Ant shuns the fame game in the bridge. He does not want a svengali dictating his morality, diet or sex life. Nor does he want a yes-person around him to tell him how wonderful he is all the time. He warns other wannabe celebrities not to listen to their managers, agents, stylists, etc. Otherwise, they'll become famous for simply being famous. He thinks Western culture is far too celebrity-obsessed.
"No one's gonna tell me/What's wrong or what's right/Or tell me who to eat with, sleep with/Or that I've won the big fight, big fight/Look out or they'll tell you/You're a "Superstar"/Two weeks and you're an all time legend/I think the games have gone much too far."
The b-section is sung once. The chorus is sung about five times to end the single.
The delicious vexing hook of "Goody Two Shoes" is insatiable. Adventerous and energetic, it does not let up for even a second. The three minutes whizzes by. Ant's rapid-fire delivery often leaves the chorus intelligible and not much else. The single dares the listener to not put it on repeat.
In the 80s, American culture was not consumed with celebrity gossip rags (print and online), entertainment news shows. Then, MTV was getting off the ground and fast becoming a influential medium. Ant's snarkiness fits into the current E! Online media trend. It could even be its theme song.
Article comments
1 - Barry Stoller
Even the skeptical had to admit this was a guilty pleasure - what a killer one-hit wonder. Was the tune about the Princess?
2 - Icehouse
Nice review of/slant on Adam's work. In actual fact the song was part of an ongoing battle Adam was having with the UK press, who didn't believe he was squeaky clean-living but never managed to get the goods against him (Well up until the nervous breakdowns and the carburator...and by then his star had faded)
Oh, and Barry - Adm was no one hit wonder. In the US, Room At The Top and Wonderful were quite successful, and in the UK he was one of the biggest artists of the 80's.