Alphabet Beats #084: M is for....Madness!!

M is for....

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".

Musical Madness

The Albums
    1979: One Step Beyond... (UK No. 2)
    1980: Absolutely (UK No. 2)
    1981: 7 (UK No. 5)

1982: Complete Madness (UK No. 1)*
    1982: The Rise and Fall (UK No. 10)
    1984: Keep Moving (UK No. 6)
    1985: Mad Not Mad (UK No. 16)

1986: Utter Madness (UK No. 29)*
    1988: The Madness (UK No. 66)

1992: Madstock (UK No. 22)**

1992: Divine Madness (UK No. 1)*

1997: Total Madness.*
    1999: Wonderful (UK No. 17)
    2005: The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 (UK No. 11)
    2009: The Liberty of Norton Folgate (UK No. 5)
    2012: Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da (UK No. 10).

* Compilation

** Live

John Peel Session

27/08/79

The Prince.

Bed and Breakfast Man.

Land of Hope and Glory.

Stepping Into Line. 

Seeing as the Madness A-Sides are featured above on various albums and compilations it only seems fair to have the Madness B-Sides featured as well, so in chronological order here they are.

Madness - The Prince.

Mistakes - One Step Beyond.

Stepping Into Line - My Girl.

Deceives The Eye / The Young And The Old / Don't Quote Me On That - Work, Rest and Play EP.

The Business - Baggy Trousers.

Crying Shame - Embarrassment.

That's The Way To Do It - The Return of the Las Palmas 7.

Memories - Grey Day.

A Town With No Name - Shut Up.

Shadow On The House - It Must Be Love.

In The City - Cardiac Arrest.

Don't Look Back - House of Fun.

Animal Farm - Driving In My Car.

Walking With Mr Wheeze - Our House.

Madness Is All In The Mind - Tomorrow's (Just Another Day) - Double A-Side.

Behind The 8 Ball - Wings of a Dove.

Fireball XL5 - The Sun and The Rain.

If You Think There's Something - Michael Caine.

Guns - One Better Day.

All I Knew - Yesterday's Men.

Please Don't Go - Uncle Sam.

Jennie (A Portrait of) - The Sweetest Girl.

Maybe In Another Life - (Waiting For) The Ghost Train.

Land of Hope and Glory (Live) - The Harder They Come.

We Are Love / Round and Round / Maddley - Lovestruck.

You're Wonderful / I Was The One / Dreaming Man - Johnny The Horse.

Elysium / Light Of The Way / We Want Freddie - Drip Fed Fred.

Skylarking / Dreader Than Dread - Shame and Scandal.
Chase The Devil AKA Ironshirt - Girl Why Don't You.

Sorry (Featuring Sway and Baby Blue) - Sorry.

Bittersweet / NW5 (Man Like Me Remix) - NW5.
The Roadette Song / Dust Devil (Practice Makes Perfect Reggae Style) / Dust Devil (Ashley Beedle Warbox Remix) - Dust Devil.

Sugar and Spice (Demo) / Africa (Ashley Beedle's Going Home Edit) - Sugar and Spice.

Forever Young (J Star Mr. Wallace Dub / Forever Young (Future Cut Remix) / Forever Young (Live From Later With Jools Holland) /Love Really Hurts - Forever Young.