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Work Rest and Play
 
 
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Work Rest and Play is an EP
Extended play

An extended play is a vinyl record, Compact disc, or music download which contains more music than a Single , but is too short to qualify as an LP album....
 by British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 ska
Ska

Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and Calypso music with United States jazz and rhythm and blues....
/pop
Pop music

Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
 band Madness
Madness (band)

Madness are an English Pop music/ska band from Camden Town, London, that formed in 1976. As of 2008, the band have continued to perform with their most recognised lineup of seven members, although their lineup has varied slightly over the years....
. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo

"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by United Kingdom ska/Pop music band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts....
", from the band's debut album One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...

"In the Middle of the Night" redirects here. For the novel by Robert Cormier, see In the Middle of the Night .One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the United Kingdom ska group Madness ....
. It was released in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being printed in Music Week magazine , ChartsPlus , and published online on various sites ....
 on April 30, 1980, reached a high of number 6.

r the release of "My Girl
My Girl (Madness song)

"My Girl" is a song by British ska/Pop music group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson. The song was released as a single on December 21, 1979....
", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...

"In the Middle of the Night" redirects here. For the novel by Robert Cormier, see In the Middle of the Night .One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the United Kingdom ska group Madness ....
, and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records
Stiff Records

Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976 in music by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985 in music....
, disagreed.






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Encyclopedia


Work Rest and Play is an EP
Extended play

An extended play is a vinyl record, Compact disc, or music download which contains more music than a Single , but is too short to qualify as an LP album....
 by British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 ska
Ska

Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and Calypso music with United States jazz and rhythm and blues....
/pop
Pop music

Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
 band Madness
Madness (band)

Madness are an English Pop music/ska band from Camden Town, London, that formed in 1976. As of 2008, the band have continued to perform with their most recognised lineup of seven members, although their lineup has varied slightly over the years....
. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo

"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by United Kingdom ska/Pop music band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts....
", from the band's debut album One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...

"In the Middle of the Night" redirects here. For the novel by Robert Cormier, see In the Middle of the Night .One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the United Kingdom ska group Madness ....
. It was released in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being printed in Music Week magazine , ChartsPlus , and published online on various sites ....
 on April 30, 1980, reached a high of number 6.

Release

After the release of "My Girl
My Girl (Madness song)

"My Girl" is a song by British ska/Pop music group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson. The song was released as a single on December 21, 1979....
", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...

"In the Middle of the Night" redirects here. For the novel by Robert Cormier, see In the Middle of the Night .One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the United Kingdom ska group Madness ....
, and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records
Stiff Records

Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976 in music by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985 in music....
, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP featuring one album track and three new tracks. The "Work Rest and Play" EP was the result.

The EP's success was largely down to "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo

"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by United Kingdom ska/Pop music band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts....
", which headlined the set and had an accompanying music video. The fourth song, "Don't Quote Me On That", was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the British National Front
British National Front

The British National Front is a far-right and white people-only United Kingdom List of political parties in the United Kingdom whose major political activities were during the 1970s and 1980s....
. Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence and, in a 1979 NME
NME

The New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
 interview, Madness member Chas Smash
Chas Smash

Carl Smyth, also known as Chas Smash , is an England born musician, best known as a backing singer and dancer in the ska/Pop music band Madness ....
 was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF
British National Front

The British National Front is a far-right and white people-only United Kingdom List of political parties in the United Kingdom whose major political activities were during the 1970s and 1980s....
 as long as they're having a good time." This added to speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the National Front, although the band members denied those allegations.

"Night Boat to Cairo" music video

After the decision to issue the EP, a promotional music video
Music video

A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a pop music or rock music song with lyrics. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings....
 was needed. However, there was a lack of time before the release, and not enough to make an effective one. As "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo

"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by United Kingdom ska/Pop music band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts....
" was the leading track from the EP, a music video of the song was created to represent the EP as a whole.

Madness filmed a karaoke type video in front of a blatantly chroma keyed
Chroma key

Chroma key is a technique for mixing two images or frames together, in which a color from one is removed , revealing another image behind it....
 backdrop of an Egyptian pyramid, with the lyrics appearing on screen in "bouncing ball" style as Suggs
Suggs (singer)

Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an England singing, actor, former radio station Disc jockey, television celebrity, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness ....
 sang them. During the long instrumental sections of the song, the band often run around the set, marching and performing their signature "Nutty Train".

Despite the video's poor effects and unprofessional feel, it became very popular amongst fans. This is possibly due to the carefree nature and fooling around of the band, probably down to the large amount of alcohol
Alcoholic beverage

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol . Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and distilled beverage....
 drank while filming.

Track listing


Side one

  1. "Night Boat to Cairo
    Night Boat to Cairo

    "Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by United Kingdom ska/Pop music band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts....
    " (McPherson
    Suggs (singer)

    Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an England singing, actor, former radio station Disc jockey, television celebrity, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness ....
    /Barson
    Mike Barson

    Mike Barson , sometimes nicknamed Monsieur Barso, is an England musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the Two Tone band , Madness ....
    ) - 3:30
  2. "Deceives the Eye" (Bedford
    Mark Bedford

    Mark Bedford , nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bassist and youngest member of the United Kingdom Two Tone band , Madness .Bedford attended William Ellis School in Kentish Town and met with members of the North London Invaders when they played a gig there....
    /Foreman
    Chris Foreman

    Christopher John Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an England guitarist, best known as a member of a Two Tone band , Madness .Chris Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976....
    ) - 1:58


Side two

  1. "The Young and the Old" (McPherson/Barson) - 2:03
  2. "Don't Quote Me on That" (Tosh/Smyth
    Chas Smash

    Carl Smyth, also known as Chas Smash , is an England born musician, best known as a backing singer and dancer in the ska/Pop music band Madness ....
    )- 4:31


Personnel

  • Suggs
    Suggs (singer)

    Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an England singing, actor, former radio station Disc jockey, television celebrity, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness ....
     – Lead vocals
  • Mike Barson
    Mike Barson

    Mike Barson , sometimes nicknamed Monsieur Barso, is an England musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the Two Tone band , Madness ....
     – Keyboards
  • Chris Foreman
    Chris Foreman

    Christopher John Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an England guitarist, best known as a member of a Two Tone band , Madness .Chris Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976....
     – Electric guitar
  • Mark Bedford
    Mark Bedford

    Mark Bedford , nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bassist and youngest member of the United Kingdom Two Tone band , Madness .Bedford attended William Ellis School in Kentish Town and met with members of the North London Invaders when they played a gig there....
     – Bass guitar
  • Lee Thompson
    Lee Jay Thompson

    Lee Jay Thompson , nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English people musician, best known as the saxophonist and songwriter of the Two Tone band , Madness ....
     – Saxophone
  • Daniel Woodgate
    Daniel Woodgate

    Daniel Woodgate is the drummer of the band , Madness . More commonly known by his nickname Woody, he joined the band after being introduced at a rehearsal by bass guitar player Mark Bedford....
     – Drums
  • Chas Smash
    Chas Smash

    Carl Smyth, also known as Chas Smash , is an England born musician, best known as a backing singer and dancer in the ska/Pop music band Madness ....
     – Backing vocals, lead vocals on "Don't Quote Me on That".