This Is A Serious Matter ! Madness - Embarrassment (1980) Reaction Review

[@ThornyLittleFlower]

This was always my favourite Madness song. I first had the 7" single and played it alot as a kid. I related to it completely even without knowing the cause of the embarrassment in the song. I myself was an embarrassment to my natural family and this song always reminded me of that. I was born in London 1975. My white mother was a Rolling Stone groupee from Canada whose family had disowned her over her pregnancy with me, a mix race baby. My mother struggled to cope then returned home without me, leaving me in London when i was 4. I am blown away to discover that this song was much closer to home than I had ever realised! I genuinely never knew its backstory untill today!!I love the song even more now ! 😅❤

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

Sorry to hear that and thanks for sharing your story !

[@shadowmixx]

Cool review. I like Madness, but I am not familiar with this particular song or video. This track is such a jam despite the deep meaning of the lyrics. Great tune! Cheers

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

Some forget the deep cuts , and thats what i'm here for !

[@donnaewe3692]

Thank u!

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

You're welcome!

[@haywoodsmith2822]

Lee Thompson wrote the song from bits and pieces of letters he'd received while Madness were on tour. The first sax solo was his sister Tracey trying to explain what had happened (her getting pregnant by a Brotha). The second sax solo is her heart breaking from the family's reaction. After having the baby, Lee and Tracey's parents wanted to raise the baby, themselves. Today, everyone's back to being one big happy family.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

Thanks for the assist !

[@douglasfrantzen3011]

Thanks for the explanation, I've always liked this song. I also like the Michael Caine song. I was quite a Madness fan at the time and that Keep Moving album was so different from the albums before, but I quickly came to love it. I think One Better Day may be my favorite Madness song, love the sound, especially with that xylophone in the mix.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

Don't know if i know that song (One Better Day). I think i loved Madness because They were playful and their music was unlike anything I'd heard with my American ears at 10 yrs old.

[@glastonbury4304]

One of favs a long with Baggy Trousers and must be love...

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

minr too !

[@scottyscot8]

🎼🎶🎶🎵🎵🎧❤️💥

[@paulcollins5586]

Classic song. Never get bored of it. Good reaction.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

thank you !

[@DerkHat]

Great reaction, and a really good explanation of the song's meaning. I'm also a big fan of 'Michael Caine' which is another Madness song with a very interesting story behind it.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

Cool, thanks!

[@rb7007]

I forgot how good this song is! As a kid singing this, I had no idea the true meaning behind the lyrics. Wow. Great review!

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

thank you !

[@glastonbury4304]

A bit of fun SKA...

[@scotthendry6298]

Do you know what the song is about ???? Did u listen no

[@glastonbury4304]

@scotthendry6298 ...being black and not getting triggered by everything they were more a fun SKA Band, all they were doing was taking the piss out of these white narcissistic opinionated small minded white families that go abroad and only want to eat fish and chips and spend all their money on fag's and booze whilst on UC and think the whole world revolves around their small street in the back of arse hole nowhere...so yes being in my 60's and a great fan of 60's Jamaican SKA and British SKA but not a fan of American SKA even if you can call it that....but I see your point, but Madness were more a fun SKA band and although this song has a serious message it's also taking the piss out of the small minded unwashed! 😉😂

[@lewisb85]

Love the look madness had back then the skinhead/suedehead look, people seem to forget that if a British Skinhead came home in the 70s you'd hear Ska and northern soul blasting out of the house. I remember Suggs saying on a documentary about this that it seemed ridiculous to him when Lee Thompson was telling the story about what was going on with his sister and the family at home.

[@UBZUKki]

Awesome

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

thanks

[@anthonyharris7780]

We are the misterons

[@BigSlinky7]

You spelt mysterons wrong.

[@glastonbury4304]

Not sure you'd call No Doubt SKA

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

nope. i wouldn't.

[@skinheadjon901]

That's not what the song is about - it's about one of Lee Tompson (the band's sax player) relatives wanting to get married to a Pakistani girl & their relatives reaction.

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

ok, but i did link to the actual mini-documentary that says different.

[@stabishop1769]

It's not musically similar to Billy Joel or Phil Collins. Nothing like them at all. Or did I hear you wrong?

[@steelekeepinitreel4909]

It is similar to the Motown type of sound, but we can agree to disagree.