Too Nice to Talk To

"Too Nice to Talk To" is a non-album single by British ska/new wave band The Beat, released on 5 December 1980[1] by Go-Feet Records. It peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The song has since been included on CD reissues of the band's second album Wha'ppen?.

"Too Nice to Talk To"
UK vinyl cover
Single by The Beat
B-side"Psychedelic Rockers"
Released5 December 1980 (1980-12-05)
StudioTownhouse, London
Genre
Length3:08
LabelGo-Feet
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bob Sargeant
The Beat singles chronology
"Best Friend" / "Stand Down Margaret (Dub)"
(1980)		 "Too Nice to Talk To"
(1980)		 "Drowning" / "All Out to Get You"
(1981)

Reception and meaning

In his review of the song in Record Mirror, Mike Gardner said "I really can't muster much enthusiasm for a single that is so beautifully produced with layers and whirls of aural texture but goes nowhere beyond decoration. A disappointment."[3] Reviewing the song retrospectively for AllMusic, Jo-Ann Greene said "the whole number positively simmers, fueled by the hand drums that give the piece an Afro-beat feel, and sizzling into the clubs via the roiling bass, driving guitar riff and insistent keyboards, all brought to a boil by the vehement bass line."[4]

Dave Wakeling says that the inspiration comes from a nightclub in Birmingham called Barbarella's, where "they used to have this dastardly trick at 20 past 2 every morning, because they closed at 2:30, it didn't matter what was happening, whatever record was playing, they would just scratch the record off and turn on the lights"..."it was a story really about wanting to go and dance with somebody and just spending too long, and going over in your mind what you would say, or what you ought to say, or having your friends going, 'Go on, go and talk to her.' And you waited that long for it, you took a big breath and strode towards the dance floor, all the lights in the club went on and the record got scratched up, 'Okay, thank you, good night.' Oh, it's too late now, it's 20 past 2, I've spent all night just watching you. But yeah, it's to do with that shyness to the point of discomfort. And then finally making the bold move just a moment too late."[5]

Track listings

Two versions of the 7-inch single were released, both with the same catalogue number. The second version is a dub version that has less vocals on it, titled with the parenthesised "Dubweiser". A 12-inch single was also released, but only of the dub version.[6]

7": Go Feet / Feet 4

  • "Too Nice to Talk To" – 3:08
  • "Psychedelic Rockers" – 3:54

7": Go Feet / Feet 4

  • "Too Nice to Talk To" (Dubweiser) – 3:08
  • "Psychedelic Rockers" (Dubweiser) – 3:54

12": Go Feet / Feet 124

  • "Too Nice to Talk To" (Dubweiser) – 4:58
  • "Psychedelic Rockers" (Dubweiser) – 5:30

12" Promo: Sire / PRO-A-988 (US, 1981)

12" Promo: I.R.S. / SP-70970 (US, 1983)

  • "Too Nice to Talk To" – 3:05
  • "Too Nice to Talk To" (Extended Version) – 5:00
  • "Best Friend" – 3:00

Charts
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 73
Ireland (IRMA)[8] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[2] 7

References
  1. "Record Mirror" (PDF). Record Mirror. 29 November 1980. p. 4. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. "Beat: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  3. "Record Mirror" (PDF). Record Mirror. 6 December 1980. p. 14. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  4. Greene, Jo-Ann, Too Nice to Talk To - The English Beat | Song Info | AllMusic, retrieved 2020-09-25
  5. Songfacts. "Dave Wakeling of The English Beat : Songwriter Interviews". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  6. Binnie, Steve (2018-11-05). Sound of the Crowd: a Discography of the '80s (Fourth ed.). Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-244-12965-1.
  7. Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1981". Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Too Nice to Talk To". Irish Singles Chart.
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