The Icicle Works — “Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)”

Entered Top 40:  May 26, 1984 
4 weeks  
Peaked at: 37 

The Icicle Works is one of those bands known for completely different one-hit wonders depending on your side of the pond. In the UK their biggest hit was the #15 “Love is a Wonderful Colour,” which wasn’t a US single at all. In the States, “Whisper to a Scream” got some radio and MTV attention, and is still a retro/First Wave staple, but never made the UK Top 40 despite separate issues in 1983 and 1984 (but it was a “UK Indie” #2 hit).

Among the changes to this song between its UK and US single release, the title structure was swapped from “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream),” the better to focus on the phrase sung 32,482 times instead of just once.

The Icicle Works never hit the Top 40 again in either the US or UK after that initial splash. Frontman Ian McNabb led a shifting lineup until dissolving the band in 1991; they did have a US Modern Rock hit in 1987 with “High Time” (#13). McNabb has recorded a ton of solo records since (his upcoming one is Fleetwood McNabb, a covers record…ha!) but has revived the Icicle Works name for occasional shows this century.