Men At Work "Who Can It Be Now?"

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Quite arguably the greatest debut success story in US pop music history, the Australian septet Men At Work exploded onto the American pop scene in late summer of 1982. Their rise to a position of being one of the most popular acts of the day was surprising and meteoric and the group itself possessed one of the more unique sounds of the '80s.

Led by lead singer Colin Hay (who had actually emigrated to Australia from Scotland as a teen), the group formed in 1979 in Melbourne and, by the end of 1981, had topped their homeland's charts with "Who Can It Be Now?" When it hit Stateside a year later, America quickly fell under Men At Work's spell.

Saxophone-driven and quirky, "Who Can It Be Now?" made paranoia charming, Men At Work blended pop and New Wave with more than a bit of lyrical wit. The song burst onto the US Top 40 in early August and, although it slowed a bit on its ascent, the song became a Top Ten hit in October. During a nine-week stay in the Top Ten, "Who Can It Be Now?" peaked at #1 for a week in mid-November.

Driven by the momentum of "Who Can It Be Now?" and heavy airplay of its accompanying video on MTV, Men At Work's debut album Business As Usual became an unprecendented sensation, topping the US album chart for fifteen weeks - longer than any debut had before.

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Pop Go The 80s – August 31, 2006 – 2:41pm
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