Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Watching the Wildlife”:
The Final Flash of a Pop Provocateur
Released on 23 February 1987, “Watching the Wildlife” marked the final single from Frankie Goes To Hollywood, the once-volatile force that had dominated early-’80s headlines with “Relax”, “Two Tribes”, and their unapologetically provocative image. By the time this song arrived — drawn from their second album Liverpool — the band was nearing its end, creatively and contractually spent. Yet even as their flame dimmed, this last release offered a glimpse of what made them great: pop with a smirk, a wink, and something more thoughtful beneath the surface.
It didn’t go out with a bang, but with a cool, sun-dappled side-glance.
From Outrage to Easy Listening? Not Quite.
Compared to the fire and fury of their debut era, Liverpool was a conscious pivot. Gone were Trevor Horn’s dense, symphonic productions; in their place came Stephen Lipson’s sleeker, more guitar-led sound. “Watching the Wildlife” split the difference — breezy, infectious, and polished, yet still carrying Frankie’s signature subversion.
It’s danceable, hummable — and quietly layered with coded commentary.
A Lyrical Double-Meaning
Ostensibly a cautionary tale about the dangers of feeding wild animals, the song’s true subject is something far less zoological. “Don’t feed the animals / They don’t need your love” works as a sly metaphor for human hedonism, voyeurism, and the surveillance culture that had shadowed the band since their tabloid-scorched rise.
Holly Johnson’s smooth, relaxed delivery only deepens the irony — it’s both a lullaby and a low-key warning.
Production: Polished, Playful, and Conceptually Rich
Produced by Stephen Lipson, the song marries soft funk guitar, tropical synth textures, and mid-tempo percussion in a package made for radio rotation. But as ever with Frankie, the single wasn’t just a song — it was an event. The 12″ editions included mixes with names like “Die Letzten Tage der Menschheit” (“The Last Days of Mankind”) and “Movement 2”, filled with orchestral layers, ambient transitions, and bold reimaginings of the core track.
One version — cheekily dubbed the “Condom Mix” — was even distributed with a real condom in early promotional pressings. However, the gimmick was pulled from retail due to UK chart eligibility rules.
Chart Performance and the Final Curtain
“Watching the Wildlife” peaked at No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart in March 1987, spending eight weeks in the Top 100. It reached No. 23 in Germany and No. 24 in Ireland — respectable showings, but a far cry from their early chart-topping dominance.
Shortly after, the band splintered. Holly Johnson left and launched a legal battle with ZTT Records, effectively ending one of pop’s most audacious experiments.
The Calm After the Storm
Though “Watching the Wildlife” lacks the explosive controversy of “Relax” or the Cold War urgency of “Two Tribes,” it remains a quietly fascinating exit. It suggests the band still had creative cards left to play — a subtler side that never quite got its due.
In hindsight, this swan song captures an unexpectedly graceful landing. Frankie didn’t crash. They coasted to a close — knowing full well that some animals weren’t meant to be tamed.