By Mark Nobes, chief editor
Released on 23rd July 1983, Club Tropicana went on to become one of the big hits of the summer, peaking at #4 here in the UK.
Filmed mainly at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel, the video was directed by Duncan Gibbins who sadly died in a fire at his rented home in 1997 aged just 41. The storyline is not to be taken at face value, and at first glance would appear to be a very cheesy and camp 80s production with George Michael and Andrew Ridgley giving a hilariously unconvincing performance of eyeing-up their backing singers Dee C. Lee and Shirlie Holliman. Indeed, the video has everything you would expect from the decade of excess, with the boys sipping cocktails at a swimming pool and sunning themselves at the beach, donning swimming trunks and wayfarer shades and being surrounded by beautiful bikini-clad girls.
Club Tropicana 1983 UK limited edition 7" vinyl Picture Disc
However, the song is actually a satirical swipe at the cheap 18-30 package holidays and the self-centered hedonism being displayed by young people. Penned by George and Andrew, the track was the fourth and last single to be lifted from their very successful, 3x Platinum debut album Fantastic! which topped the British album charts.
Amusingly, the end of the video revealed that George and Andrew were airline pilots, with Dee and Shirlie being their stewardesses.
Entitled Blue (Armed With Love) the B-side is a high quality, laid back synth-driven affair that is mainly an instrumental track for the first half. George Michael's vocals become more prominent after around two minutes. It's very decent for a B-side, and many fans have argued that this should have been an album track, or even a single in its own right.
The standard 7" single sleeve
