MADNESS – GREY DAY 7″ – Nr MINT UK 1981 SKA 2 TONE

Madness – Grey Day
(Stiff Records  1981  BUY112)
UK Pressing

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition

Madness are an English ska band from Camden Town, London, that formed in 1976. One of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s 2 Tone ska revival, they continue to perform with their most recognised line-up of seven members.

Madness achieved most of their success in the early to mid-1980s. Both Madness and UB40 spent 214 weeks on the UK singles charts over the course of the decade, holding the record for most weeks spent by a group in the 1980s UK singles charts. However, Madness achieved this in a shorter time period (1980–1986).

Madness have had 15 singles reach the UK top ten, one UK number one single (“House of Fun”) and two number ones in Ireland, “House of Fun” and “Wings of a Dove”.

“Grey Day” is a pop song written by Mike Barson and recorded by British pop/ska band Madness. The song was the first single released from the band’s third studio album 7. It was a big departure from their early ska sound with a much darker, miserable feel. The song title does not appear in the lyrics.

The song was written prior to the band becoming a success in the UK music scene, and the first performance of the song came back in 1978 at the Acklam Hall while the band were known as “The North London Invaders”. The song was finally recorded in 1981 and was released as a single in 17 April 1981. The song spent 10 weeks in the UK Singles Chart, reaching a high of number 4. It was able to crack the charts in Australia as well, but only as high as number 82.

Track listing

• 7″ Single

1. “Grey Day” (Barson) – 3:37
2. “Memories” (Foreman) – 2:24