BELINDA CARLISLE - MAD ABOUT YOU

Released: May 5, 1986

Charts:  UK: #67  US: #3 

When Belinda Carlisle stepped out on her own in 1986, few doubted that she would make a splash—but her debut solo single, “Mad About You,” proved she could shine without The Go-Go’s. Written by Paula Jean Brown, James Whelan, and Mitchel Young Evans, and produced by Michael Lloyd, the song introduced Carlisle’s signature mix of California warmth, glossy pop production, and unabashed romanticism. It soared to No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and claimed the top spot in Canada.

The song had its roots in The Go-Go’s final chapter. Guitarist Jane Wiedlin had recently left the group and was replaced by Paula Jean Brown, who co-wrote “Mad About You” while the band was still together in 1985. The group performed at the Rock in Rio festival that year and began work on what would have been their fourth album—but creative tensions led to their breakup. Carlisle, still under contract with I.R.S. Records, began recording her first solo project, with the support of her former bandmates Wiedlin, Brown, and Charlotte Caffey, who all contributed to the album Belinda.

At its heart, “Mad About You” is a straightforward and joyful love song—an exuberant confession of being hopelessly enamored. It perfectly captured Carlisle’s effervescent persona and helped establish her as a formidable solo artist. The title would later find renewed cultural attention when NBC launched the hit sitcom Mad About You in 1992, though the show and the song were unrelated.

Carlisle’s solo debut marked a striking shift in both sound and image. Gone were the punky thrift-shop aesthetics of The Go-Go’s era; in their place came a sleeker, more glamorous presence suited to the glossy pop landscape of the mid-’80s. Director Leslie Libman’s music video reflected this transformation, featuring shimmering beachside scenes filmed around Palisades Park in Santa Monica, California. The video also featured Andy Taylor of Duran Duran and Carlisle’s husband, Morgan Mason. Even when surrounded by sun and surf, Carlisle exuded an effortless elegance—her new look polished but still approachable.

Behind the scenes, Carlisle’s success was buoyed by a circle of talented collaborators. While she wasn’t known as a songwriter, her powerful voice and magnetic charisma made her the ideal interpreter of pop songs crafted by top-tier writers and producers. The formula worked: after “Mad About You,” she continued her rise with “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”—a global No. 1 that would launch her status as an international star.

Meanwhile, her former Go-Go’s bandmates each pursued their own creative paths. Jane Wiedlin embarked on a solo career and dabbled in acting, while Charlotte Caffey co-wrote for Carlisle’s early solo records and later formed The Graces with Meredith Brooks. Though that group dissolved after one album, Caffey remained an active and respected songwriter.

“Mad About You” was the perfect bridge between The Go-Go’s spirited pop-rock and Carlisle’s more mature solo sound.