Two Tribes - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Rory says ''Switch on and Feel'...

Lyrics:- 'Switch off your shield, switch off and feel' - Johnson, Gill & O'Toole

Song Choice:- I simply loved FGTH and Two Tribes, with it's iconic video, it epitomised the early 80's nuclear threat we all feared back then, and little did they know that 30 years later that our 'Red Button Worries' would only have escalated to a much higher level, with even more grotesque 'Spitting Image' puppets.

And for the music buffs out there, 'Two Tribes' entered the charts at #1 on 10 June, 1984 and stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for nine consecutive weeks. During  that time the group's previous single 'Relax' climbed back up the charts to #2. 'Two Tribes' turned out to be the longest running #1 single in the UK of the 80's and sold more than 1.58 million copies, nice. Producer magician Trevor Horn, no doubt, put his gloss on the song and if you are inclined to listen to 'Relax', the 'Two Tribes' lyrics, fit just perfectly.

Anyway, it's the 'Tribe' aspect of the song that I'm interested in for today's blog as so many folk I know love to belong to Clubs, Organisations or even Facebook Groups. You see, even though I've been in the 100 Marathon Club for nearly 20 years and my local Running Club for 5, I must have the worst attendance record of both societies... FB's different as it's a virtual world of unfounded opinion which attracts vampires that corrode the sole IMO but for some has become a sole reason d'être and it always makes me wonder why that is? 

Groups are a primeval thing perhaps, as our ancestors are pack animals. 'Tribes' have a hierarchy in which we seek leadership to satisfy our group dominance, well they are in my experience. Alternatively maybe folk just want to blend in with a 'Uniform' and be part of a 'Life Orchestra' - You can guess which 'Tribe' I belong to as I've never played second fiddle to anyone in my time... I mean, why surround yourself with other people in the same boat? It's the reason why I never went to AA...

Twenty or so years' on and it's funny now that most of the folk I meet want to leave their 'Tribes' and join a new one. I say to them why do that when you are already in your own 'Tribe of One'?

I'm not sure what 'Frankie would say' as 'One Tribe' wouldn't have sold the 1.58 million copies - it might have stopped a lifetime of internal conflict though, stopping people trying to conform to other folk's rules...

So ask yourself, whose 'Tribe' are you in? Yours or some other idiots?' 

Maybe it's time to 'Switch on and Feel'...and live your own life for once.

Rory Coleman - 986 Marathons - 241 Ultras - 13 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,487 Days' Alcohol Free

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location: Caerdydd, Cymru