The Intro

From punk axeman to pop star – Captain Sensible, guitarist for The Damned, shocked his fans with a number 1 cover of Happy Talk – that jolly old Rodgers and Hammerstein showtune from South Pacific.

Before

Sensible was born Raymond Ian Burns on 24 April1954 in Balham. London. Growing up, he went to Stanley Technical School for Boys in South Norwood, Croydon. He spent his formative years loving music, particularly Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, Small Faces and Soft Machine.

Sensible became involved in the proto-punk scene, becoming a member of Johnny Moped and then Masters of the Backside, who were formed by future Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren. They never recorded anything and allegedly only performed once, and consisted of Chrissie Hynde and the nucleus of what would become The Damned.

Ever wondered why so many punks had stage names? Sensible once said it was to keep their real names out of the music papers, otherwise it might stop them being able to claim dole. His name was an ironic comment on his reckless behaviour. And the iconic red beret and sunglasses were his attempt to stop getting covered in the spit of punks when performing.

The Damned formed in 1976 and consisted of Dave Vanian on vocals, Brian James on guitar, Sensible on bass and Rat Scabies on drums. Sid Vicious had been invited to audition for the singer role, but he didn’t turn up. They supported the Sex Pistols, and beat them to become the first punk band to release a single that October, with New Rose. They briefly split in 1978 and when they returned a year later, Sensible was their guitarist and keyboardist.

In 1982, Sensible found himself splitting his time between The Damned and a solo career. He had signed a deal with A&M to release an album in his own right, due to his band rejecting some of his tunes for being too melodic, but he was a track short. His producer Tony Mansfield suggested a cover version. Sensible considered See Emily Play or Waterloo Sunset, but knew he couldn’t top the originals, so he rifled through his parents’ records for ideas, and came across the record-breaking soundtrack to South Pacific.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein show premiered on Broadway back in 1949 and became the second-longest-running Broadway musical up to that point, behind their own Oklahoma!. Happy Talk is sung by Bloody Mary – originally played by Juanita Hall – to Lieutenant Joe Cable, who has begun courting her daughter, Liat. It was covered by Ella Fitzgerald in 1955, but the most famous version is from Hall reprising her role in the 1958 film, the soundtrack of which held the album chart number 1 for 115 weeks – 70 of those consecutively.

Sensible, who was ‘exceedingly drunk’ when recording his version, was backed by rock band Dolly Mixture on vocals. Sensible had recently helped produce the trio. Although it was meant to be treated as an album filler, A&M saw Happy Talk could have crossover appeal, but Sensible was having none of it. That is, until his label tricked him into thinking a pop star was intending on releasing a version. Fearing he might miss out on a hit, he relented. Little did he know he would actually end up going all the way to the top of the pops.

Happy Talk was the fifth time a Rodgers & Hammerstein song went to number 1 in the UK, and was the first since You’ll Never Walk Alone in 1963.

Review

Never underestimate the great British public’s love of latching onto a novelty track, whether good or bad. Thankfully, Sensible’s Happy Talk falls into the ‘good’ category for me. Yes, the track is annoyingly sprightly (I like few musicals) anyway, and I’ve no time for the original. And the backing music brings to mind John Shuttleworth. Actually, that’s a compliment, as I love Graham Fellows’ comic creation.

Sensible is very charismatic, and I feel few could fail to be won over by him drunkenly singing:

‘You’ve got to have a dream
If you don’t have a dream
How you gonna have a dream come true?’

The visual element makes this even more so, whether it’s his Top of the Pops appearances, or the singalong video above, the sight of this lumbering punk swaying earnestly and comically at the same time captured the hearts of many. Including me – as a child, I thought Sensible seemed ace – just a big kid misbehaving and annoying ‘grown-ups’. He would have fitted in as a resident on The Young Ones very easily. However, he did appear performing with The Damned in the episode ‘Nasty’.

After

My brother and I were proud owners of Sensible’s follow-up, Wot, a Rapper’s Delight reworking in which the good captain tries his hand at hip-hop. Despite this being superior to his Happy Talk, it was clear that was a number 1 smash in large part due to nostalgia for the song. Wot only made it to 26, though it would have a second lease of life when it was reworked for an early 90s ad campaign for Wotsits (‘no that’s a whoosh because you only get a whoosh from a Wotsit!’).

After two years juggling The Damned and his solo career, Sensible left the band. He released his last hit, Glad It’s All Over, which peaked at number six. Surprising really, as it was an anti-Falklands War song, coming only a year after the 1983 General Election, won by Margaret Thatcher in large part due to the conflict.

Sensible released material throughout the 80s, before temporarily rejoining The Damned in 1988 for a series of intended farewell shows. That same year he released a cover of The Snooker Song, from Mike Batt’s musical The Hunting of the Snark. Three years later it became the theme tune to the hit BBC One snooker gameshow Big Break.

Sensible rejoined a new line-up of The Damned with Vanian in 1996 and has stayed ever since. He’s also continued to release solo material and he joined Kirk Brandon’s second incarnation of the supergroup Dead Men Walking, now known as The Jack Tars.

The Outro

Wotsits aren’t the only snack in a bag associated with Sensible. In 2006 he formed the political protest group The Blah! Party as a reaction to Tony Blair’s leadership of the country. Part joke and part serious, they entered into a sponsorship deal with Seabrook Crisps. The deal ended in 2008 and the party de-registered from the political party register.

The Info

Written by

Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

Producer

Tony Mansfield

Weeks at number 1

2 (3-17 July)

Trivia

Births

8 July: Playwright James Graham
9 July: Actor Toby Kebbell

Deaths

4 July: Early British AIDS casualty Terry Higgins/Multiple murderer Barry Prudom (see ‘Meanwhile…‘)
5 July: Surgeon Geoffrey Keynes
6 July: Screenwriter Alma Reville
10 July: Classicist GEL Owen
12 July: Kenneth More
13 July: Actor Evan Thomas
15 July: Actress Enid Lorimer

Meanwhile…

3 July: ASLEF train drivers go on strike over hours of work, returning on 18 July.

4 July: Following a 17-day hunt by North Yorkshire Police, fugitive multiple murderer Barry Purdom, AKA the Phantom of the Forest, dies by suicide before police open fire. 

5 July: In the World Cup, England draw 0–0 with hosts Spain and are eliminated. Manager Ron Greenwood would subsequently retire and be succeeded by Ipswich Town manager Bobby Robson. 

9 July: Michael Fagan breaks into Buckingham Palace for the second time. This time, he is apprehended after entering the royal bedroom and being reported by Queen Elizabeth II.

15 July: British GCHQ civil servant Geoffrey Prime is remanded in custody on charges under the Official Secrets Act 1911.