# Going Left Right

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"**Going Left Right**" is the second single by [post-punk](/source/Post-punk) band [Department S](/source/Department_S_(band)), released on 19 June 1981 on [Stiff Records](/source/Stiff_Records).[1][2] It was their second single, following "[Is Vic There?](/source/Is_Vic_There%3F)", and was produced by [David Tickle](/source/David_Tickle).[1][3]

## Reception

The song reached No. 55 on the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart)[4] despite considerable airplay.[5] Guitarist Mike Herbage later described the song as "an aggressive, trance and beat driven track"[5] but expressed surprise at the fact that it charted at all, calling its placing "probably higher than it had any right to, really". Vocalist [Vaughn Toulouse](/source/Vaughn_Toulouse) was a bit more positive, saying, "I think 'I Want' and 'Going Left Right' are ... really representative of the band".[5] In a later interview, Herbage admitted that "Going Left Right" and third single "I Want" were both "very strong tracks" and added, "we worked so hard on '[Going Left Right]'"[5]

Retrospective reviews for the song were universally positive. [Paolo Hewitt](/source/Paolo_Hewitt) of *[Melody Maker](/source/Melody_Maker)* said that it and "I Want" were "far superior" to "Is Vic There?",[5] Mimi von Tussle of [Sputnikmusic](/source/Sputnikmusic) called it "always a crowd-pleaser" and "sublime",[6] while Leonard's Lair said that it "matched 'Is Vic There?' for swagger and military precision".[7] Dave Thompson of [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) said that it "stands among the finest songs of the entire post-punk early '80s".[8]

## Personnel

**Department S**

- [Vaughn Toulouse](/source/Vaughn_Toulouse) – vocals
- Mike Herbage – keyboards, guitar on "She's Expecting You"
- Mark Taylor – guitar, keyboards on "She's Expecting You"
- Tony Lordan – bass guitar
- Stuart Mizon – drums

**Technical**

- [David Tickle](/source/David_Tickle) – production
- David Tickle, Steven W. Tayler – engineering

## References

1. ["Department S - Discography"](http://dept-s.com/disco.html). [Department S](/source/Department_S_(band)). Retrieved 9 December 2013.

1. ["The Post Punk Progressive Pop Party: Department S - Going Left Right"](http://thep5.blogspot.com/2008/06/department-s-going-left-right.html). Thep5.blogspot.com. 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.

1. ["Department-S* - Going Left Right (Vinyl)"](http://www.discogs.com/Department-S-Going-Left-Right/release/418546). Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-11-18.

1. Roberts, David (2006). *British Hit Singles & Albums*. 19th ed. London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 151. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

1. ["Articles and Reviews - Part Three"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131212044455/http://dept-s.com/reviews3.html). [Department S](/source/Department_S_(band)). Archived from [the original](http://dept-s.com/reviews3.html) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.

1. ["Department S - Mr Nutley's Strange Delusionarism"](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/45957/Department-S-Mr-Nutley%E2%80%99s-Strange-Delusionarium/). *[Sputnikmusic](/source/Sputnikmusic)*. Retrieved 17 November 2013.

1. ["Department S - Sub-Stance"](https://leonardslair.co.uk/departments.htm). Leonard's Lair. Retrieved 17 November 2013.

1. ["Sub-Stance - Department S"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sub-stance-mw0000020560). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved 17 December 2013.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Going Left Right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_Left_Right) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_Left_Right?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.