My second favorite album, by The Bangles, is their January 2, 1986 “Different Light”. It came about 1 1/2 years after their debut studio album “All Over The Place“. “Different Light”, on Columbia Records, would be their most successful album reaching number 2 on the Billboard 200. Five singles were released from this album.
The first single was “Manic Monday”/”In a Different Light” released on January 27, 1986, and written by Prince under the pseudonym “Christopher”. “Manic Monday” debuted at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the week ending January 25, 1986, and reached a peak of number two, on the issue dated April 19, 1986, behind Prince and the Revolution’s single “Kiss”
Prince wrote “Manic Monday” in 1984, and recorded it as a duet for the band Apollonia 6’s self-titled album; however, he eventually pulled the song. Lyrically, the song is about someone waking up from a romantic dream at six o’clock on Monday morning, and facing a hectic journey to work when she would prefer to still be enjoying relaxing on Sunday—her “I-don’t-have-to-run day”
[Prince] really liked our first album. He liked the song ‘Hero Takes a Fall’, which is a great compliment, because we liked his music. He contacted us, and said, ‘I’ve got a couple of songs for you. I’d like to know if you’re interested,’ and of course we were. One of the songs Prince brought to the group was ‘Manic Monday’, written under the pseudonym of Christopher. It was a Banglefication of a Prince arrangement. He had a demo, that was very specifically him. It was a good song, but we didn’t record it like ‘This is our first hit single! Oh my God! I can feel it in my veins!’ We just did the song, and the album, and then sat back and thought about it.Debbi Peterson – MTV UK Interview 1989
In April of 1986, they released “If She Knew What She Wants” /”Not Like You” (in the US)/”Angels Don’t Fall in Love” (in the UK) as the second single, written by singer-songwriter Jules Shear and introduced on his 1985 album The Eternal Return. After ten weeks in the Billboard charts, it stalled at no. 29 on the Hot 100.
“Walk Like an Egyptian” /”Angels Don’t Fall in Love” /
“Not Like You” was released as the third single on September 1, 1986. Liam Sternberg said he was inspired to create the song while on a ferry crossing the English Channel. When the vessel hit choppy water, passengers stepped carefully and moved their arms awkwardly while struggling to maintain their balance, and that reminded Sternberg of the depiction of human figures in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings.
Toni Basil was offered the song but turned it down. The song reached number one in the US on December 20, 1986, and remained there for 4 weeks.
The fourth single “Walking Down Your Street”/”Return Post” was released in 1987 (the final single for the US). It charted at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Following”/”Dover Beach” was released as the fifth single in April of 1987 around Europe. The B-side came from their previous album “All Over the Place”.
The single was also released in two special editions, one including a poster of the single cover, and another including four badges.
The Bangles (Different Light)
- Susanna Hoffs – lead and backing vocals, guitars
- Vicki Peterson – lead and backing vocals, guitars
- Michael Steele – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass
- Debbi Peterson – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion
Additional musicians - Rusty Anderson – additional guitars
- Barbara Chapman – harp, additional guitars
- Mitchell Froom – keyboards
- David Kahne – keyboards
- Carlos Vega – additional drums
- William Jones – electric sitar (uncredited)
Different Light
- “Manic Monday” (Christopher-Prince)
Lead Vocal – Hoffs 3:06 - “In a Different Light” (Hoffs, V. Peterson)
Lead Vocal – V. Peterson 2:52 - “Walking Down Your Street” (Hoffs, Gutierrez, Kahne)
Lead Vocal – Hoffs 3:04 - “Walk Like an Egyptian” (Liam Sternberg)
Lead Vocals – V. Peterson, Steele, and Hoffs 3:24 - “Standing in the Hallway” (Hoffs, Kahne, D. Peterson, V. Peterson)
Lead Vocal – D. Peterson 2:56 - “Return Post” (Hoffs, V. Peterson)
Lead Vocal – V. Peterson 4:22 - “If She Knew What She Wants” (cover of Jules Shear, 1985)
Lead Vocal – Hoffs 3:49 - “Let It Go” (Hoffs, D. Peterson, V. Peterson, Steele)
Lead Vocals – The Bangles 2:32 - “September Gurls” (cover of Big Star, 1974 Alex Chilton)
Lead Vocal – Steele 2:45 - “Angels Don’t Fall in Love” (Hoffs, V. Peterson)
Lead Vocal – V. Peterson 3:23 - “Following” (Steele)
Lead Vocal – Steele 3:21 - “Not Like You” (Hoffs, Kahne, D. Peterson)
Lead Vocal – D. Peterson 3:06
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