides Sleep ! Amazing Song 🎵
Amazing album, but it’s Alf.
I wore out the cassette tape😂
@@debra146 Opps 😆 ... Shame on me ! I bought that album the day it came out ! Thanks for bringing that to my attention ! ✌️... I actually have that on Vinyl , Cassette and CD !
I still have the vinyl.
I keep asking to feature Allison on Female Friday, no luck so far 😢
The music that helped set the tone for House music in the late 80s to early 90s! I see you Jay & Amber! Keep dancin'...that's what the music was made for. 💯❤️👍✌️
YUP!
i love this stuff. it stayed in rotation in the dance clubs into the 90s.
Only You and Goodbye Seventies is next by them.😅
What made Yaz so great, was the cool, mechanical synth pop blended with Alison Moyet's incredibly full, rich, bluesy voice. it was such a great blend. I highly recommend some her solo stuff, most notably: It Won't Be Long, Whispering Your Name or Wishing You Were Here. Although if you want more of their synth-pop sound, check out Don't Walk Away from Love or Don't Go.
My three favourites of hers. I luckily managed to see her sing some of them live last year
Upstairs at Eric’s is a classic.
One of the best and influential albums of the era
@@leephillips2837 Fashion and I think they did Popcorn and Winter Kills
My sister got me hooked on this album when she was in college in about '85.
5:01 The 80s were just a special time. The whole decade was lighting in a bottle. It was frickin awesome.
Well, it was to me and many other 80s kids/youth's.
You’re not lying- it was! Period 🙌🏻💯‼️
Good time for music, horrible time for politics, rampant homophobia and tons of unemployment. Some of us were adults then.
@@treetopjones737 yawn!😴
Always some partypooper that comes along to take a dump on the 80s.
Let me guess, Reagan and Thatcher? That's the politics you didn't like?
^It's a fact, you were just a child.
No sane person liked those two.
@@treetopjones737 No, no it isn't a fact.
We can't take you seriously when your political bias is showing.
If Britain and America had left wing government's in the 80s, you'd be on here saying it was a socialist dystopia, lol.
When Thatcher and the Tories came into power in the late 70s, Britain was the sick man of Europe.
The previous labour government had gone cap in hand to the IMF because we were in such dire straits.
We had a few bad year's in the early part of the 80s, then had the longest peace time expansion on record. The economy was booming.
That, is actually a statistical fact.
Yess, were back to Alison Moyet. She has a wonderful voice. The music insustry treated her badly back in the 80s because she didnt "look the part of a pop star" She released a ballad when went solo, its called "Invisible" I would love it if you coukd react to that one next. ❤🎼🎙🇬🇧
"Don't Go" is a must-listen, and a great video.
Alison Moyet had/has a huge voice, and it fit that time perfectly.
Also, Vince Clarke (synth wizard) worked with bands like Depeche Mode for a while, and I think even Human League.
He was one of the pioneers of that early-80s synth-pop sound.
they reacted to Don't Go.
@@surlechapeau Oh. lol
Thanks.
@@electronash you're welcome. Great song.
He was never in The Human League, you are probably thinking of Heaven 17's Martyn Ware.
@@Xiroi87 Ahh, OK. That would be it. ;)
Lead singer of Yazoo , Alison Moyet , had a very successful solo career shortly after the group broke up .
Check out her song Invisible . Total powerhouse vocals . Also while still with Yazoo they had a great ballad , Only You .
Alison Moyet is the bomb! What a voice! Glad you guys liked it. I grew up to this kind of music.
All Cried Out from singer Alison Moyet is 'a must'. She had several great hits but this one cuts deepest.
That entire album (Upstairs at Eric's) is so good. Can you believe that was 1982? They were ahead of their time. Re: the name, they were Yazoo first, then later changed to Yaz in the U.S. due to a lawsuit from the record label Yazoo Records, and there was also a U.S. rock band named Yazoo.
Indeed, @TamiThePinkHairedGirl
They were not ahead of their time, they were creating the 80's sound. They remained Yazoo everywhere except in the US.
