Do I really need to say anything to preface this one? We all liked Word Up — yeah, I’m talking to you. The synthesizer overload reeks of the ’80s, and Larry Blackmon’s nasaly and somewhat over-the-top vocal style was more than slightly irritating. Yet here I am, posting on it. What the hell did the song mean anyway? “Word Up everybody say / when you hear the call you’ve got to get it on your way.” And apparently it was the “code word”; for what, I’m not exactly sure. If any Cameo fans would care to enlighten us …

What I really like about this 45 single is the B-side, Urban Warrior. It seemed like a grab at street cred with the old-school beat and lyrical stylings. Love the dramatic chorus: “He’s an urban warrior.”

Alas, All Music has everything you wanted to know about Cameo but were afraid to ask.

Cameo | Word Up
Cameo | Urban Warrior