Bob Schwartz

It would be hard to name a band more willfully strange that managed to score two Top 20 hits in the 1980s than Was (Not Was). Pairing bent but danceable funk/disco rhythms with surreal lyrics that found the humor in everything from accidentally strangling a friend to a quickie wedding in Las Vegas, the group also had a knack for lining up unusual collaborators; throughout their discography, one can find guest appearances from Leonard Cohen, Ozzy Osbourne, Doug Feiger, Mel Torme, Kris Kristofferson, Wayne Kramer, and Frank Sinatra, Jr., among many others.

Was (Not Was) was masterminded by Don Was (born Don Fagenson) and David Was (born David Weiss), longtime friends who grew up in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, Michigan. Was (Was Not) used a constantly shifting cast of musicians on their recordings, though vocalists Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens were in many ways the public face of the group, giving a personality and continuity to their body of work. The group earned a rabid cult following and great reviews with the off-kilter dance tracks of their self-titled 1981 debut, and their second LP, 1983’s Born to Laugh at Tornadoes, gave them the opportunity to work out their ideas and ambitions on a major-label budget. But it was 1988’s What Up, Dog? that briefly made them stars with the singles “Walk the Dinosaur” and “Spy in the House of Love,” whose grooves finally caught the ears of the radio audience.

–Mark Deming, AllMusic

Was (Not Was) continued on and off for years after What Up, Dog?. The record industry didn’t know exactly what to do with them. Don Was has gone on to be a producer for major artists.

Videos for their two biggest hits are below. Also is a video from 1992, Shake Your Head (Let’s Go to Bed), notable for the singing of Ozzy Osbourne and the presence of Kim Basinger. Once you’ve seen these, seek out more Was (Not Was), starting with the albums What Up, Dog? and Are You Okay? Talented musical misfits are perfect for those who love a groove or a sweet melody and have smart and misfit ears.