Love your reaction. I grew up in the 60's during the first British music invasion and began going to New Wave dance clubs in March 1980, right at the beginning. And you are right, it was more awesome than you can possibly imagine. The 80's was by far my favorite decade. Not just from music and movies, but things like home computers, the Internet, and gaming systems, video games at the arcades...etc...I could go on and on. Life changed completely in the 1980's, and most of the tech things we take for granted today originated in that decade. But it was the music that drove everything. And this song written and synthed by the legendary Vince Clarke was a HUGE hit that you could just get totally lost in on the dance floor.
So Jay said a while back that he wanted to know how this type of synth-based music started, and who started it. Vince Clarke, The King of Synth, who started Yazoo and Erasure, was also the original founder of Depeche Mode in 1981. His biggest influence to start Depeche he said was the band OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark), a band you listened to once I think. But it was one of their later songs from 1986 or so.
But it was OMD, in 1979 that really started the New Wave synth-based music style. Though they were influenced by German band Kraftwerk, another favorite of mine(Listen to their songs "The Model" and "Computer Love" if you want to feel what it was like to justcompletely phase out on the dance floor), OMD's 1st album came out in February 1980 and was really the beginning of New Wave/(or New Romantic in England) as it came to be called. They instantly became my favorite band when I first started hitting the clubs a month later.
If you want to start at the beginning the most New wavey song you can listen to is OMD's song" Messages". "Messages" is the pure essence of New Wave music, and should be listened to before you listen to any more new wave synth songs. I would also suggest their other hits Electricity, Julia's Song, Enola Gay,and Almost. This was the beginning of New wave synth based music. And I promise you will not be disappointed Cheers
How Allison Moyet is not a giant star is baffling to me. Her voice is so rich and lush.
Her solo career is flourishing. Giant star, well these days plenty of lesser talents are super stars while very talented people aren't.
For Real! I was thinking about her today, how this was incorporated into a lot of Chicago Friday Night House Music Mixes!!!
Lush, that voice
She was pretty big though at least for a quick second in the very early 80s as a soloist too when videos first came out. I remember her videos were on heavy rotation for a very brief moment when I was 14. Everyone knew her name for a second at least that year.
Ah man I really wish contralto singers would get more recognition.. Alison is unbelievably unique and powerful ❤
One of the most beautiful songs ever is Yazoo’s “Only You”, Moyet’s vocals are amazing.
Alison Moyet caught my attention with that soulful, bluesy voice.
She's still one of my favorite vocalists of all time.
Nobody's Diary is my favourite from Yazoo, great singing, great synth instrumental, pithy lyrics
Happy you dig this song. My favorite of Yazoo’s is “Nobody’s Diary”, if you’re curious for more from them.
For Female Friday, maybe maybe some more Enya? She has tons of great music, my pick for next is “Far and Away”
Thank you guys!
Absolute yes to Diary. 100%!
Yes, "Nobody's Diary" next for sure!
Also one of my favourites, but they haven't checked Only You yet, just saying
Oh, I like that one too - and "Only You" of course!
@@Xiroi87 I also love “Only You”, would be very happy for Jay & Amber to react to it
Well it's about time you got to this group. In the '80s, at the Teenage Dance Clubs, this song was amazing to dance to. The remix was freaking long, seem like it was never ending. Shout out to the '80s💯👊💥
they reacted to their "Don't Go" as well.
Weren't you listening? Both Amber and Jay literally say they've listened to this band once before, like twenty seconds into the video. 😂 Maybe you missed it somehow, oh well 🤷 Have a blessed day
YES YES YES - This is part of the soundtrack to my teenage years, absolutely love it.
Alison Moyet has an incredible voice and add to it the incredible genius of Vince Clark and you have this exceptional club banger. This was fire in the clubs. Vince Clark is such an under appreciated talent on synth and writing. His contribution to early Depeche Mode, then Yaz and his continued efforts with Erasure are simply incredible.
This song always cleared the seats and loaded up the dance floor back then! Allison's voice and Vince's synths are quintessential 80s! Y'all *really* should check out Allison's solo work for Female Friday. "Invisible" is an incredible track and her voice is astounding!
