Clean, Clean

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Song written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley

title: "Clean, Clean" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1979-songs", "1979-singles", "1980-singles", "the-buggles-songs", "songs-written-by-trevor-horn", "songs-written-by-geoff-downes", "songs-written-by-bruce-woolley", "epic-records-singles", "island-records-singles"] description: "Song written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean,_Clean" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Song written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameClean, Clean
coverBruce-woolley-clean-clean-epic-2.jpg
typesingle
artistBruce Woolley and the Camera Club
albumEnglish Garden
B-sideFlying Man
released
recorded1979
genre
length3:16
labelEpic
writer
producerMike Hurst
::

| name = Clean, Clean | cover = Bruce-woolley-clean-clean-epic-2.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club | album = English Garden | B-side = Flying Man | released = | recorded = 1979 | studio = | genre = | length = 3:16 | label = Epic | writer = | producer = Mike Hurst | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | name = Clean, Clean | cover = Clean_Clean_Single_Cover.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = the Buggles | album = The Age of Plastic | B-side = Technopop | released = | recorded = 1979 | studio = | genre = | length = 3:53 | label = Island | writer = | producer = The Buggles | prev_title = Living in the Plastic Age | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Elstree | next_year = 1980 | misc = {{Hidden | title = 8 tracks | text =

  1. "Living in the Plastic Age"
  2. "Video Killed the Radio Star"
  3. "Kid Dynamo"
  4. "I Love You (Miss Robot)"
  5. "Clean, Clean"
  6. "Elstree"
  7. "Astroboy (and the Poles On Parade)"
  8. "Johnny (on the Monorail)" | type = single | file = Clean, Clean (The Buggles song - sample).ogg "Clean, Clean" is a song composed by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley, with additional composition by Thomas Dolby. It was recorded first by the latter for Woolley's band Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club in 1979, which Dolby was also a part of, and later by the remaining two Buggles for their debut album The Age of Plastic. It was released as the album's third single on 28 November 1979. The Buggles' version charted at number 60 on the GfK Entertainment charts in West Germany, and peaked at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart. Their version was also performed on the British television series' Top of the Pops and Cheggers Plays Pop.

Background and release

Along with "Video Killed the Radio Star", the song was co-written by Bruce Woolley. "Clean, Clean" was first recorded and originally released in 1979 by Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club. It was issued as a single in the Netherlands and Japan on 7" vinyl via Epic Records. It was the only song that the Buggles fully wrote as a trio. "Video Killed the Radio Star" was also issued as a single by Woolley in 1979. Both songs were included on the album English Garden, which was also issued under the title Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club.

The single was released on 7" vinyl via Island Records across Europe, America and New Zealand. In the UK, the single was manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd. The single included the B-side "Technopop" which was written by Downes and Horn. The song was originally exclusive to the single before it appeared as a bonus track on the 2000 remastered re-issue of The Age of Plastic album, amongst other re-issues of the album.

The majority of the releases of the single featured the same track listing, however the main American release of the single featured "Astroboy (And the Proles on Parade)" as the B-side - an album track from The Age of Plastic. Additionally, a promotional version of the single was released in America which featured a stereo and mono version of the song on each side.

In America, the single was also issued on 12" vinyl as a scarce promotional release only. This version featured an extended 12-inch version of the song, whilst the B-side was "Living in the Plastic Age", the duo's previous single release. The release also featured exclusive artwork. The 12-inch version of "Clean, Clean" would later see release as a bonus track on the 2010 Japanese CD re-release of The Age of Plastic.

Following the song's original release, it has appeared on three various artists compilations; the 1980 Warner Bros. Records compilation Troublemakers, the 1994 Oglio Records release Richard Blade's Flashback Favorites, Vol. 3 and the 1995 Polygram compilation Teenage Kicks: 46 Classic Punk & New Wave Tracks.

Composition and reception

The original version of "Clean, Clean" by Bruce Woolley plays at a length of 3 minutes and 16 seconds. The Buggles version of "Clean, Clean" runs for 3 minutes and 51 seconds, and is performed at a tempo of 160 beats per minute. The 12-inch mix of the Buggles version included on the 2010 re-issue of The Age of Plastic plays for 5 minutes and 15 seconds. Lyrically, the song follows a group of soldiers who have already seen their share of the action on their way to their next engagement and war being a dirty business in which it is hard to stay clean. The intro of the Camera Club version was composed by Thomas Dolby, titled 'W.W.9', an ambient synth instrumental inspired by the Bowie-Eno ambient synth era, which appears on their debut and only album 'English Garden'. During the Camera Club's live gigs, Dolby would always play it live just before 'Clean, Clean'.

A mixed review by David Hepworth was published for the single in Smash Hits: "Future Winks" from Cuba (Arlola) is another of those fidgety new records, brimming with cleverness and weighed down with smart-ass humour. The same could also apply to "Clean, Clean" by The Buggles (Island) were it not for the cunningly buried hook line that surfaces after a few plays. These boys are masters of the middle eight. But it's as easy to find records like this obnoxious as it is to say they're catchy."

Jeri Montesano of AllMusic highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track. A review of the album from Audio magazine, noted "Clean, Clean" to be one of "best moments are those coauthored by Wooley" along with "Video Killed the Radio Star". The song was performed at the Buggles' live performance "The Lost Gig" in London. *The Independent*s Simon Price, on 3 October 2010, stated that “minor hits such as "Clean Clean" and "Elstree" sound radiantly relevant now." Krinein magazine's writer L. Vincent described the song as "pop-electronic", along with the album track "I Love You Miss Robot" and the single's own B-side "Technopop". Nicholas Baker of Napster spoke of the song in a review of the album, stating that it was one of the songs from the album that Trevor Horn's "considerable songwriting prowess" was "evident" in.

Music video

An official music video was produced for the Buggles version of the song, though it is unclear if it was initially released, as no documentation of it exists online prior to its upload to the Buggles Vevo page on October 19, 2020. The video is relatively simplistic when compared to other videos by the band, cutting between shots of various military vehicles driving around a field, with Trevor and Geoff lip syncing the song in the back of a Jeep, and various shots of Geoff playing the 1977 Taito arcade game Missile-X, with Trevor occasionally sat beside him continuing to lip sync.

Live performances

On the 31st of March, 1980, the Buggles mimed the song on Cheggers Plays Pop. On the 10th of April, 1980, the Buggles appeared on the UK music show Top of the Pops, where they also mimed the song. The band performed the song live on BBC Radio 1 on the 4th of October, 1980.

On the 28th of September, 2010, the Buggles reunited to play their first full-length live concert. The event was billed as "The Lost Gig" and took place at Ladbroke Grove's Supperclub, Notting Hill, London, and was a fund raiser with all earnings going to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Except "Video Killed the Radio Star" and "The Plastic Age" which the band had previously played together, "The Lost Gig" saw the first live performances of all songs from The Age of Plastic, and included Bruce Woolley performing vocals with Horn on "Clean, Clean".

Track listing

;7" single

  1. "Clean, Clean" - 3:54
  2. "Technopop" - 3:48

;7" single (American release)

  1. "Clean, Clean" - 3:54
  2. "Astroboy (And the Proles on Parade)" - 4:40

;7" single (American promo)

  1. "Clean, Clean (Stereo)" - 3:54
  2. "Clean, Clean (Mono)" - 3:54

;12" single (American promo)

  1. "Clean, Clean (Extended Version)" - 5:13
  2. "Living in the Plastic Age" - 5:09

Charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1980) | Peak position | |---|---| | UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 38 | ::

Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Thomas Dolby - keyboards, producer
  • Paul Robinson - drums
  • Richard James Burgess – drums
  • John Sinclair - mixing

References

References

  1. (2012-07-06). "The Buggles - Clean, Clean / Technopop - Island - UK - WIP 6584". 45cat.
  2. "Bruce Woolley And The Camera Club - Clean Clean at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  3. "Bruce Woolley And The Camera Club - Video Killed The Radio Star at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  4. "Bruce Woolley And The Camera Club - English Garden at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  5. "Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club* - Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  6. "Buggles* - Clean Clean at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  7. "Buggles* - The Age Of Plastic (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  8. "Buggles, The - Clean Clean (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  9. "Buggles, The - Clean Clean (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  10. "Buggles, The - Clean Clean / Living In The Plastic Age (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  11. (1995-09-27). "The Buggles Clean Clean USA Promo 12" vinyl single (12" record / Maxi-single) (53493)". Eil.com.
  12. (2010-02-24). "Buggles, The - The Age Of Plastic (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com.
  13. "Clean, Clean - Buggles : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic.
  14. [https://www.oneil.com.au/music/details/17966.html The Buggles - The Age of Plastic]. oneil.com.au. Accessed from 1 May 2013.
  15. ''[[Smash Hits]]''. Volume 35, p. 30.
  16. Montesano, Jeri. "The Age of Plastic - Buggles : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic.
  17. (1980). "Radio Magazine Volume 64 Issues 2-6".
  18. Simon Price. (2010-10-03). "The Buggles, Supperclub, LondonTim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band, Duke of York's Cinema, Brighton - Reviews - Music". The Independent.
  19. (1999-09-20). "Critique Buggles - The Age of Plastic - Krinein France". Musique.krinein.com.
  20. Nicholas Baker. (1980-01-01). "The Age Of Plastic : The Buggles". Napster.
  21. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzb1E16r164 The Buggles - Clean Clean] on [[YouTube]]. Accessed from 21 January 2021.
  22. "Cheggers Plays Pop". Homepage.ntlworld.com.
  23. YouTube. (2010-02-15). "BUGGLES - Clean Clean ►TOTP 10.4.80 (HQ) audio in-sync". YouTube.
  24. (December 2010). "Buggles All Around". [[Mojo (magazine).
  25. Petridis, Alexis. (29 September 2010). "Buggles: The Lost Gig". The Guardian.
  26. (6 May 2013). "The Official Charts Company - Clean Clean by The Buggles Search". The Official Charts Company.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1979-songs1979-singles1980-singlesthe-buggles-songssongs-written-by-trevor-hornsongs-written-by-geoff-downessongs-written-by-bruce-woolleyepic-records-singlesisland-records-singles