Which Irish rock band released the 1980 song 'Banana Republic'?

The Irish rock band that released the 1980 song “Banana Republic” was The Boomtown Rats.

The single was released on 14 November 1980 and became the first single from the band’s album Mondo Bongo. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, making it one of the group’s notable hits alongside “Rat Trap” and “I Don’t Like Mondays.”

The Boomtown Rats formed in Dublin in 1975, with Bob Geldof as lead singer. Despite the title, the song is not about a tropical country or a banana-growing corporation. Its “banana republic” is a sharply critical portrait of the Republic of Ireland, written after the band was reportedly banned from performing there.

A common mix-up is confusing the song with the American clothing company Banana Republic. The title instead uses a political phrase, while the recording blends the band’s new-wave style with ska and reggae influences.