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Our Lips Are Sealed

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For the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen film, see Our Lips Are Sealed (film).
"Our Lips Are Sealed"
Single by the Go-Go's
from the album Beauty and the Beat
B-side"Surfing and Spying"
ReleasedJune 12, 1981
Recorded1981
Genre
Length2:44
LabelI.R.S.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Go-Go's singles chronology
"Our Lips Are Sealed"
(1981) 		"We Got the Beat"
(1982)

"Our Lips Are Sealed" is a song co-written by Jane Wiedlin, guitarist of the Go-Go's, and Terry Hall, singer of the Specials and Fun Boy Three.

It was first recorded by the Go-Go's as the opening track on their album Beauty and the Beat (1981) and was their debut American single in June 1981. The single eventually reached the top 5 in Australia and Canada, and the top 20 in the United States. Originally written and performed with three verses,[2] the song appears in an abbreviated version on Beauty and the Beat. Most of the song's vocals are performed by lead singer Belinda Carlisle, with co-writer Wiedlin singing the bridge.

In 1983, Hall's band Fun Boy Three released their version of "Our Lips Are Sealed". Issued as a single, the track became a top-ten hit in the United Kingdom, besting the recording by the Go-Go's which only made it to No. 47 in the UK.

Record World described the song as being as "innocent and infectious as pop music can be", with a "steady, pulsating dance beat" and "candy-coated keyboard riffs".[3]

In 2000, Rolling Stone & MTV put the Go-Go's' original version of "Our Lips Are Sealed" at No. 57 on a list of 100 Greatest Pop Songs.[4] In 2021, their version was also listed at No. 477 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[5]

The song was later included in the jukebox musical Head over Heels that debuted on Broadway in 2018. The Go-Go's also performed the song, along with "Vacation" and "We Got the Beat", during the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.[6]

Origins

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The Go-Go's supported the Specials on the latter's 1980 Seaside Tour of England. According to Jane Wiedlin, she and Terry Hall had a brief affair despite him being in a relationship with another woman at the time. After Wiedlin returned to the United States, Hall mailed her some lyrics, and this led to their co-writing the song. The Go-Go's version is significantly more upbeat than Fun Boy Three's, which Wiedlin describes as "great" but also "gloomier".[7]

Music video

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The official music video for the song features sequences of the band members in carefree tableaux (riding around LA in a 1960 Buick convertible, stopping at a lingerie shop, and splashing around in a fountain) interspersed with footage of the band playing at a club.

Jane Wiedlin says the band was initially unenthusiastic when Miles Copeland, president of their label, I.R.S. Records, told them they would be doing the video. "We were totally bratty", she recalls. The video was financed with unused funds from the Police's video budget.[8]

The group wanted an older-style convertible, and found a red 1960 Buick LeSabre at Rent-a-Wreck.[citation needed] After riding around Beverly Hills, at some point, they stop at the famous Trashy Lingerie store located at La Cienega Blvd. The girls go into the shop, but Wiedlin remains in the car to sing the bridge of the song (although Belinda Carlisle can be seen in the driver's seat trying to hide). The day of shooting was very hot so it was the band's idea to end the video by jumping into the fountain on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica. Wiedlin later said "I thought, at any minute the cops are gonna come. This is gonna be so cool."[8]

Wiedlin looks back on the video experience fondly. "I have horrible '80s poodle hair in it", she recalled in a 2011 history of MTV. "But there's a simplicity and innocence to the video that appeals to me."[9]

The music video received heavy airplay on the fledgling MTV.

Chart performance

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The original version peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and 15 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. On the dance chart, the song peaked at number 10.[10] A song of unusual longevity as a hit, it remained on the Billboard charts until March 1982, long after its peak, ultimately charting for 30 weeks.[11]

Fun Boy Three version

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"Our Lips Are Sealed"
Single by Fun Boy Three
from the album Waiting
Released29 April 1983
GenreNew wave
Length3:36
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)Jane Wiedlin, Terry Hall
Producer(s)David Byrne
Fun Boy Three singles chronology
"Tunnel of Love"
(1983) 		"Our Lips Are Sealed"
(1983) 		"The Farm Yard Connection"
(1983)

The following year, co-writer Terry Hall re-recorded the song with his own band, Fun Boy Three. It was included on their second album Waiting and reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, and was the last single to chart in the UK before their split later in 1983. Backing vocals were provided by Mo-dettes drummer June Miles-Kingston, who also played drums on the single and the Waiting LP.

