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That Was Then but This Is Now
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = That Was Then but This Is Now
| cover = ABC That Was Then.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = ABC
| album = Beauty Stab
| B-side = Vertigo
| released = October 1983
| recorded = 1983
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop rock
| length = 3:33
| label =
| writer =
| producer =
| prev_title = All of My Heart
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = S.O.S.
| next_year = 1984
| misc =
}}
"'That Was Then but This Is Now'" is a song by English band ABC. It was released in late 1983 as the lead single from their second studio album, 'Beauty Stab'. It was the band's third entry on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100, peaking at No. 89.
Music video
The music video shows them playing on a stage behind a huge Risk-style world map gameboard; scenes of the band playing, accompanied by various flags, are interspersed with scenes of a helicopter taking off and then exploding.
Criticism
The song features the heavily criticised lyric, "Can't complain, mustn't grumble, help yourself to another piece of apple crumble." Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera censured the line, feeling that it embodied all that was wrong with 1980s pop music. It has frequently appeared in "worst lyrics" poll results, and was voted the worst line ever in a 2007 BBC 6 Music survey. Critic and Saint Etienne co-founder Bob Stanley allowed, "It had perhaps been meant as a joke - it was followed by a cheesy sax break."
Track listing
#"That Was Then but This Is Now" 3:33
#"Vertigo" 1:53
Chart performance
References
Category:1983 singles
Category:ABC (band) songs
Category:Songs written by Martin Fry
Category:1983 songs
Category:Mercury Records singles
Category:Songs written by Mark White (musician)
Category:Songs written by Stephen Singleton
Category:Song recordings produced by Gary Langan
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