Music Monday: While You Wait

The music bug caught me seriously in 1979. I was interested before then, but it was in 1979 that I started listening to the radio for myself, and expressing an interest in actually owning some top forty singles. And while there were many bands I would listen to, and some I liked more than others, the bands that captured my attention most were those that used synthesizers. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (later simply “OMD”), Depeche Mode, The Human League, and others. Of these bands Buggles was my favorite (more about them in a future Music Monday), but not far behind was New Musik.

New Musik formed in the late 70s, and released their first single, “Straight Lines” in 1979. It managed to chart, but wasn’t hugely successful. Their next single, “Living by Numbers” was their shining moment, making the Top 20, being featured in commercials, and getting a lot of radio play. The next two singles, “This World of Water” and “Sanctuary” cracked the Top 20 and Top 40 respectively, but their moment in the sun had come and gone. After a handful more singles and three albums, the band called it quits. Tony Mansfield, the lead singer, producer, and overall mastermind, went on to produce other artists (his name is associated with groups such as A-ha, The B-52s, Aztec Camera, and Naked Eyes).

You might think I would pick one of the more popular songs as my Music Monday selection. But no, I’ve chosen a single that didn’t chart called “While You Wait”, from their second album “Anywhere.” Lyrically, there’s not much to it, and, frankly, I’m not 100% sure what the song is about. Maybe it’s about life passing you by, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it (“We’ve gone too far, we can’t turn back… while you wait”)? I don’t know. It’s art, so whatever it means to you!

The main reason I like the song is the musical arrangement, with its synthesizer counter-melodies, the tuneful sequencer bass, and the guitar solo finale–possibly my favorite part of the whole song. During that solo, there’s an ascending bass that adds drama and tension. In fact, you could almost put an orchestral score to it and it would sound like it belonged in a movie. All in all, I think this is a great example of Tony Mansfield’s creative arrangement and production skills.

I’ve attempted to score the introduction and first verse for you. Bear in mind, this is just to give you an idea what’s going on–it’s by no means complete and definitive. Click on the picture below for a 2-page pdf:

You can also click HERE for a lyric/chord lead sheet of the whole song.

There isn’t a music video for “While You Wait,” so I put the song on YouTube with an appropriate picture. Enjoy: