To Be or Not to Be (BA Robertson song)
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| "To Be or Not to Be" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by BA Robertson | ||||
| from the album Initial Success | ||||
| B-side | "Language of Love"/"Hot Shot" | |||
| Released | May 1980 | |||
| Genre | New wave | |||
| Length | 3:20 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Terry Britten | |||
| BA Robertson singles chronology | ||||
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"To Be or Not to Be" is a song by Scottish musician BA Robertson, released in May 1980 as the fifth and final single from his debut album Initial Success. It became his third Top-Ten hit in the UK, peaking at number 9 on the Singles Chart.
In the UK and some other countries, the single was released with two B-sides "Language of Love" and "Hot Shot". Whereas, elsewhere, such as Germany, "Language of Love" was the only B-side. The B-side tracks were recorded live at The Venue in London on 11 April 1980.[1] The single did not appear on Top of the Pops, which was out of production during the summer of 1980 because of a strike by the Musician's Union.[2]
The song takes its inspiration from William Shakespeare, with the title coming from "To be, or not to be", from Hamlet. The lyrics feature a number of inaccuracies and absurdities: that Hamlet "made it" with his mother and that Shakespeare was "queer" (which had to be censored) and that he "dressed his guys as chicks".[3] The lyrics make reference to Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, As You Like It and Hamlet.