Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)
"Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" is a 1988 novelty single by English comedian Harry Enfield, portraying his character Loadsamoney, a brash Essex plasterer who flaunts sudden wealth through ostentatious spending and catchphrases like "Loadsamoney!"[1][2] Released on 25 April 1988 by Mercury Records, the song satirized the yuppie culture and materialistic excesses fueled by the economic deregulation and homeownership boom under Margaret Thatcher's government, depicting a working-class man transformed into a greedy consumer.[3][4] It achieved commercial success, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart and charting for seven weeks, while spawning a sold-out live tour.[5] Despite its intent to ridicule neoliberal greed and Thatcherism, the character was often embraced literally by audiences, particularly in regions benefiting from the property and construction surge, leading Enfield to discontinue it after perceiving it reinforced rather than critiqued the era's values.[6][7]Origins and Context
Loadsamoney Character Development
The Loadsamoney character, portrayed by British comedian Harry Enfield, emerged as a caricature of the brash, materialistic tradesman epitomizing the "get rich quick" ethos of 1980s Britain. Developed in collaboration with Paul Whitehouse, the persona debuted in Enfield's early television sketches on Channel 4's Saturday Live in 1986, where it satirized the ostentatious displays of newfound wealth among working-class entrepreneurs, particularly builders and plasterers benefiting from economic deregulation.[8] Enfield drew inspiration from real-life observations of affluent tradespeople flaunting cash during the property boom, crafting Loadsamoney as an Essex-accented plasterer who bursts into scenes waving thick wads of banknotes, boasting about daily earnings in the hundreds of pounds, and indulging in vulgar luxuries like gold-plated bathroom fixtures.[9][3] Central to the character's development was its exaggerated cockiness and anti-intellectual swagger, with catchphrases like "Loadsamoney!" and chants of "Doin' up the house!" underscoring a rejection of austerity in favor of conspicuous consumption. Sketches often depicted Loadsamoney deriding the poor or envious, such as taunting benefit claimants or neighbors with his superior financial status, thereby lampooning the individualism promoted under Margaret Thatcher's governments.[10] This portrayal evolved from short, punchy television spots into a standalone novelty single, "Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)," released on April 25, 1988, by Mercury Records, which amplified the character's reach through a hip-house track mimicking the era's upbeat, money-celebrating pop.[11] The song's lyrics reinforced the persona's traits, with Enfield rapping about plastering jobs yielding massive cash hauls and home renovations funded by untaxed earnings, further embedding Loadsamoney in public consciousness as a symbol of Thatcherite excess.[3] Enfield intentionally heightened the satire by making Loadsamoney's vulgarity and greed repellent, yet the character's popularity led to unintended emulation; some viewers adopted its mannerisms as aspirational, prompting Enfield to retire the role in the early 1990s. In a 2012 interview, Enfield explained "killing off" Loadsamoney due to fears it was being misconstrued as a positive role model rather than a critique of unchecked materialism.[12] This evolution reflected broader tensions in Enfield's oeuvre, where characters like Loadsamoney served as social barometers but risked normalizing the behaviors they mocked amid a cultural shift toward celebrating wealth accumulation.[13] Despite its retirement, the character persisted in references and revivals, underscoring its enduring resonance as a snapshot of late-1980s socioeconomic attitudes.[14]Socioeconomic Backdrop of 1980s Britain
The 1980s in Britain were marked by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, elected in May 1979, implementing monetarist policies to combat high inflation, which had reached 21.9% by 1980, through tight monetary control and fiscal restraint. This approach triggered a severe recession, with unemployment rising from 5.3% in 1979 to over 11% by the mid-1980s, peaking at around 3 million claimants in 1982-1983, particularly affecting manufacturing and heavy industries in northern regions.[15] [16] GDP growth averaged about 2.6% annually post-1983 recovery, but the era saw a shift from industrial production to services, with manufacturing's share of GDP declining from around 25% in 1979 to under 20% by decade's end.[17] [18] Key reforms included extensive privatization of state-owned industries such as British Telecom in 1984 and British Gas in 1986, alongside deregulation to foster market competition and reduce trade union influence, exemplified by the defeat of the 1984-1985 miners' strike.[19] The "Big Bang" financial deregulation on October 27, 1986, abolished fixed commissions and opened the London Stock Exchange to foreign ownership, boosting the City's global role and expanding employment in finance from about 300,000 in 1980 to over 500,000 by 1990, though it concentrated wealth in the Southeast.[20] [21] These changes exacerbated the North-South divide, with northern areas suffering deindustrialization—manufacturing jobs fell by over 1.5 million nationally between 1979 and 1990—while southern service sectors grew, leading to regional GDP per capita disparities where the Southeast outpaced the North by up to 50%.[22] [18] Socially, policies like the Right to Buy scheme, enacted in the Housing Act 1980, enabled over 1 million council tenants to purchase homes at discounts up to 50%, driving homeownership from 55% in 1980 to 67% by 1990 and fueling a housing price boom, with average prices doubling in real terms.[23] [24] Income inequality widened significantly, with the Gini coefficient rising by approximately 9 percentage points to around 0.34 by 1990, reflecting gains for higher earners in finance and entrepreneurship amid stagnant wages for low-skilled workers.[25] This backdrop of economic liberalization promoted an aspirational culture of individual wealth accumulation, symbolized by rising consumer spending on luxury goods and property, yet it also highlighted persistent poverty, with relative poverty rates increasing from 13% in 1979 to 22% by 1990.[19][25]Production
