THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

69-Madness-Night Boat to Cairo.

1980-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 2.37. According to the songs co-writer Mike Barson,’It was supposed to be an instrumental, and then Suggs bloody got hold of it and wrote all those dodgy lyrics.’

Madness (see also best songs 801) were formed in Camden Town, London, England, in 1976, and remained active until 1986. They reformed in 1992, and are still performing at the time of writing. In total there have been 12 official members come and go, with only Chas Smith, who left in 2014 not being a current member of seven that are considered to be the classic line up. The other members of the classic line up are Chris Foreman, (guitar) Mike Barson, (keyboards) Lee Thompson, (saxophone, and percussion) Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson, (vocals) Dan Woodgate, (drums) and Mark Bedford (bass.)

Along with ‘The Specials,’ (see also best songs 924 and 372) Madness were one of the most prominent bands of the late 1970’s, and early 1980’s ‘Two Tone Ska Revival’, with both bands being heavily influenced by the Ska music of the 1960’s that had come out of Jamaica. For Madness a particular influence was Prince Buster, (1938-2016) (see also best songs 734 and 139) as Madness took their name from the Prince Buster 1964 song ‘Madness,’ and their first hit ‘The Prince’ (UK, 1979, Number 16) was a song written as a tribute to him. Over the course of time, in the groups early years, their sound moved away from all out ‘Ska,’ and by the time of their third Album ‘7,’ released in 1981, the band were showing a more ‘Pop’ orientated sound, which has become known as ‘Ska/Pop.’ The discography of Madness includes 12 studio Albums released between 1979-2016, and 43 singles issued between 1979-2019. In the UK, 31 of those singles have reached the top 40, with ‘House of Fun’ making Number 1 in 1982, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, two of their songs have reached the top 40, with ‘Our House’ from 1982 being the most successful, when making Number 7.

‘Night Boat to Cairo’ was co-written by Mike Barson, (music) and Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson, (lyrics) and was produced by Clive Langer, and Alan Winstanley (see also best songs 903.) There had already been three hit singles released from their debut Album ‘One Step Beyond,’ and Madness were keen to release new material, but their record label were insisting that a further track off the Album should be a single. The compromise was the the release of ‘Night Boat to Cairo,’ along with three new songs on an ‘EP’ (extended play) which would be called the ‘Work Rest and Play EP.’ ‘Night Boat to Cairo’ soon became a fans favourite and is still often played as the encore at the bands live concerts. The song has an unusual structure, with a single verse, followed by an even longer instrumental section. Suggs has described the song as,’Miles of introduction, a couple of verses, then miles of instrumental, no chorus, and the title isn’t even mentioned apart from me shouting it at the beginning. It’s an atmosphere with great music and words. Of course it it a song, but not a traditional one.’ The songs video features the band dressed as soldiers in British colonial attire, where during the long instrumental part they are seen marching and performing their signature ‘Nutty Train’ dance.

‘It’s just gone noon, half-past monsoon on the banks of the river Nile. Here comes the boat only half-afloat, Oarsman grins a toothless smile. Only just one more to this desolate shore, last boat along the river Nile.’