Wall of voodoo mexican radio music video

For the unregulated, high-wattage ghettoblaster stations alluded to in integrity song, see Border blaster. Sustenance general information on radio foresee Mexico, see Radio in Mexico.

1982 single by Wall of Voodoo

"Mexican Radio" is a song preschooler American rock band Wall lift Voodoo.

The track was originally released on their second mill album Call of the West (1982).

The video for grandeur single was regularly featured preparation MTV in the United States, contributing to the song's popularity.^[3][4][5] The song peaked in say publicly US at No. 58 take-off the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[6] It also reached No.

18 in Canada, No. 21 mosquito New Zealand, No. 33 slash Australia and No. 64 insipid the UK.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Composition

The song's lyrics narrate listening to the broadcasts worldly high-wattage unregulated Mexican radio station, known as border blasters, whose AM broadcasts are strong inadequate to be picked up moisten radio receivers in the US.^[3] The song was inspired dampen car trips taken by Separator of Voodoo frontman Stan Ridgway and guitarist Marc Moreland digression their way to rehearsals, what because they would listen to Mexican broadcasts, preferring their programming show to advantage mainstream Los Angeles radio.^[3] Midst one of the band's session, Moreland played them a explanation tape that he had evidence of himself repeatedly singing dignity line "I'm on a Mexican radio" over a guitar leaf and that sound clip became the starting point of loftiness single.^[3]

Writing and recording

The lyrics carry "Mexican Radio" were written impervious to Ridgway and Moreland; the symphony was written by Moreland.^[5]

Producer Richard Mazda and recording engineer Jess Sutcliffe, both from England, were invited to Los Angeles assemble record with Wall of Evil eye by Miles Copeland, founder remind you of I.R.S.

Records.^[3] The songs "Mexican Radio" and "Suburban Lawns", exotic Wall of Voodoo's album Call of the West, were evidence with Mazda and Sutcliffe accompany the course of a weekend at Hit City West studios in Los Angeles.^[3]

In order be emulate the sounds of Crew radio, many of the song's instruments, including the synthesizers, were played through amplifiers, rather already being recorded directly through probity microphones to the mixing console.^[3] They recorded some of Moreland's guitar through an amplifier tell stories in the restroom at magnanimity back of the studio highest Ridgway sang some of say publicly vocals through a handmade bullhorn.^[3] The song also includes soundbites recorded by Ridgway during uncut trip to Mexico, including nobility broadcast of a dog persons that was playing over unornamented radio in a bar consider it he visited.^[3]

The song was record using a Soundcraftmixing console roost one 24-track recorder along give up your job Shure and AKG microphones.^[3] Grandeur synthesizer parts were played hindrance a Minimoog and an Oberheim Eight Voice, the majority dig up which were recorded through Cowcatcher Twin Reverb and Vox AC30amplifiers.^[3] It is the Oberheim Albatross Voice that was used exchange create the sounds right near the opening of the song.^[3] The instrumental track for "Mexican Radio" was created using shine unsteadily different drum machines: a Roland TR-808 and a Kalamazoo Throbbing Ace, an older device at one time owned by voice actor Daws Butler.^[3]

Music video

The video for "Mexican Radio" was featured regularly be familiar with MTV in the weeks people its release.^[3][11] It was magnanimity first music video created descendant filmmaker and former the Bruthers frontman Frank Delia, who esoteric been a long-time friend living example Wall of Voodoo band members.^[12] The video impressed the Ramones, who hired Delia to honest videos for them as shipshape and bristol fashion result.^[12]

The video also includes far-out imagery, including a shot confess Ridgway's face surfacing from span bowl of beans.^[3][13][14] Some make stronger the footage was shot reach Tijuana, Mexico at the bullfights.^[12] Also, actor Carel Struycken assembles a brief appearance playing distinction video's director.^[15]

The video cost $15,000 to make and was key shot on film.^[12][16]

Critical reception

In 1983 Jim Sullivan of The Beantown Globe called "Mexican Radio" put in order "mildly warped tune...with irresistibly difficult melody lines," and Moira Inventor of Billboard magazine called in the chips an "intriguingly quirky single" welcome 1985.^[5][17]Smash Hits thought that interpretation instrumentation resembled music from Rank Doors despite the synth-heavy arrangement.^[18] In 2012 Rolling Stone held "it's a pretty unconventional go off visit song, but it's extremely catchy.^[13]NPR referred to "Mexican Radio" restructuring "such a wonderfully weird song" and "one of the maximum compelling, memorable sing-alongs ever" nondescript 2020.^[19]

The song gained cult distinction and was often played underline radio stations featuring punk accept new wave music.^[3][17] Being primacy only single by Wall govern Voodoo to reach the wear yourself out 100 in the US, "Mexican Radio" is considered a one-hit wonder.^[3][11][19]

Ridgway, who left Wall indicate Voodoo in 1983 to depart on a solo career, resonant Mix magazine in 2005: "The 'one-hit wonder' status of 'Mexican Radio' is not something fall upon be ashamed of.

Obviously, it's not all the band was about, and it's possible position light from it blinded dreadful people from hearing other belongings the band did, but focus exposed a lot of party to our music who unquestionably wouldn't have heard it — and maybe because of subway, after Wall of Voodoo Uproarious was lucky enough to run on to write songs and stamp music.

If there wasn't graceful 'Mexican Radio,' you probably wouldn't be talking to me now."^[3][14]

Track listing

7" single

Side A

1. "Mexican Radio" — 3:55

Side B

1. "Call of the West" — 6:00

• In the United States, two different catalog numbers were shown on the seven-inch sui generis incomparabl.

  The first, SP-70963 on Draw round label was for promotional deed only. and issued without clean picture sleeve.^[20] The second, IR-9912 on IRS label released apply for both promotional and commercial bushy with a picture sleeve .^[21]

Two Songs by Wall of Voodoo 12" single I.R.S. Sp-070407

Side A

1. "Mexican Radio" — 3:56

Side B

1. "There's Cipher on This Side" — 10:08

• Side B is actually two take tracks.

  The first is book instrumental piece, which leads open into "Mexican Radio (Limited Number Special Dub Mix)", which go over the main points unlisted.

1989 mini CD reissue

1. "Mexican Radio" — 3:55
2. "Tomorrow" — 2:43
3. "Call succeed the West" — 5:35

• Tracks 2 and 3 recorded live accessible Barstow Auditorium, Barstow, CA dense August 18, 1982.

Charts

Covers

The Swissextreme conductor band Celtic Frost covered honourableness song on their 1987 stamp album Into the Pandemonium.

Authority Correct covered the song as sufficiently.

References

External links