Talk Show (The Go-Go's album)

Talk Show is the third studio album by the American rock band the Go-Go's, released on the I.R.S. label in 1984. Although some critics considered it an inspired return to form[3] after their second album Vacation, other than the No. 11 hit single "Head over Heels",[4] the album was a relative commercial disappointment, peaking at No. 18[5] and selling fewer than 500,000 copies. This would be the last all-original album by the group until 2001's God Bless The Go-Go's.

Talk Show
Studio album by the Go-Go's
Released	March 19, 1984
Recorded	Spring–Fall 1983
Studio	Genetic, England
Genre	Pop rock, new wave
Length	37:08
Label	I.R.S.
Producer	Martin Rushent
The Go-Go's chronology
Vacation (1982) Talk Show (1984) Greatest (1990)
Singles from Talk Show
"Head over Heels" / "Good for Gone" Released: March 1984 "Turn to You" / "I'm with You" Released: June 1984 "Yes or No" / "Mercenary" Released: September 1984

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	(A−)[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

Many of the songs on the album have not been performed regularly by the Go-Go's in concert since the band regrouped in the early 1990s. The group's original breakup occurred shortly after the album and tour were completed. Only "Head over Heels" has been played live on a regular basis - by the band and in Belinda Carlisle's solo show. Some songs haven't been played since the 1984 Prime Time tour.

The music video for the first single "Head over Heels", directed by Douglas Brian Martin, peaked at #3 on MTV. The music video for the second single "Turn to You", which peaked at No. 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100,[4] featured a starring role for rising-star actor Rob Lowe; the song was written about baseball pitcher Bob Welch, a one-time boyfriend of Charlotte Caffey. The video director, Mary Lambert, went on to work on several other videos, including hits by Madonna, and on films, such as Pet Sematary. The music video for the album's third single, "Yes or No", was released shortly before the group's breakup was announced, possibly hurting the song's sales and chart performance (peaked at No. 84).[4]

The flip side of "Head over Heels", "Good for Gone", did not appear on the initial album release, but was included in some CD releases of Talk Show, and also appeared on The Go-Go's 1994 boxed set of rarities, singles, deep cuts and new songs, "Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's".

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Head over Heels"	Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine	3:38
2.	"Turn to You"	Caffey, Jane Wiedlin	3:48
3.	"You Thought"	Gina Schock, Valentine	4:12
4.	"Beneath the Blue Sky"	Valentine, Wiedlin	3:00
5.	"Forget That Day"	Wiedlin	4:25

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"I'm the Only One"	Valentine, Danny B. Harvey, Carlene Carter	3:29
7.	"Yes or No"	Wiedlin, Ron Mael, Russell Mael	4:04
8.	"Capture the Light"	Wiedlin	3:15
9.	"I'm with You"	Schock, Wiedlin	3:37
10.	"Mercenary"	Wiedlin, Valentine, Caffey	3:40

CD edition bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Good for Gone"	Schock, Valentine	2:54

Credits

Band members

• Charlotte Caffey – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
• Belinda Carlisle – lead vocals
• Gina Schock – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Kathy Valentine – bass, lead guitar,[6] backing vocals
• Jane Wiedlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Production

• Martin Rushent – producer, engineer
• Dave Allen, Philip Tennant, Jim Russell – assistant engineers
• Nathan Lam – vocal direction
• Douglas Brian Martin – art direction
• Chris Craymer – photography
• Frontline – management

Charts

Album Year Chart Position 1984 Billboard 200 (USA)[5] 18 RPM 100 Albums (Canada)[7] 64

Singles Year Song U.S. Hot 100 CAN Singles 1984 "Head over Heels" 11[4] 35[8] "Turn to You" 32[4] 95[9] "Yes or No" 84[4] —

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Go-Go's Talk Show review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
2. Christgau, Robert. "Album Reviews:Consumer Guide Reviews: Talk Show". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
3. Connelly, Christopher (12 April 1984). "Album Reviews: The Go-Go's - Talk Show". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
4. "Talk Show Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
5. "Talk Show Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
6. "Go-Go's - Talk Show". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
7. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 40, No. 13, June 02 1984". Library and Archives Canada. 2 June 1984. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
8. "Top Singles - Volume 40, No. 12, May 26, 1984". Library and Archives Canada. 26 May 1984. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
9. "Top Singles - Volume 40, No. 24, August 18, 1984". Library and Archives Canada. 18 August 1984. Retrieved 2013-05-30.