Riding high on the wave of New Romantics that crashed onto U.S. radios and television sets in the early ’80s, Adam Ant struck it big with a distinctly suave yet punchy sound. “Goody Two Shoes,” his 1982 single, epitomized what he had to offer, and it turned out to be the track that broke him big in America.
Videos by American Songwriter
Not only would “Goody Two Shoes” be his first U.S. smash, it remains his biggest to this day. It’s the track most people think of first when they muse on the catalog of this striking British artist. Here’s how it came together and what it all meant.
Ant Marching
Born Stuart Leslie Goddard, Adam Ant made his bones in the middle of the punk scene that dominated the UK music world in the second half of the ’70s. He was managed by Malcolm McLaren, who also helped put the Sex Pistols together around that time.
As the leader of Adam and the Ants, Ant set himself apart from that scene with music that was a bit more rococo than the average three-chord punk thrashing. Tribal drum beats adorned many of the Ants’ early singles, while Ant’s sense of humor also helped to distinguish the band from their unsmiling punk counterparts.
It all went down swimmingly in their native country, as the Ants delivered seven UK Top-20 hits in a span of just two years (1980-81). None of those songs crossed over to the U.S. The Ants disbanded following their 1981 album Prince Charming, meaning any crossover success by Adam would have to come as a solo act.
Great “Goody”
Marco Pirroni, who was a member of the Ants, joined Adam for the making of the latter’s first solo album Friend or Foe in 1982. The pair co-wrote most of the songs on the record, including “Goody Two Shoes,” the album’s first single.
The ridiculously catchy song had folks guessing about its lyrical intent. Was Ant chastising folks who lived a square lifestyle? On the contrary. He was actually the one that had given up smoking and drinking around that time, and he was imagining the questions that would be asked about him by an intrusive press.
While a lot of listeners might have missed out on that nuance in the lyric, it didn’t stop them from eating the song up. “Goody Two Shoes” earned Ant another smash in the UK. Perhaps even more importantly, it established him in the U.S. as well when it reached No. 12 on the Billboard charts in 1982.
What is “Goody Two Shoes” About?
The earworm chorus (Don’t drink, don’t smoke / What do you do?) helped “Goody Two Shoes” stand out on both the radio and MTV. But a closer inspection of the lyrics reveals a subtly affecting lament from a person trying to free himself from his public image. With the heartbreak open / So much you can’t hide, Ant begins, suggesting vulnerability lurks behind the bravado.
If the words unspoken, Ant sings, Get stuck in your throat. It’s a striking image, that of a singer voiceless on stage. Ant also follows up the song’s mocking refrain with the lines, Subtle innuendos follow / Must be something inside. In other words, that image of the pop star onstage doesn’t always represent the person at the heart of it.
“Goody Two Shoes” branded Ant as an undeniably fresh voice among the New Romantics, setting him up for a wonderful career. His signature song managed to deliver all the brazen attitude of that unique era in music history, while also hinting at something much deeper behind the facade.
Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.