Going Left Right

{{Infobox song

| name = Going Left Right

| cover = Going Left Right Department S.jpeg

| alt =

| caption = 7" UK release

| type = single

| artist = Department S

| album =

| A-side = Going Left Right

| B-side = She's Expecting You

| released = 19 June 1981

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Post-punk

| length =

| label = Stiff Records

| writer = Vaughn Toulouse, Mark Taylor, Mike Herbage

| producer = David Tickle

| chronology = Department S

| prev_title = Is Vic There?

| prev_year = 1981

| next_title = I Want

| next_year = 1981

}}

"Going Left Right" is the second single by post-punk band Department S, released on 19 June 1981 on Stiff Records.{{cite web|url=http://dept-s.com/disco.html|title=Department S - Discography|publisher=Department S|accessdate=9 December 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://thep5.blogspot.com/2008/06/department-s-going-left-right.html |title=The Post Punk Progressive Pop Party: Department S - Going Left Right |publisher=Thep5.blogspot.com |date=2008-06-19 |accessdate=2015-11-18}} It was their second single, following "Is Vic There?", and was produced by David Tickle.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Department-S-Going-Left-Right/release/418546 |title=Department-S* - Going Left Right (Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2015-11-18}}

Reception

The song reached No. 55 on the UK Singles Chart{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 151}} despite considerable airplay.{{cite web|url=http://dept-s.com/reviews3.html|title=Articles and Reviews - Part Three|publisher=Department S|accessdate=17 November 2013|archive-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212044455/http://dept-s.com/reviews3.html|url-status=dead}} Guitarist Mike Herbage later described the song as "an aggressive, trance and beat driven track" 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 was a bit more positive, saying, "I think 'I Want' and 'Going Left Right' are ... really representative of the band". 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]'"

Retrospective reviews for the song were universally positive. Paolo Hewitt of Melody Maker said that it and "I Want" were "far superior" to "Is Vic There?", Mimi von Tussle of Sputnikmusic called it "always a crowd-pleaser" and "sublime",{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/45957/Department-S-Mr-Nutley%E2%80%99s-Strange-Delusionarium/|title=Department S - Mr Nutley's Strange Delusionarism|website=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=17 November 2013}} while Leonard's Lair said that it "matched 'Is Vic There?' for swagger and military precision".{{cite web|url=http://leonardslair.co.uk/departments.htm|title=Department S - Sub-Stance|publisher=Leonard's Lair|accessdate=17 November 2013}} Dave Thompson of AllMusic said that it "stands among the finest songs of the entire post-punk early '80s".{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sub-stance-mw0000020560|title=Sub-Stance - Department S|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=17 December 2013}}