Work Rest and Play

Infobox Album | Name = Work Rest & Play
Type = EP
Artist = Madness


Released = April 30, 1980
Recorded = 1979-1980
Genre = Ska/Pop
Length = 12:02
Label = Stiff Records
Producer = Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
Reviews =
Last album = "One Step Beyond..."
(1979)
This album = "Work Rest and Play"
(1980)

Next album = "Absolutely"
(1980)

"Work Rest and Play" is an EP by British ska/pop band Madness. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo", from the band's debut album "One Step Beyond...". It was released in the UK Singles Chart on April 30, 1980, reached a high of number 6. cite web|url= http://www.madness.co.uk/time/1980/text.htm |title= The Madness Timeline: 1980 Retrieved on June 19, 2007.]

Release

After the release of "My Girl", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from "One Step Beyond...", and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP featuring one album track and three new tracks. The "Work Rest and Play" EP was the result.

The EP's success was largely down to "Night Boat to Cairo", which headlined the set and had an accompanying music video. The fourth song, "Don't Quote Me On That", was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the British National Front. Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence and, in a 1979 "NME" interview, Madness member Chas Smash was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF as long as they're having a good time." This added to speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the National Front, although the band members denied those allegations. cite web|url= http://www.madness.co.uk/time/1979/text.htm |title= The Madness Timeline: 1979 Retrieved on June 19, 2007.]

"Night Boat to Cairo" music video

" was the leading track from the EP, a music video of the song was created to represent the EP as a whole.

Madness filmed a karaoke type video in front of a blatantly chroma keyed backdrop of an Egyptian pyramid, with the lyrics appearing on screen in "bouncing ball" style as Suggs sang them. During the long instrumental sections of the song, the band often run around the set, marching and performing their signature "Nutty Train".

Despite the video's poor effects and unprofessional feel, it became very popular amongst fans. This is possibly due to the care free nature and fooling around of the band, probably down to the large amount of alcohol drank while filming.

Track listing

ide one

#"Night Boat to Cairo" (McPherson/Barson) - 3:30
#"Deceives the Eye" (Bedford/Foreman) - 1:58

ide two

#"The Young and the Old" (McPherson/Barson) - 2:03
#"Don't Quote Me on That" (Tosh/Smyth)- 4:31

Personnel

* Suggs – Lead vocals
* Mike Barson – Keyboards
* Chris Foreman – Electric guitar
* Mark Bedford – Bass guitar
* Lee Thompson – Saxophone
* Daniel Woodgate – Drums
* Chas Smash – Backing vocals, lead vocals on "Don't Quote Me on That".

Notes