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Shocking Blue was a Dutch
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
 rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 band
Musical ensemble

A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music. In each musical style different norms have developed for the sizes and composition of different ensembles, and for the repertoire of songs or musical works that these ensembles perform....
 from The Hague
The Hague

The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 475,904 and an area of approximately 100 km?....
 formed in 1967. Their biggest hit
Hit record

A Hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a Single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay , Nightclub, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings....
, "Venus," went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 in February 1970, and the band had sold 13.5 million discs
Gramophone record

A gramophone record is an analog signal sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc....
 by 1973, but the group disbanded in 1974.

initial line-up consisted of:

In 1968, Mariska Veres
Mariska Veres

Mariska Veres was a Netherlands singer who was best known as the lead singer of the rock group Shocking Blue. Her appearance was striking, featuring kohl -lined eyes, high cheekbones, and long jet black wig....
 replaced de Wilde as lead singer
Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the human voice, which is often contrasted with regular speech. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist....
.

group charted a world-wide hit with the song "Venus," which reached #1 on the U.S.
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 in February 1970.






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Encyclopedia


Shocking Blue was a Dutch
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
 rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 band
Musical ensemble

A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music. In each musical style different norms have developed for the sizes and composition of different ensembles, and for the repertoire of songs or musical works that these ensembles perform....
 from The Hague
The Hague

The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 475,904 and an area of approximately 100 km?....
 formed in 1967. Their biggest hit
Hit record

A Hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a Single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay , Nightclub, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings....
, "Venus," went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 in February 1970, and the band had sold 13.5 million discs
Gramophone record

A gramophone record is an analog signal sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc....
 by 1973, but the group disbanded in 1974.

Members

The initial line-up consisted of:
  • Robbie van Leeuwen
  • Fred de Wilde
  • Klaasje van der Wal
  • Cor van der Beek


In 1968, Mariska Veres
Mariska Veres

Mariska Veres was a Netherlands singer who was best known as the lead singer of the rock group Shocking Blue. Her appearance was striking, featuring kohl -lined eyes, high cheekbones, and long jet black wig....
 replaced de Wilde as lead singer
Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the human voice, which is often contrasted with regular speech. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist....
.

History

The group charted a world-wide hit with the song "Venus," which reached #1 on the U.S.
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 in February 1970. Initially the disc was a big hit in the Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
, where it reached #3 in the summer of 1969. It subsequently sold 350,000 copies in Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
, and topped the U.S. chart for three weeks, becoming the Netherlands first American #1 hit. It sold over one million copies there by January 1970, and received a gold disc
Music recording sales certification

Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording has shipped a certain number of copies.Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond ....
 awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America

The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of a large number of private corporate entities such as record labels and distributors, which the RIAA claims "create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recor...
. Global sales exceeded five million copies.

Before the breakthrough of "Venus," the group had a minor hit in 1968 with "Lucy Brown Is Back In Town". Once Mariska Veres took over the vocals two bigger hits followed, "Send Me A Postcard" in 1968/69 and "Long and Lonesome Road" (often mistakenly named as Long Lonesome Road) in 1969. "Hot Sand", the flip-side of "Venus" was also heavily plugged on Dutch radio
Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals, by modulation of electromagnetic radiation with frequency below those of visible light.Electromagnetic radiation radio propagation by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space....
.

Many more Dutch hits followed including "Mighty Joe" in 1969/70. This was the group's second million seller. In 1970 "Never Marry a Railroad Man" (flip-side "Roll Engine Roll"), their third to sell over one million and "Hello Darkness". In 1971 there followed "Shocking You", "Blossom Lady" and "Out of Sight Out of Mind". In 1972 came "Inkpot" and "Rock in the Sea"; plus "Eve and the Apple" in 1972/73 and finally "Oh Lord" in 1973. None of these latter songs charted in the U.S.

In 1974 female singer Veres left the group to start a solo
Solo (music)

In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer. In practice this means a number of different things, depending on the type of music and the context....
 career. Her only solo hit was "Take Me High" in 1975. From the 1990s, Veres toured with a new group under the Shocking Blue banner, with permission of her former bandmates. On December 2, 2006 Dutch news service ANP reported that Veres had died from cancer at 59.

