Favorite 80's Dance Songs #3 - "Welcome to Paradise"

@teamfreak16 (43663)
Denver, Colorado
April 19, 2017 8:21am CST
Here we are at #3 in my Favorite 80's Dance Songs series, counting down my favorites from back in the day, when I was a frequent clubgoer. The third spot on the podium belongs to "Welcome to Paradise" by Front 242. I know, "who the hell is Front 242?", you ask. Front 242 formed in 1981 in Aarschot, Belgium, and are widely credited with bringing industrial music out of the underground and to a more mainstream audience. They were the first band to classify themselves as "EBM" (electronic body music,) and have always been about combining music with art. The band also did the music for the video game Cipher Complex. Considered one of the greatest industrial albums ever recorded, 1988's Front by Front spawned their dancefloor smash, "Headhunter." However, that album's "Welcome to Paradise" also found it's way into the clubs. While not as notorious as "Headhunter," "Welcome to Paradise" is actually the more fun of the two songs. At 120 BPM (beats per minute,) the tune has no lyrics, rather, it's built around soundbites from American televangelists and an old United States Army recruitment commercial that I remember from the 1970's. There is probably no in between with this one: you're likely to find it either fun, or offensive. As a personal aside, I saw Front 242 back in the 1990's. It was the last mosh pit in which I ever participated. That show was a blast. And yes, "Welcome to Paradise" received a huge response. Because it really is that fun. (Info verified by Wikipedia)
Finally a NON live version of a classic Front 242 song.
7 people like this
6 responses
@amadeo (111937)
• United States
19 Apr 17
thank you Scott.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
19 Apr 17
No problem!
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
19 Apr 17
I would love to hear of some of your club adventures -- I wish clubs were a thing around here
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
19 Apr 17
Well, there was this one time when we....whoops, can't tell that one!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Apr 17
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
20 Apr 17
@teamfreak16 Aw shoot, the best one, right?
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
21 Apr 17
That's fun! As Robin Williams once said, "It's Reverend Earnest Angry's Disco Temple of Comedy!"
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group North America Reverend Earnest Angry · Robin Williams Reality... What A Concept ? 1979 The Island Def Jam Music ...
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
21 Apr 17
@teamfreak16 -- let's face it, those charlatans deserve to be made fun of. The song reminded me of Robin Williams' take...it's nearly as funny, too.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Apr 17
I remember that bit. A friend had that album.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Apr 17
Jesus is here! That is a one song rave.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
19 Apr 17
This totally would have fit into a rave.
2 people like this
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
21 Apr 17
Not heard of them, but I rather like this one. Must be a bit of a closet industrialist!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Apr 17
Yay, I got one! It is kind of catchy.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Apr 17
@Ronrybs - Funny!
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
21 Apr 17
@teamfreak16 I'm sure a few pints'll cure that!
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14756)
• San Jose, California
19 Apr 17
Ah! Finally I can find out the title to this song! It's a club favorite and I knew it was Front 242, but never knew what it was called.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43663)
• Denver, Colorado
19 Apr 17
It's a difficult title to remember, which is odd, because it's definitely a memorable song. Once you've heard it, you remember it the next time. If that makes any sense at all.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14756)
• San Jose, California
20 Apr 17
@teamfreak16 I could never request it because I never knew what it was called!
1 person likes this