2x7" single (Chrysalis FUNB 1 + FBFRE 1)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Single Version)Terry Hall, Jane Wiedlin2:51
2."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Urdu Version)Hall, Wiedlin3:50
3."Going Home" (Specially recorded by The Old Grey Whistle Test)Fun Boy Three 
4."We're Having All the Fun" (Specially recorded by The Old Grey Whistle Test)Fun Boy Three 
12" single (Chrysalis 4V9-42689)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Special Club Remix)Terry Hall, Jane Wiedlin6:07
2."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Single Version)Hall, Wiedlin2:51
3."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Urdu Version)Hall, Wiedlin3:50
12" UK single (Chrysalis FUNBX 1)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Remixed Version)Terry Hall, Jane Wiedlin6:00
2."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Single Version)Hall, Wiedlin2:51
3."Our Lips Are Sealed" (Urdu Version)Hall, Wiedlin3:50
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA) 13
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) 7

Hilary and Haylie Duff version

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"Our Lips Are Sealed"
Single by Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff
from the album A Cinderella Story
ReleasedJune 5, 2004 (2004-06-05)
Length2:40
LabelHollywood
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Hilary Duff singles chronology
"Little Voice"
(2004) 		"Our Lips Are Sealed"
(2004) 		"Fly"
(2004)
A Cinderella Story singles chronology
"Our Lips Are Sealed"
(2004) 		"Tell Me Something I Don't Know"
(2008)
Audio video
"Our Lips Are Sealed" on YouTube

Sisters Hilary and Haylie Duff covered the song for the soundtrack of the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, in which Hilary starred. The cover, which was released on June 5, 2004, was produced by Charlie Midnight and Spider. The Duff sisters said in an interview that they had wanted to record together, and Hilary chose "Our Lips Are Sealed" because the "secretive" theme of the song relates to the film A Cinderella Story.[22] As of July 27, 2014, the song had sold 161,000 copies in the United States.[23] It was released on June 3 and received medium airplay on MuchMusic in Canada and MTV in the U.S. Though the video was popular on the MTV video chart show Total Request Live, the single failed to chart on the US Hot 100. In Australia it was released on August 30, 2004 and reached number eight.

The single's music video was directed by Chris Applebaum and filmed in Toronto, Canada, in May 2004.[22] Similar to the video for the Go-Go's single, it depicts the Duff sisters driving around town in a car and goofing about, and is interspersed with footage from A Cinderella Story. A second version of the video, which had new scenes and is not interspersed with scenes from A Cinderella Story, was included on the Dignity deluxe edition DVD. The song was included on Duff's compilation album, Most Wanted (2005) and the Japanese and Australian editions of Hilary Duff's second compilation album Best of Hilary Duff in 2008.

Track listing

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  1. "Our Lips Are Sealed" – 2:40
  2. "Our Lips Are Sealed" (music video) – 2:50
  3. A Cinderella Story movie trailer – 1:44

Charts

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Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[24] 8
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[25] 41

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Our Lips Are Sealed"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States June 5, 2004 Contemporary hit radio Hollywood [26]
Australia August 30, 2004 CD single Festival Mushroom [27]

References

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  1. ^ Cateforis, Theo (2011). Are We Not New Wave?: Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s. University of Michigan Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-472-03470-3.
  2. ^ See video "Totally Go-Go's" recorded live on December 4, 1981, at Palos Verdes High School
  3. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 4, 1981. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  4. ^ "Rock On The Net: Rolling Stone & MTV: 100 Greatest Pop Songs: 51-100". Rock On The Net. 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  5. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  6. ^ Zaleski, Annie (October 30, 2021). "The Go-Go's Break Out Hits, 'Rock Star' Poses for Long Overdue Rock Hall Induction". Rolling Stone.
  7. ^ "Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go's: Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts.com. 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  8. ^ a b Marks, Craig; Tannenbaum, Rob (2011). I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. New York, NY: Dutton. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-0-525-95230-5.
  9. ^ I Want My MTV, 104.
  10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 111.
  11. ^ Top Pop Singles 1955-1999 by Joel Whitburn
  12. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ^ Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  14. ^ "Image: RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada" (PDF). Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  15. ^ "Go Go's – Our Lips Are Sealed". Top 40 Singles.
  16. ^ "Go Go's – Our Lips Are Sealed". Singles Top 100.
  17. ^ "Platinum and Gold Singles 1982". Kent Music Report. 28 February 1983. Retrieved 10 November 2021 – via Imgur.
  18. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Imgur.
  19. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – 1982". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  20. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  21. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  22. ^ a b Moss, Corey. "Hilary And Haylie Give The Go-Go's A Double-Duff Treatment". MTV News. May 20, 2004.
  23. ^ "Ask Billboard: How Has Enrique Iglesias' 'Bailando' Become Such A Big Hit?". Billboard. July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  24. ^ "Hilary Duff & Haylie Duff – Our Lips Are Sealed". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  25. ^ "Singles : Top 50". Jam!. October 14, 2004. Archived from the original on October 15, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  26. ^ "Music: Billboard Picks" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. June 5, 2004. p. 32. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  27. ^ "The ARIA Report: Issue 757" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-02-22.
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