Wish I Was
Encyclopedia
"Wish I Was" is a 1983 single by British singer Sandie Shaw
. Shaw was most famous for being the most successful British female singer of the 1960s, thanks to a string of hit singles on the Pye Records
label. She had semi-retired in 1972 and had released very little work for the following ten years until she recorded "Anyone Who Had a Heart" for the B.E.F.
's "Music Of Quality And Distinction" album. Shaw was by now romantically involved with Nik Powell
, co-founder of the Virgin Group
and Palace Entertainment, who she would later marry. Her involvement with Powell had led her to become involved with the B.E.F.'s album, and the following year she released an album entitled Choose Life in support of the World Peace Exposition. Around 1,000 copies of the album were released as promotional copies only but demand from fans led to an official release on the Palace label. Radio One
DJ Mike Read
played "Wish I Was" on his show and said that the ballad should be released as a single, so it was!
Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first UK act to win the Eurovision Song Contest...
. Shaw was most famous for being the most successful British female singer of the 1960s, thanks to a string of hit singles on the Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
label. She had semi-retired in 1972 and had released very little work for the following ten years until she recorded "Anyone Who Had a Heart" for the B.E.F.
B.E.F. (British Electric Foundation)
B.E.F. are a band/production company formed by former Human League members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh who later became Heaven 17 .-History:Ware and Marsh's first release as B.E.F...
's "Music Of Quality And Distinction" album. Shaw was by now romantically involved with Nik Powell
Nik Powell
Nik Powell is one of the co-founders of the Virgin Group with Richard Branson. After operating a mail-order company, a small record shop, and a recording studio, the partners established Virgin Records in 1972...
, co-founder of the Virgin Group
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
and Palace Entertainment, who she would later marry. Her involvement with Powell had led her to become involved with the B.E.F.'s album, and the following year she released an album entitled Choose Life in support of the World Peace Exposition. Around 1,000 copies of the album were released as promotional copies only but demand from fans led to an official release on the Palace label. Radio One
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Mike Read
Mike Read
Michael David Kenneth Read is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.-Early life:...
played "Wish I Was" on his show and said that the ballad should be released as a single, so it was!