Black Stations/White Stations

"Black Stations/White Stations" is a song recorded by the Canadian group Martha and the Muffins in 1984 from the album Mystery Walk under the shortened name M+M. The track was the first single to be released after the act became a duo consisting of lead singer Martha Johnson and group founder Mark Gane (hence the shortened name, with the first letter of their first names). The single is a departure from the new wave genre, with emphasis this time around on a dance/funk direction, which featured brothers Randy & Michael Brecker and Wayne Mills on horns.

"Black Stations/White Stations"
Single by M+M
from the album Mystery Walk
Released1984
Recorded1984
Length5:06 (Album)
LabelCurrent/RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Mark Gane
Martha Johnson
Producer(s)Daniel Lanois
Mark Gane
Martha Johnson
M+M singles chronology
"Danseparc"
(1983)		 "Black Stations/White Stations"
(1984)		 "Cooling The Medium"
(1984)

The song's music video was directed by Robert Fresco.[1]

Background

The song's title deals with the subject of racism in the radio industry, at a time when more cutting-edged songs and the radio stations in general were starting to open up to newer formats like rhythmic contemporary, which genre this song predates. It also took on how station policies dictates what can or can not be played on air. This was evidenced by Johnson, who recalled how a radio station refused to play a song about an interracial relationship. That experience prompted Johnson and Gane to write about their feelings over this practice by recalling the events, in which they use lyrics like "I dream in Black and White" and call for stations in general to "Stand Up and Face the Music/This Is 1984!"

The single was also controversial in its own right, as radio stations avoided playing the single because of the song's title and lyrics despite being a modest hit in Canada, where it reached No. 26. In the United States, the single peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 2 on the Dance/Disco chart, where it reached number 2 in 1984.[2]

Charts
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top 100 26
Canadian CHUM Chart 11
UK Singles Chart[3] 46
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 63
US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard)[4] 2

References
  1. Christopher Ward, Is this Live?: Inside the Wild Early Years of MuchMusic, the Nation's Music Station. Random House Canada, 2016. ISBN 9780345810342. pp, 153-154.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 167.
  3. "The Official Charts Company - Martha And The Muffins". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  4. Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
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