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The CoSMoPoLiTaNs

In 1979 Jamie founded the party band, The Cosmopolitans, in New York, N.Y., which evolved from her Cosmopolitan Dance Troop.

The Cosmopolitans
The Cosmopolitans were a dance-troupe-turned-rock combo that surfed the New Wave as leaders of the pack of party bands. North Carolina songwriter Jamie K. Sims started the group in NYC in 1979 and was joined by Nel Moore, accompanied by Mitch Easter and others. With their Shangri-La’s attitude, Hullabaloo choreography, and deadpan lyrics, the group is best-remembered for cutting one of the most infectious singles of the era: “(How to Keep Your) Husband Happy” b/w “Wild Moose Party.” The single originally came out on Alan Betrock’s Shake Records in 1980, then was picked up by Albion Records in Britain, receiving  major airplay in the U.S. and abroad. Early on Evan "Funk" Davies joined the group as drummer, David Itch as guitarist, and Jeff Dedrick as keyboardist. Lee Joseph released the first-ever Cosmopolitans album on Bacchus Archives in 2006.

In 1980/81 both songs got heavy airplay on New York’s most popular rock (WNEW) and disco (WBLS) stations, as well as college and alternative radio throughout the U.S. and the world. The Cosmopolitans caught the fancy of swinging New Yorkers at the height of the punk/New Wave era and brought down the house at the hippest downtown clubs: the Mudd Club, Max’s Kansas City, CBGB’s, the Peppermint Lounge, Club 57, The Ritz, Botany, the UK Club, Tier Three, and Irving Plaza, as well as several noted Southern U.S. clubs.

Goldmine wrote that “Husband Happy” had “an infectious beat, a wild sense of humor . . . The spunky chorus and the band’s cynical musical complement make this record priceless!”

Sims disbanded the group in 1982 due to health issues. But after the release of the Bacchus album they reformed in 2009 for a Reunion Show at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, N.C. Joining Jamie, Nel, and Evan were Don Dixon on bass, Catherine Harrington on keyboards, Corey Sims on guitar, Thad Williamson on trombone, Mac Smith on guitar, and Mitch Easter on lead guitar for "(How to Keep Your) Husband Happy."
   
See The Cosmopolitans on Wikipedia.

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(HOW TO KEEP YOUR) HUSBAND HAPPY

- Jamie K.Sims 1979

Shape up, (Shape up), firm up, (firm up), tone up (tone up) –
with Debbie
Shape up, (Shape up), firm up, (firm up), tone up (tone up) –
with Debbie
Debbie says jump,( Shape up)  Debbie says bend,( firm up) Debbie says touch your toes (tone up, with Debbie),
Oh – oh, oh – oh.
Debbie says jump,( Shape up)  Debbie says bend,( firm up) Debbie says touch your toes (tone up, with Debbie),
Oh – oh, oh – oh.


Shape up, firm up, tone up –
with Debbie.
Shape up, firm up, tone up –
with Debbie.
How to keep your husband happyyyyyyyyyyy (Shape up, firm up, tone up, with Debbie)
How to keep your husband happy (Shape up, firm up, tone up, with Debbie)


Debbie says jump,(Debbie says jump) Debbie says bend, (Debbie says bend) Debbie says touch your toes, (Debbie says touch your toes)
Oh – oh, oh – oh. (Oh – oh, oh – oh.)
Debbie says jump,(Debbie says jump) Debbie says bend, (Debbie says bend) Debbie says touch your toes, (Debbie says touch your toes)
Oh – oh, oh – oh. (Oh – oh, oh – oh.)

Shape up – shape up (Debbie says jump), firm up – firm up, (Debbie says bend), tone up – tone up, (Debbie says touch your toes, Oh – oh, oh – oh.) –
with Debbie,
Shape up – shape up (Debbie says jump), firm up – firm up, (Debbie says bend), tone up – tone up, (Debbie says touch your toes, Oh – oh, oh – oh.) –
with Debbie,


Shape up, firm up, tone up –
with Debbie
Debbie says jump, Debbie says bend, Debbie says touch your toes,
Oh – oh, oh – oh.

How to keep your husband happyyyyyyyyyyy (Shape up, firm up, tone up, touch your toes, etc.)
How to keep your husband happy –y-y-y-y
How to keep your husband happyyyyyyyyyyy!

Shape up, firm up, tone up, touch your toes,
Shape up, firm up, TOUCH -