Cover versions

  • "Venus" was remix
    Remix

    A remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. A remixer uses Audio mixing to compose an alternate master recording of a song, adding or subtracting elements, or simply changing the equalization, dynamics, Pitch , tempo, playing time, or almost any other aspect of th...
    ed and re-released by dance
    Dance music

    Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dance. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement....
     producers
    Record producer

    In the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, Audio mixing and audio mastering processes....
     'The BHF (Bisiach Hornbostel Ferrucci) Team' in 1990, scoring the group a Top 10 hit in the UK
    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
     and Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
     21 years after the release of the original. The remix featured a hip house
    Hip house

    Hip house, also known as house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and Hip hop music. The style rose to prominence during the 1980s in New York and Chicago....
     rhythm and samples
    Sampling (music)

    In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an musical instrument or a different sound recording of a song....
    . Two versions appeared: An instrumental
    Instrumental

    An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or any other sort of vocal music; all of the music is produced by musical instruments....
     version credited to 'Don Pablos Animals' and a vocal
    Human voice

    The human voice consists of sound Voice production by a human being using the vocal folds for Speech communication, singing, Laughter, crying, screaming, etc....
     version credited as 'Shocking Blue (BHF Remix)'.


  • "Venus" was covered in 1970 by Greek
    Greece

    Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
     pop
    Pop music

    Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
     band Olympians
    Olympians

    Olympians may refer to any of the following:*The Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series.*Those who have competed in the Olympic Games.*The Twelve Olympians of Ancient Greek mythology....
    , with entirely different lyrics
    Lyrics

    Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song, either by speaking or singing. The word 'lyric' comes from the Greek word ,lyricos, meaning "singing to the lyre"....
     in Greek
    Greek language

    Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
     and retitled as "?? ????ts? ??? ???" (To koritsi tou Mai - The Girl of May).


  • "Venus"'s cover version by The Stockley Sisters was a South African Top 10 hit in 1976.


  • "Venus" was also included as part of the "Stars on 45 Medley
    Stars on 45 Medley

    "Stars on 45 Medley" was a song issued in 1981 by the studio group Stars on 45. It was originally released as "Stars on 45" by Stars on 45, in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand the band was credited to 'Starsound' and the medley itself was named "Stars on 45"....
    " (which reached #1 in the UK in 1981).


  • British girl band Bananarama
    Bananarama

    Bananarama are an United Kingdom girl group who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Although there have been line-up changes during the years, the group enjoyed its most popular success as a trio, made up of lifelong friends Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin....
     covered the song and took it back to UK #1 in 1986. Australian band Blue Ruin also covered "Venus".


  • Estonian singer Tõnis Mägi covered the song in a hard rock
    Hard rock

    Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
     style.


  • Japanese pop singer Koda Kumi features a cover version of "Venus" as a bonus track on her 2009 album TRICK
    Trick (album)

    Trick is the seventh studio album released by Urban contemporary singer Kumi Koda. It was released on January 28, 2009 in Japan and is in CD and CD+2DVD format....
    .


  • Other covers have come from the Russia
    Russia

    Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
    n band Mongol Shuudan
    Mongol Shuudan (band)

    Mongol Shuudan is a rock band formed in the late Soviet Union, in 1988."?????? ??????" means "Mongolian Postal Service" in the Mongolian language....
    , Steve Wynn on his 1997 album The Suitcase Sessions with members of Come
    Come

    Come may refer to:*Come , an American indie rock band, formed in 1990*Come , a British noise project founded in 1979**Come Organisation, its record label...
    . and Japan
    Japan

    Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
    ese singer Yoko Nagayama
    Yoko Nagayama

    Yoko Nagayama is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress....
     (in 1986).


  • Nirvana
    Nirvana (band)

    Nirvana was an American Rock music band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987....
     covered "Love Buzz
    Love Buzz

    "Love Buzz" is a song written by Robbie van Leeuwen of Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. The American grunge music band Nirvana recorded a cover version of the song for its debut single, released on Sub Pop in 1988....
    " for the A-side of their first single; it was also featured on Bleach
    Bleach (album)

    Bleach is the debut album by the American grunge music band Nirvana . It was released on June 15, 1989 through the independent record label Sub Pop....
     (1989). The British group The Prodigy
    The Prodigy

    The Prodigy are a British people electronic music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990, in Braintree, Essex, England. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method, as well as other acts they are pioneers of the big beat electronic dance genre which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s, and are known for high-qua...
     also sampled "Love Buzz" for their song "Phoenix" on their 2004 album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
    Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned

    Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned is an album by the electronic dance music act The Prodigy. It was released in the UK on by XL Recordings, and in the US on by Mute Records/Maverick Records....
    .


  • Ladytron
    Ladytron

    Ladytron are an electronic pop band originally formed in Liverpool, UK....
     included the song "Send Me a Postcard" on their compilation album
    Compilation album

    A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter....
     Softcore Jukebox
    Softcore Jukebox

    Softcore Jukebox, released on October 7, 2003, is a compilation put together by the members of Ladytron and showcases many different musical genre, from rock to Hip hop music....
    .