😂You two are really feeling it today with this song. I’m sure everyone else is bopping and dancing along with you too. Vince Clark and Alison Moyet are great together as Yaz. Vince also formed Erasure and Alison went on to have a successful solo career. I’m happy to say I’ve seen both perform live. Amazing musicians! Thanks for reacting to this!
Was in the Army stationed in Berlin Germany when this hit the Dance Clubs - can still see the black lights, strobe lights and people dancing with color lights between their fingers having a great time just enjoying life!
The whole album "Upstairs at Erics" is still one of my favourite albums. Well worth a listen
I remember when I first heard this song was in a Club in Hollywood. When the record would stop in the middle of the song the DJ would crank up the Base and man the floor would start shaking. He had that floor screaming like they were at a World Series with 1800 people dancing. It was Awesome. That was back in 1982 when I just got back from Mexico after 3 weeks and all they played there was Abba and Michael Jackson. Like every half hour on the radio station. That's when Los Angeles was getting HOT with all the dance music.
Simply put, Vince Clark is THE GOD of Synth Pop! Founding member and main music composer of Depeche Mode, then Yazoo (Yaz), The Assembly and finally, the super duo that is Erasure! No one had the pulse of the energetic dance sound like he did! I mean, his first ever hit was "Just Can't Get Enough" and it's become a cult classic. And that was in 1981! Add this song, then Don't Go, then the Erasure classics like Oh L'amour, Stop, Victim of Love and Sometimes, and no one came close to Vince when it came to danceable club anthem style synth pop! True legend!!!!
New wave, synth pop. Not only the '80s. It was popular in the late '70s and also early '90s. Lots of new wave had some disco infleunces too as well as punk , post-punk influences, because they were in the same era. Dance energetic music. But, yes. It was at its peak in the '80s. Yaz is similar Eurythmics. Annie Lennox also had strong voice. Grace Jones as well (she did some new wave, too).
Alison Moyet has one of those powerhouse voices that just BOOM! gets going from the start and doesn't let you go. If you want to hear one of her awesome solo pieces, "Invisible" is a banger (even as a moderate speed, heartbreak song).
Glad to see you two enjoying the music. It was made to be enjoyed, you are only respecting the artists by having fun!
I’m so glad y’all are checking out this band. I was obsessed with them back in the day. If you want a slower song where you can hear Alison’s voice better, try Ode to Boy from their second album, “You and Me Both.”
And of course Vince Clarke would be nothing without talented people around him. The singer is the amazing Alison Moyet. She's one of the great underrated voices of all time.
Vince Clarke is a synth genius, and as for Alison Moyet, what a voice!
It takes me back and I can see the flashing lights and taste the dry ice!
This is such an EPIC song!! One of my all-time favorites!
Vince Clarke, founding member of Depeche Mode, decided to go out on his own. Alison Moyet, British punk singer with an extremely soulful voice put an ad in a British music magazine. Vince replied to Alison's ad. The collaboration turned into the group Yazoo (shortened to just "Yaz" in the US). Although they only recorded 2 albums, their sound was highly influential. Alison went onto an extremely successful solo career. Vince went on to form the Synth group Erasure.
Oh my gosh, you guys are so ADORKABLE, I love you! 😂 That was the most fun review I’ve seen to date. 😆
Great song. Glad y’all dug it. Keep on dancin. 🥰
In Great Britain and Europe they were known as Yazoo, in the states it was shortened to Yaz by the record co and the band. The entire album , Upstairs at Eric’s, was incredible.
I'm glad you came back and gave them another lister. Alison Moyet is brilliant. Some of her solo stuff is really solid. She did a great gig with Burberry Menswear by providing the live music during one of their annual shows. Was nice to see and hear her looking and sounding so well.
'All Cried Out' is another amazing song sung by Alison Moyet and the wonderful 'Only You' definitely needs to be checked out
There is a reason this song is standard still in dance clubs a well as just about every wedding reception you will attend. Stay long enough and you WILL see people dancing to this, because like most of the music from our era, it stands up as still great music to dance to-or roller skate to, as Jay guessed.
This entire album, Upstairs at Eric’s, is a freaking masterpiece! I was a 15 year old club kid when it dropped and it ruled dance floors for years! Never gets old. Been on my playlists since I first heard it!
In the mid 80's there were some people who wore all black. Some some people were wearing crazy bright colors. Those 2 crowds would blend at a synth pop show.
One of the best songs of my generation 🔥🔥
You two need to react to this whole album. It's full of great synth-pop songs.
Truly an 80’s BANGER. I feel confident in saying that every one of my friends owned a copy of Upstairs At Eric’s. Dance floor HEAVEN!!
"Midnight" is another EXCEPTIONAL tune of theirs! Also, "Invisible" by Alison Moyet, is a MUST listen. One of my favorite songs ever, a true masterpiece of her's.
Their song Midnight will always be their best to me. Synths and soul balanced to perfection. Of course Alison's voice dominates.
Oh wow....I'm 64, and I danced to this A LOT back in the 80s!
This song was EVERYTHING in the 80s
Alison Moyet's soulful voice and Vince Clarke's brilliant keyboards - hello! I bop to this song at age 60. Yazoo in the UK; Yaz used in North America.
OK, definitely dating myself here, but this song was PERFECT for breaking out your "mannequin" moves! 😂 You could really show off every single move you had in your arsenal on this one. Then have a friend snap you out of it when the full sound was about to kick back in--WOW! What a flashback!!
When I was in the Navy in the 90's we stopped in Gibraltar for a port visit. I found an Alison Moyet greatest hits CD that i have never seen in the USA. What an absolutely Amazing find! Even though it was the 90's they were still playing this music consistently in the clubs in Europe.
Takes me back to my college days! No matter how tired I was, this song always got me back to the dance floor. Glad you liked it!
Thank you SO MUCH for finally doing this song! Since you liked Alison Moyet's voice on Don't Go, you should do her solo song Invisible. Also recommended of this era: Yarbrough & Peoples--Don't Stop the Music, a synth funk classic! You'd also dig Neneh Cherry's Buffalo Stance, and if you want some great J reactions, Yello's OH YEAH is a must!!
Love them. And Alison Moyet solo is incredible.
The pause at 2:54. Whole dancefloor freezes for a second then cranks it up HIGHER!! Love my youth.
Such a great album. Had this on cassette. My sister’s car stereo ate it.
😂 it got a "taste" of Yazoo!
Imagine being Vince and having at least two incredible singers in Andy and Alison
This is one of all time favorites. It in my kitchen disco play list. I turn the lights out, sync my phone to my disco speaker and dance like there's no one watching.
It's what I'm doing right now.
Thanks guys, cheers, Paul.😁👍📀❤️
Amber that is the genius of Yazoo - Vince with the music and OMG Alison what a voice - perfect combo
One of the best bands of the 80s despite only 2 albums. Beautiful.
I was 15 when this came out. When youre a synth guy, this is your jam.
You'll never get this quality of music again.
This brought me back! I love Jay and Amber’s reaction to a song from my past! I remember the club and my outfits! But it was Amber that chair danced with “diva” attitude that was wonderfully delicious to me!
From the year 3000 … I love that comment! That’s exactly why I loved this music. It felt like the future.
So this is a key song that starts the transition between New Wave (New Romantic) and electronica/House. Also Moyet added a soul voice to our music at the time, which was rare as at the time it was all about less emotion equals more cool.
For a couple other major New Romantic--electronica bridge songs:
"Fade to Grey, by Visage
"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell
"Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode
That was Vince's work on JC Get Enough. He left DM.
West end girls
Most underestimate 80s synth tracks. They were feeling it in their way.
This song was such a big hit we got tired of hearing it. Now it is refreshing again.
According to my sister, this song was guaranteed to fill the dance floor - !! She's the one that introduced me to Yazoo (she's 13 years older than me, I was 5 when this came out) - I played the crap out of this album! Vince Clarke had such vision...whether it be with the origins of Depeche Mode, then Yazoo, Erasure...the guy knew synths, and how to groove! Then you add the deep, soulful vox of Alison Moyet - and you have this incredible duo!
