Scarlett & Black Just Miss Gold

Scarlett & Black added their name to the honour roll of one hit wonders of the 80s with the single ‘You Don’t Know’ which reached #20 on the U.S. Billboard charts in early 1988. The song failed to chart in the U.K. or Australia, though I’m at a loss to know why. It did receive a fair amount of airplay around my home state of NSW and when I heard it I immediately purchased the vinyl 45. It even had the right sound to for the time, reminiscent of the likes of Climie & Fisher, T’pau and Boy Meets Girl. But alas it just didn’t hit the mark beyond the U.S.

Scarlett & Black’s self titled album barely registered on the charts, creeping up to #107, and also didn’t yield any further hit singles. The subject of one of my recent posts, Jane Wiedlin provided backing vocals on the album track ‘City Of Dreams (The Last Frontier)’. Former Australian pop heartthrob Mark Holden wrote the album track ‘Miracle Or Mirage’.

Scarlett & Black were in actuality the duo of Robin Hild (singer/songwriter/keyboardist) and Sue West (singer/songwriter), who was formerly a backing vocalist for U.K. outfit Doctor And The Medics (‘Spirit In The Sky’ 1986 UK#1). It was through their mutual work as session singers and songwriters that the pair met during 1983, whilst West was working with Doctor And The Medics.

Sue West went on to play with Los Angeles based power pop outfit Sparkle* Jet U.K. from the mid 90s through to the early 00s. The band enjoyed moderate regional success around California and the U.S. West Coast. Robin Hild has continued his work as a songwriter including composing tracks for single Fiona.