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State of the Nation (Industry song)

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"State of the Nation"
German cover of "State of the Nation".
Single by Industry
from the album Stranger to Stranger
B-side"Communication"
Released1984
Recorded1983
GenreNew wave
Length
  • 3:27 (single version)
  • 4:33 (album version)
LabelCapitol Records
Songwriter(s)
  • Jon Carin
  • Mercury Caronia
Producer(s)Rhett Davies

"State of the Nation" is a song by American band Industry taken from their sole studio album Stranger to Stranger. The song peaked at No. 3 in Italy, No. 10 in Sweden, No. 78 in Australia, and No. 81 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Music video

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The official music video was filmed on a retired aircraft carrier, the USS Intrepid, for two nights at the cost of $37,000.[1] To create the appearance of an ominous stage set, the production installed blue and white lights, red emergency flares and billows of smoke on the Intrepid.[1] Retired and active U.S. Navy personnel, who managed the Intrepid, also participated in the shoot.[citation needed] Half Hollow Hills East High School students were also brought in to act as naval personnel. During the shoot, the students wore their own uniforms. The production company later gave a $1,000 contribution to the school.[1]

In the video, the band performs the song on an naval ship at night while being surrounded by uniformed naval personnel and a military/naval band, all of whom dance to the song. Parked aircraft are also evident in the video. The lead singer, Jon Carin, has a rack of keyboard instruments with a synthesizer and a computer (not a Fairlight CMI), Rudy Perrone plays a Steinberger bass guitar, Brian Unger plays a Fender Stratocaster and Mercury Caronia plays an acoustic drum kit with Simmons hexapads.[2]

An alternate version, not set on a ship, was later filmed and released.[3]

Charts

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Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 78
Italy (Hit Parade)[5] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[6] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 81

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kerr, Peter (July 29, 1984). "Music Video's Uncertain Payoff". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Industry - State of the Nation - MTV classic (80's). YouTube. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021.
  3. ^ State of the Nation- Industry. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 148. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ Salvatori, Dario (1999). 40 anni di hit parade italiana. Le canzoni, gli interpreti, i record e le curiosità di tutte le classifiche dal 1957 a oggi. Florence: Tarab. p. 263. ISBN 88-86675-55-0.
  6. ^ "Industry – State of the Nation". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  7. ^ "Industry Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
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