Song Composition and Influences
"Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" was collaboratively written by comedian Harry Enfield, along with fellow comedians Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse, and electronic musician William Orbit, who also served as producer under the pseudonym Billy Beat.[26][27] The lyrics, delivered by Enfield in the brash persona of the Loadsamoney character—a cockney plasterer embodying 1980s nouveau riche excess—feature boastful rapping and chanting about flashing cash, buying luxury goods, and disdain for the less affluent, such as lines proclaiming "I've got loadsa money" and references to purchasing mansions and sports cars.[26] The composition's musical framework parodies the electronic pop and dance trends prevalent in late 1980s Britain, incorporating synthesized beats, rap-infused vocals, and a high-energy structure suited for novelty singles.[26] Orbit's production emphasized layered electronic elements, drawing from his background in ambient and electronic music to create a satirical take on commercial pop production techniques of the era.[28] Key influences are evident in the track's extensive sampling of money-centric recordings, including brief excerpts from ABBA's "Money, Money, Money" (1976), The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" (1964), Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" (1959), and Joel Grey's "The Money Song" from the musical Cabaret (1966).[29][30] These samples reinforce the song's thematic obsession with wealth accumulation, while subtle nods to Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields' "Big Spender" further underscore the ostentatious motif. The title's "Doin' Up the House" alludes to house music's rising popularity, blending it with novelty rap to mock yuppie culture amid Thatcher's economic policies.[11]Recording and Musical Elements
The track "Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" was produced by electronic musician William Orbit, credited under the alias Krunch Groove, in collaboration with The Guerrilla Boyz.[26][27] Orbit, who later gained prominence for production work on Madonna's albums, handled the electronic production elements, marking this as his first chart hit.[31] Specific recording sessions and studio locations remain undocumented in available credits, with the single prepared for release in early 1988 by Mercury Records.[32] Musically, the song exemplifies hip-house, a genre blending hip-hop's rhythmic rap delivery with house music's repetitive four-on-the-floor beats and synthesized basslines.[33] Enfield delivers boastful, cockney-accented rap verses as the Loadsamoney character, overlaid on electronic grooves featuring drum machines, synth stabs, and minimalistic loops typical of late-1980s dance production.[11] A remix variant, the "Turbo Nutter Mix," extends the track's energetic, club-oriented structure while preserving the parody core.[34] The composition emphasizes satirical lyrics over complex instrumentation, prioritizing comedic effect through exaggerated vocal delivery and sparse, beat-driven arrangements.[35]Release and Formats
Track Listings and Versions
The single "Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" was released by Mercury Records primarily in vinyl formats in the United Kingdom during 1988, with the 7-inch edition appearing in April and the 12-inch in January.[33][32] The standard 7-inch single (catalogue number DOSH 1) contained two tracks, presented in a picture sleeve featuring the Loadsamoney character.[33][36]| Side | Title |
|---|---|
| A | Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)[37][38] |
| B | The B Side[37][38] |
| Side | Title |
|---|---|
| A | Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House) (The Turbo Nutter Mix)[38][39] |
| B1 | Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)[38][39] |
| B2 | The B Side[38][39] |
Release Details and Promotion
"Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" was released as a single in April 1988 by Mercury Records in the United Kingdom, available in 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl formats under catalogue number DOSH 1.[37][33] The release followed the character's established popularity from Harry Enfield's comedy sketches on Channel 4 programs such as Saturday Live, which had introduced Loadsamoney as a brash, cash-flashing builder satirizing 1980s consumer excess.[35] Promotion centered on Enfield's television presence, including a live studio performance of the track on Top of the Pops aired on 12 May 1988, coinciding with the single's chart ascent.[41] The effort leveraged the character's catchphrase "Loadsamoney" and visual motifs of ostentatious spending, aligning with the song's house-influenced novelty style to appeal to audiences familiar with Enfield's satirical portrayals.[42] No formal music video was produced; instead, marketing emphasized the comedic persona through broadcast appearances and the single's extended mixes, such as the "Turbo Nutter Mix" on the 12-inch edition.[40]Commercial Performance
Chart Success
"Loadsamoney (Doin' Up the House)" debuted on the UK Singles Chart on 7 May 1988 at number 17.[42] The following week, it rose to its peak position of number 4 on 14 May 1988.[42] [43] It remained in the Top 10 for two weeks and the Top 20 for four weeks, totaling six weeks on the chart.[42] The single also achieved moderate success in Ireland, reaching number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart in May 1988.[44] No chart performance was recorded in other major international markets.[5]| Week Ending | Position | Movement |
|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1988 | 17 | New entry |
| 14 May 1988 | 4 | ↑ |
| 21 May 1988 | 6 | ↓ |
| 28 May 1988 | 12 | ↓ |