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What Are We Gonna Do About It

"What Are We Gonna Do About It" is a 1985 single for Mercy, Mercy. It became a hit for them that year.

"What Are We Gonna Do About It"
Song
B-side"What Are We Gonna Do About It? (Dub Mix)"
Released1985
Length3:53 (7" release)
6:40 (12" release)
LabelEnsign ENY 522 (7" release)
Ensign 12ENY 522 (12" release)
Songwriter(s)Young/Tunney
Producer(s)Lukey Tunney & Colin Young
singles chronology
"It Must Be Heaven"
(1984) 		"What Are We Gonna Do About It"
(1985)

Background

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"What Are We Gonna Do About It" was written by Colin Young and Luke Tunny,[1] who co-founded Mercy, Mercy with Young.[2] Young was the lead vocalist in the outfit.[3] Keyboardist Tunny and vocalist Young (aka Colin Hughfield Young) teamed up when Young was working on a solo project in or around September 1984. "What Are We Gonna Do About It", released on Ensign/Island ENY 522 was the follow up to their 1984 release "It Must Be Heaven".[4]

Reception

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On 27 July, 1985, James Hamilton noted the building of the mesmeric long breaks on the dub side of the single. He also said it was "slightly like a hot tempo Phil Fearon."[5]

Paul Sexton of Record Mirror have a short review on the single in the magazine's 24 August issue. He said that it had a Phil Fearon / Galaxy sound and "a real creeper if you give it time".[6]

On the week of 6 October, James Hamilton said that Young and Tunney were causing quite a stir with the "98bpm reggae-soul jogger".[7]

Airplay

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For the week of 31 August 1985, Music Week confirmed that the record was on ten I.L.R. station playlists, two of them A lists.[8] On the week of 7 September, the record was on ten I.L.R. station playlists, two more than the previous week. Three stations had it on their A list.[9] It was also on the Radio London A list.[10] On the week of 28 September, the single had gone up from nine regional playlists to sixteen. Four of them were A lists and a station in Stockton had it as a hit pick.[11]

Charts

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The Mercy Mercy single made its debut at no. 54 on the Music Week Top 75 Disco & Dance Singles chart on the week of 17 August 1985.[12] It also debuted on the Airplay Action Bubbling chart.[13]

It debuted at no. 85 on the Music Week The Next 25 chart on the week of 24 August[14] and it had moved up from no. 28 on the Top 75 Disco & Dance Singles chart.[15]

On the week of 7 September, the single peaked at no. 9 on the Music Week Top 75 Disco & Dance Singles chart.[16][17]

On the week of 14 September, the single debuted at no. 12 in the UK Club Play Chart.[18]

By the week of 21 September, it had made its debut at no. 59 in the Music Week Top 75 Singles chart.[19] The following week (28 September), it was at no. 64. This was the song's last week in the Top 75.[20][21] It had also moved up from no. 10 to no. 9 on the UK Club Play Chart.[22]

On 12 October the single had moved down from no. 9 to no. 15 on the UK Club Play Chart.[23]

The song was still in the Music Week Top 75 Disco & Dance Singles chart at no. 69 on the week of 2 November.[24]

The song came no. 48 in the RM (New Record Mirror) Year End Disco chart.[25]

Later versions

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Lewis Berry recorded a version, produced by Rod Gammons which was released on Record Shack Records SOHOT 58 in 1986 as "What Am I Gonna Do About It".[26] A 2017 version appeared on an EP along with "You Lied" and "What Gives You The Right".[27]

References

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  1. ^ Music Week, August 31, 1985 - Page 13 THE NEXT 25, This Week 81, Last Week 85, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
  2. ^ Collins complete UK hit singles 1952-2006, By Graham Betts · 2006 - ISBN:9780007200771, 0007200773 - Page 545 MERCY MERCY
  3. ^ Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Colin Young
  4. ^ Music Week, September 28, 1985 - Page 15 TALENT Edited by CHRIS WHITE Chart newcomers
  5. ^ James Hamilton's Disco Page, July 27, 1985 - July 27, 1985: Dante, Hi Tension, Mercy Mercy, Melba Moore, Videeo, ODDS ‘N’ BODS, MERCY MERCY: ‘What Are We Gonna Do About It?’ (Ensign 12ENY 522)
  6. ^ Record Mirror, August 24, 1985 - Page 10 s i n g l e s reviewed by paul sexton COMMENDATIONS, MERCY MERCY "What Are We Gonna Do About It' (Ensign)
  7. ^ James Hamilton's Disco Page, October 6, 1984 - October 6, 1984: Chaka Khan, Paris, Dazz Band, Hi-Tension, Linda Clifford, ODDS ‘N’ BODS, MERCY MERCY: ‘It Must Be Heaven’ (Ensign 12ENY 515)
  8. ^ Music Week, August 31, 1985 - Page 11 I.L.R. STATIONS, AIRPLAY, 10 Nb MERCY MERCY What Are We Gonna. Ensign/Island
  9. ^ Music Week, September 7, 1985 - Page 16 I.L.R. STATIONS, AIPLAY, 12 10 MERCY MERCY What Are We Gonna . . Ensign/Island
  10. ^ Music Week, September 7, 1985 - Page 44 DISCO and dance Edited by BARRY LAZELL, RADIO London A LIST
  11. ^ Music Week, September 28, 1985 - Page 9 REGIONAL AIPLAY, 16 9 MERCY MERCY What Are We Gonna. . Ensign/Island
  12. ^ Music Week, August 17, 1985 - Page 49 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP 75 SINGLES, THIS WEEK 54 NEW WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT
  13. ^ Music Week, August 17, 1985 - Page 10 AIRPLAY action BUBBLING, 5 (-) MERCY MERCY: What Are We Gonna Do About It?
  14. ^ Music Week, August 24, 1985 - Page 13 THE NEXT 25, This Week 85, Last Week -, WHAT ARE WE GONNA 00 ABOUT IT?
  15. ^ Music Week, August 24, 1985 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP 75 SINGLES, THIS WEEK 28, LAST WEEK 54, WEEKS ON CHART 2 WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT
  16. ^ Music Week, September 1, 1985 - Page 45 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP 75 SINGLES, THIS WEEK 9, LAST WEEK 10, WEEKS ON CHART 4
  17. ^ Music Week, September 14, 1985 - Page 9 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP 75 SINGLES, THIS WEEK 17, LAST WEEK 9, WEEKS ON CHART 5
  18. ^ Music Week, September 14, 1985 - Page 8 UK Club Play Chart, 12 (New) MERCY MERCY: What Are We Gonna Do About It?
  19. ^ Music Week, September 21, 1985 - Page 21 TOP 75 SINGLES, This Week 59, NEW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
  20. ^ Music Week, September 28, 1985 - Page 11 TOP 75 SINGLES, This Week 64, Last Week 59, Weeks on Chart 2
  21. ^ Official Charts - WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT? by MERCY MERCY
  22. ^ Music Week, September 28, 1985 - Page 25 UK Club Play Chart 9 10 MERCY MERCY: What Are We Gonna Do About It?
  23. ^ Music Week, October 12, 1985 - Page 33 UK Club Play Chart 15 9 MERCY MERCY: What Are We Gonna Do About It
  24. ^ Music Week, November 2, 1985 - Page 34 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP 75 SINGLES, THIS WEEK 69 58 12
  25. ^ RM (New Record Mirror), Jan 4, 1986 - Page 37 YEAR END DISC0, 48 WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT, Mercy Mercy, Ensign 12in
  26. ^ Amazon - Lewis Berry / What Am I Gonna Do About It
  27. ^ Amazon - Lewis Berry EP
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