Soft Cell "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen"

[@Fumarcio]

According to Marc Almond: it was the performance of Zazou that I remember most clearly. It took place at a space called The White Elephant - I knew it was important to do as much as possible outside the safe confines of the college [Leeds Polytechnic] - and I charged a 50p entrance fee to cover some costs. It involved projections and a whole musical soundtrack. I sang, while another college friend, Ed King, played guitar, and a third student was credited with synthesizer, stylophone, and electronic wizardry. In one part of the show I performed a bizarre electro disco version of ‘I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen’, naturally with alternative lyrics about incest, frigidity and existing in a mental home. This recording was later to plague me when it turned up on various early Soft Cell bootlegs; taken out of context, it sounded extremely juvenile. You really did have to be there. (Tainted Love, The Autobiography, page 63)

[@JackyVSO]

So Dave Ball wasn't actually involved in this track at all?

[@Moonovermoscow1]

The New Wave he was! He was the ‘third student’, and soundtracked a few of Marc’s early performances (I’m currently rereading Tainted Life for the 100th time, and had to come and relive this little oddity!)

[@HughKAyers]

For die-hard Soft Cell fans only, I'm afraid. BUT I am one so, oh boy!

[@thesemenincident]

This was actually featured on a bootleg CD, Science Fiction Stories, as "I am 16", though it's a considerably noisier transfer on the disc. Thanks for posting this version.

[@rsmith7912]

Brilliant! Only these guys could pull off something like this. So bad but totally good.

[@michealbarone]

I have this on a bootleg of soft cell from the late 80s , when I was a teenage kicks

[@alankilroy04]

Fantastic

[@werebunniee]

wow this is like a shitpost from today, but i love it sm!!!

[@scaredsqurrel1014]

Dude i see you on every soft cell video , and i know this was from like three years ago but i bet you’re really cool now🙀

[@scaredsqurrel1014]

Especially with the gorillaz pfp

[@niccawicca]

@@scaredsqurrel1014. No longer a Gorillaz profile picture. I think it might be a picture from "The Simpsons" show. XD

[@alankilroy04]

Love this.

[@cypresscempr3s399]

Wow minimal synth 😎📼🎹🎵🎧🌌

[@roxyrocket3774]

I'm the only die hard soft cell fan where I'm from

[@werebunniee]

Roxy Rocket I’m from America and honestly same-

[@clarejackson970]

Amazing,thankyou.When did they record this?Is it available anywhere?This has totally made my day.

[@sharksport01]

2017