  • Big Business
    Big Business (band)

    Big Business is a stoner/sludge metal band from Seattle who are currently signed to Hydra Head Records.Big Business started as a two piece band composed of Jared Warren of Karp and The Tight Bros From Way Back When, and Coady Willis of Murder City Devils....
     released a cover of "Send Me a Postcard" on their "Tour EP III".


  • Japanese pop singer hitomi
    Hitomi

    hitomi is a Japanese people singer and songwriter.Some of her biggest hits include "Candy Girl" , "Love 2000" , and "Samurai Drive" . Her last studio album, Love Concent, was released on September 27, 2006....
     features a recorded a cover of "Venus" for a Gillette commercial, later included on her June 2005 single Japanese girl.


Discography


Albums

  • 1968 Beat With Us
    Beat With Us

    Beat With Us is the debut studio album by the Netherlands Rock music band Shocking Blue, released in 1968....
     (Polydor, Karussell)
  • 1969 At Home
    At Home (Shocking Blue album)

    At Home is an album by Shocking Blue, released in 1969. The album is best known for its hit single, "Venus "....
     (Pink Elephant)
  • 1970 Scorpio's Dance
    Scorpio's Dance

    Scorpio's Dance is an album by Shocking Blue, released in 1970....
     (Pink Elephant)
  • 1971 Third Album
    Third Album (Shocking Blue album)

    Third Album is an album by Shocking Blue, released in 1971....
     (AKA Shocking You, Pink Elephant)
  • 1972 Inkpot (Pink Elephant) - The official music of Mark Six
    Mark Six

    Mark Six is a lottery game organized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club....
  • 1972 Inkpot (Polydor – West German release with several different tracks)
  • 1972 Live in Japan (Pink Elephant)
  • 1972 Attila (Pink Elephant)
  • 1972 Eve and the Apple (Same as "Attila" with one different track, Polydor)
  • 1973 Dream on Dreamer (Polydor)
  • 1973 Ham (Same as "Dream On Dreamer" with 3 different tracks, Pink Elephant)
  • 1974 Good Times (Pink Elephant)


All of these albums have been reissued on CD except Beat With Us and Live in Japan. Eve and The Apple and Ham were not re-issued as they feature tracklistings almost identical to Atilla and Dream on Dreamer, respectively.

Singles

  • 1967 "Love Is In The Air" / "What You Gonna Do" (Polydor)
  • 1968 "Lucy Brown Is Back In Town" / "Fix Your Hair Darling" (Pink Elephant)
  • 1968 "Send Me a Postcard" / "Harley Davidson" (Metronome)
  • 1969 "Long And Lonesome Road" / "Fireball Of Love" (Metronome)
  • 1969 "Venus" / "Hot Sand" (Pink Elephant)
  • 1969 "Mighty Joe" / "Wild Wind" (Metronome)
  • 1969 "Scorpio's Dance" / "Sally Was A Good Old Girl" (promo)
  • 1970 "Never Marry A Railroad Man" / "Roll Engine Roll" (Metronome)
  • 1970 "Hello Darkness" / "Pickin' Tomatoes" (Metronome)
  • 1971 "Shocking You" / "Waterloo" (Metronome)
  • 1971 "Serenade" / "Sleepless At Midnight" (Buddah)
  • 1971 "Blossom Lady" / "Is This A Dream" (Polydor)
  • 1971 "Out Of Sight Out Of Mind" / "I Like You" (Polydor)
  • 1972 "Inkpot" / "Give My Love To The Sunrise" (Polydor)
  • 1972 "Rock In The Sea" / "Broken Heart" (Polydor)
  • 1972 "Eve And The Apple" / "When I Was a Girl" (Polydor
  • 1973 "Let Me Carry Your Bag" / "I Saw You In June" (Polydor)
  • 1973 "Oh Lord" / "In My Time Of Dying" (Polydor)
  • 1973 "Oh Lord" / "Everything That's Mine" (Pink Elephant)
  • 1974 "This America" / "I Won't Be Lonely Long" (Polydor)
  • 1974 "Dream On Dreamer" / "Where The Pick-Nick Was" (Polydor)
  • 1974 "Good Times" / "Come My Way" (Pink Elephant)
  • 1975 "Gonna Sing Me A Song" / "Get It On" (Decca)
  • 1986 "The Jury And The Judge" / "I Am Hanging On To Love" (Polydor)
  • 1994 "Body And Soul" / "Angel" (Red Bullet)


Compilations

  • 1986 Best of Shocking Blue (CNR)
  • 1986 Classics (21)
  • 1990 The Very Best of Shocking Blue (Red Bullet), (Arcade, 1993)
  • 1997 Singles A's and B's (Repertoire)


Audio sample


External links