Expert: Bong Santos - 11/24/2006

Question
What's the name of this song? Part of the chorus is "I know this much is true". Also, which band sang it.

Thanks

Answer
Dear Gary,

Sorry for the rather late reply.

A song written by your namesake, songwriter/guitarist/actor GARY KEMP, the song's title is TRUE by 80's New Romantic band SPANDAU BALLET. Made up of GARY KEMP, his brother bassist MARTIN KEMP, drummer JOHN KEEBLE, sax player STEVE NORMAN and lead vocalist TONY HADLEY, they took TRUE to #4 on the Billboard's Hot 100 Chart on October 8, 1983 becoming the band's biggest hit. A cut from the album TRUE, it was sampled on P.M. DAWN's 1993 #1 hit SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS, the video of which featured TONY HADLEY towards the ending doing background vocals for lead vocalist ATTRELL "PRINCE BE THE NOCTURNAL" CORDES. Here's how it goes:

TRUE / SPANDAU BALLET

Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
So true.......
Funny how it seems.....
Always in time, but never in line for dreams.
Head over heels, when toe to toe,
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)

I bought a ticket to the world,
But now I've come back again.
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
When I want the truth to be said.......

Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.

With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue,
Dissolve the nerves that have just begun.
Listening to Marvin all night long.
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)

Always slipping from my hands,
Sand's a time of it's own.
Take your seaside arms and write the next line,
Oh, I want the truth to be known.......

Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.

*break*

I bought a ticket to the world,
But now I've come back again.
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
When I want the truth to be said.......

Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.

I know this much is........
I know this much is.......
True.

I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.

I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.

I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.


Maraming salamat po!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines