Another silly instrumental to brighten an English day, for two minutes anyway.
Kronomyth 2.3: The world in the palmas of their hands.
Long live the king, indeed. Where else but on the magical isle of England could a silly single like this became a Top 10 hit? The Return of the Los Palmas 7 is a self-referential title for what amounts to (here) two minutes of musical joy from Madness. (The album version, which served as the curtain call for Absolutely, runs a bit longer.) Another wonderful video that again probably cost all of a hundred quid to make cemented its status as a charming window into the world of these nutty boys.
The flip side is bit of quick work about Stan the Odd Job Man, That’s the Way to Do It. The rhythm features clever use of actual tools (saw, hammer), while the lyrics detail the travails of a jack of all trades who is master of none. “That’s the Way to Do It” didn’t initially appear on a proper album, but was included on later singles compilations.
Original 7-inch single version
A1. The Return of the Los Palmas 7 (Mike Barson/David Woodgate/Mark Bedford)
B1. That’s the Way to Do It (Chris Foreman)
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch single on January 16, 1981 in the UK (Stiff, BUY 108) with picture sleeve. Reached #7 on the UK charts.
