Our Lips Are Sealed (8/15/81) #20 US, #47 UK, #15 AR
We Got the Beat (1/30/82) #2 US, #7 AR, sales: 0.5 m
Awards:
Beauty and the Beat
The Go-Go’s
Review:
“The relatively polished production” STE of the Go-Go’s debut album, Beauty and the Beat, “belies [their] punk roots,” STE but made them superstars. When it was released by IRS Records in 1981, much was made of the fact that this California group was a rarity in the male-dominated rock world – an all-girl band. That novelty wore out quickly; after three albums in the first half of the ‘80s, the group disbanded (barring inevitable reunions down the road).
However, while their light did shine, it burned brightly. Beauty and the Beat “was the first album entirely written and performed by an all-female band to top the charts.” WK In addition, while the group’s commercial success was short-lived, Beauty “remains one of the cornerstone albums of new wave, bristling with energy, revamped surf rock and girl-group hooks, and an intoxicating sense of fun.” STE
“The infectious, bouncy We Got the Beat and the pulsating Our Lips Are Sealed, which Jane Wiedlin co-wrote with Terry Hall, sent Beauty and the Beat to unexepected hit status, but they only scratch the surface of the wonderful pop songs that comprise the record. Nearly every song on the record is a delight, propelled by big, catchy hooks and an exuberant sense of fun. Lust to Love, Skidmarks on My Heart, Tonite, and Fading Fast could have been hits in their own right, but as it stands, they help make Beauty and the Beat into a terrifically exciting pop album.” STE
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