How Much More

Song: How Much More
Artist: The Go Go's
Album: Beauty and the Beat




It was when I was a pre-teen that I became halfway obsessed with buying music. I remember my (very patient) Mother taking me from store to store to find the “Hungry Like a Wolf” 45, which was sold out everywhere. (I don’t know where we ended up finding it, but we did, and she didn’t stop until we did. Thanks Mom!) I also remember being about eleven or so and having “We Got The Beat” on record and listening to it over and over, like kids do, and yet… I was young enough not to realize that this tune was over five years old! (Forgive me for not being on the pulse of New Wave at five.)

But back in 1981 the Go Go’s released their debut album, and New Wave cornerstone, “Beauty and the Beat.” At the time, this was pretty cutting edge stuff and it should be noted that the Go Go’s made history as the first all-female band that wrote their own material to go number one on the album charts. They were part of the California punk scene in their early days, and some of this more rock material surfaced on 1994’s collection “Return to the Valley of the Go Go’s” Drugs and personal turmoil broke up the band after just three albums, but they returned in 2001 for their first set of new material on “God Bless the Go Go’s.”

“Beauty and the Beat” is the landmark, and essential in any collection of serious New Wave afficianadoes, but a casual fan would do well with 1990’s hits collection “Greatest.” It has all the major hits and is a good start if you don’t have anything. At this point, “Our Lips Our Sealed,” “Vacation,” and “We Got the Beat” are known simply via cultural osmosis, and have lost their edge over time, and most likely can be heard on Adult Contemporary radio. “How Much More,” from “Beauty” has always been a favorite of mine, just as catchy as the super hits but a bit less known. You can also find it on the “Greatest” collection.

Enjoy.

A video from each album:

"Our Lips Are Sealed" from "Beauty and the Beat"


"Vacation" from "Vacation"


"Head Over Heals" from "Talk Show"

This one is maybe the most "80's" and features Belinda's signature back-up singer moves. Hot.