In which we arrive at what is perhaps the Ultimate Eurovision Song. Everything you want and need from a Eurovision winner is present and correct: stupidly catchy, key changes a-plenty, two guys and two girls, a memorable dance routine… and the whole thing as camp as Christmas.
Making Your Mind Up, by Bucks Fizz (their 1st of three #1s)
3 weeks, 12th April – 3rd May 1981
Not that, mind you, I’m claiming this as the best Eurovision chart-topper. Oh no, no, no. There’ll always be ‘Waterloo’ (and Gina G further down the line…) But if you shoved a microphone in someone’s face and screamed ‘Name a Eurovision act!’, half the British population, of a certain age, would say Bucks Fizz.
It starts with a chugging glam-rock drumbeat, and then in come some chugging glam guitars and you suddenly realise that we’re in the midst of a mini glam revival, what with this coming hot on the heels of Shakin’ Stevens’ rockabilly and an actual glam band’s belated #1. Meanwhile the lead guitars are kind of new-wave – seriously, detach them from the rest of this and they wouldn’t sound out of place on a Police record.
You gotta speed it up, And then you gotta slow it down… Not to suggest that this is anything other than a cheese-fest, though. And the lyrics verge from incredibly dumb to bizarrely suggestive. I have no idea if they were trying for innuendo with lines like: Don’t let your indecision, Take you from behind… and You gotta turn it up, Then you gotta pull it out… or if my mind is simply in the gutter.
(Apparently ‘Making Your Mind Up’ was released without a picture sleeve in the UK. Very 1960s…)
For the third time in eight years, a two-guys/two-girls combo won the Eurovision Song Contest. While Bucks Fizz were not ABBA, I’d say they were a step up from Brotherhood of Man. They were only formed a couple of months before entering the contest, but this smash kicked off several years’ worth of hits. And if the song wasn’t enough to win the contest, the band had a trick up their sleeve. In the 3rd verse, on the line: If you wanna see some more… the boys ripped the girls’ long skirts off to reveal much shorter skirts underneath! The continent gasped! I mean, the word ‘iconic’ is overused these days, but…
I have to say that, as revealing as the girls’ costumes were, watching the performance in full for the first time I can say that the boys’ white trousers weren’t leaving much to the imagination either. Bucks Fizz (even their name is ridiculous…) will be back atop the charts soon. Until then, you have two options: roll your eyes and pretend you’re too cool for school; or whip out your scandalously short mini-skirt and go for it. Make your mind up!
The UK Number Ones Blog 
I do have a bit of a soft spot for this one myself as well – it’s better than Brotherhood of Man, and they did make some more fair to middling hit singles over the next few years. BOM also had two more No. 1’s, but they were rather so-so. And yes, how could anybody else ever hope to follow that now legendary skirt-removal routine? (Had on, wasn’t there something later about Gina G on a record sleeve wearing nothing but chocolate…) And yes, I agree that by 1981 it was very unusual for a major hit single not to have a picture sleeve.
Just searched and yes, the cover to Gina G’s debut album – home of ‘Ohh Ahh…’ – featured her wearing nothing but chocolate… Saucy (in more ways than one!)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh!
Ironically, according to 45cat.com it seems ‘Making Your Mind Up’ was the only Bucks Fizz single never to have a pic sleeve in the UK. (Would it have boosted sales even further had they produced one with a shot of the moment where the skirts come off, I wonder). https://www.45cat.com/artist/bucks-fizz
Bucks fizz made great singles, varied and classy pop but youd never know it from collective eurovisioncheese memories outweighing all the rest. Their writer producers went on to cher and celine dion after the hit run died down. I found mymu a bit annoying but the follow up singles, especially one of those nights, won me round and ive never stopped rating them rrcent The Fizz singles have been great too, only bobby G not present he owns the name.
Your review is very convincing tho it sounds much better now you mention the glam groove. Saw them 3 times in all, more than enough great catalogue for a fun night out 🙂
I definitely get a glam vibe from this and several other recent chart-toppers. Maybe I just look for the glam in everything. Looking forward too to hearing Bucks Fizz’s other #1s
They were color coordinated that is for sure! It starts off as glam…ikinda teenybopper glam.
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Rating: 4.5/5
This sounds to me like a late-50s rock and roll/pop song, but scrubbed up a bit and with early 80s production values. I really enjoyed it. Never heard of this group or song, but this is a bop. Music video is pretty fun too.