I'd HIGHLY suggest checking Only You - a beautiful ballad from this same album.
It was Yaz here in North America as there was another outfit with the name Yazoo here at the time.
This entire album is outstanding and you hit it on the head with the uniqueness of the sound. Vince Clark created some incredible soundscapes and truly Alison Moyet has one of the most unique, strong, sexy voices in music. I highly recommend Midnight and Only You from this same album - masterpieces.
80s Pop music was so deliciously creative! Musicians weren't afraid to experiment in those days, and the record companies supported the creativity of their artists then, far more than they do now. Nowadays, it's so formulaic to what the record labels think sells the most, and that part of the problem as to why so much of the music today sounds the same, why most singers have almost identical cadences, and tone, why (in Hip-Hop) rappers all have the same flow, and why songs altogether seemingly have little to no character in them. the 80s truly was a special time for music, and I'm so glad I was able to grow up during those years.
If you want another futuristic synth pop/funk type song from the 80s try Freak-A-Zoid by Midnight Star. :) You loved their "No Parking On The Dance Floor" song
You guys make me smile!! Thank you!!!!!!
Alison Moyet has a super-strong voice, and has been solo since Yazoo broke up. She's done a lot of stuff, including one of the best versions of "Windmills of Your Mind".
In the 80s, if my friends and I were in a club and leaving and Yaz come on - we'd still hit the dance floor - dead of winter in Chicago with coats on - you still danced. You NEVER walk out on Yaz. The 80s were THE BEST!!!! I had more fun than any human deserves. Funny thing - don't have a single picture of being out at any club or anywhere - different times.
I'm sorry I'm late to this but thank you sooooo much for doing another Yazzoo reaction ❤ and I implore you to do some Alison Moyet solo reactions. She's covered everything from 80's pop to soulful goth pop rock I'll call it (her Hoodoo era) to brit pop (Essex) to well adult contemporary pop of the time (Hometime) and back to synth pop (The Minutes) and everything between all of that. She's sorely underrated and underappreciated imo.
Yazoo were a class act and went down a treat in the clubs! They could hardly fail, with synth god Vince Clarke (also of Depeche Mode and Erasure) providing the sound and the incomparable, marvelous, magnificent Alison Moyet on vocals! They only made 2 albums but what albums they were! Unlike a lot of 80s music, it still sounds great today! :)
Seminal album for me growing up. Upstairs at Eric’s is a great album front to back. I still love to listen to it on road trips from start to finish. Keep working your way through it.
💕😎 so much fun and I just love to watch you guys dance when you watch these types of videos, this song drove everyone to the dance floor like crazy, good to feel young again thanks for the Memories!
Great tune! The laugh you hear in it has been sampled in so many 90's rave tunes! I really like 'Nobody's Diary' by them.
Also agree with other comments on here you simply have to listen to "only you" which was there first hit. Coincidentally this song was originally the B side to "only you", it would later be released as a single in 1990 well after Yazoo had split, reaching number 14 in the UK charts.
You guys never disappoint! Thanks for circling back to Alison Moyet and Yazoo!
Another club banger. I loved how these Euro bands crossed over into the black/latino clubs in the 80s. we used to break dance to this! I used to mix this with Aleem's "Release Yourself". Didn't matter the race or what country the artist was from, we all danced to the same joints.
Definitely! Don't forget ART OF NOISE
Ooooohhhh weeeee!!! Don’t even talk about Release Yourself!!!!! We sweated out many a hairstyle dancing to that jam!!😂😂❤️
There was less division before so-called equity-pushers. Facts.
This to me, 40 yrs on, sounds almost like proto-house. I know early house DJs played Italo disco and some other European stuff, I wonder if this was on their radar.
Upstairs at Eric’s is the definitive 80s synth pop album, just so many great songs.
"Only You" should be the next song from them! You should also start reacting to Alison Moyet solo material, starting with, "Invisible "!!
Yazoo in UK, Yaz in USA. Legal issues with another act. Happened a lot in the 80s.