CURIOSITY CORNER: TRACEY ULLMAN'S POP CAREER

Tracey Ullman whose ferocious ambition took her from fair to middling UK sketch show fame to major TV and movie success in Hollywood (introducing us to the Simpsons along the way) had a notable pop career between 1983-1984. She released two albums on Stiff records and had 6 chart singles including covers of songs by Stiff stablemates Madness and Kirsty McCall. She hit the right note by being a bit Kim Wilde, a tad Mari Wilson and utilising Madness style videos with cameos from Neil Kinnock and Paul McCartney. Her pop hits were rather of the time but remarkably good examples of pure pop with a retro feel and a pre 'irony' irony in the videos. Tracey Ullman's records were vibrant and fun and are an overlooked example of great eighties pop.