Venus (Shocking Blue song)

"Venus"
One of cover arts for Dutch releases
Single by Shocking Blue[1]
from the album At Home
B-side	"Hot Sand"
Released	2 October 1969
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Folk rock, psychedelic rock
Length	3:06
Label	Pink Elephant, Metronome, Colossus, Poplandia, Joker, Yugoton, Minos
Writer(s)	Robbie van Leeuwen[2]
Producer(s)	Robbie van Leeuwen
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Shocking Blue[3] singles chronology
"Lucy Brown Is Back in Town" (1968) "Venus" (1969) "Mighty Joe" (1969)

"Venus" is a 1969 song written by Robbie van Leeuwen. In 1970, the Dutch band Shocking Blue took the song to number one in nine countries. In 1981 it was sampled as part of the Stars On 45 medley. In 1986, the British girl group Bananarama returned the song to number one in seven countries. The composition has been featured in numerous films, television shows and commercials, and covered dozens of times by artists around the world.

Shocking Blue version

Background

Released in late 1969 as a single from the group's second album At Home, Shocking Blue's single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 7 February 1970. RIAA certification came on 28 January 1970 for selling over one million copies in the US, garnering a gold record. Worldwide, the single sold over 7.5 million copies.^[4]

The song's lead vocals are performed by Mariska Veres. The song's music and lyrics are written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the band's guitarist, sitarist and background vocalist, who also produced, along with record producer Jerry Ross. Van Leeuwen originally miswrote the line "...the goddess on the mountain top..." as "...the godness on the mountain top...". This was corrected in later versions. The Hohner electric piano on the release was played by Cees Schrama.

Van Leeuwen was inspired by "The Banjo Song", a composition by Tim Rose that set Stephen Collins Foster's lyrics to "Oh! Susanna" to a completely new melody.

"Venus" was remixed and re-released by dance producers The BHF (Bisiach Hornbostel Ferrucci) Team in May 1990, scoring the group a Top 10 hit in the UK and Australia 21 years after the release of the original. The remix featured a hip house rhythm and samples. An instrumental version was also released independently under the producer's alias "Don Pablo's Animals". The instrumental version (credited only to Don Pablos Animals – without referencing Shocking Blue) became the highest charting version of the song.^[5] The single began with a sample from James Brown's 1988 hit "The Payback Mix (Part One)". This release of "Venus" peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart^[5] and number 8 in Australia in 1990.

In advertising

• Parodied by the Muppets for a television public service announcement about the V-chip and TV ratings.
• Used (in covered form) in television commercials for Gillette Venus razors in 2000 and again from 2012 sung by Jennifer Lopez.

In film

The song has been used in several films:

• Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971)
• Needle (also known as Igla), (1988)
• The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)
• Grumpier Old Men (1995)
• Remember the Titans (2000)
• The Vanished Empire (2008)
• Otis (2008), in the opening sequence
• Walking on Sunshine (2014)
• Zonder Zelda ("Without Zelda", 1997 Dutch TV movie, directed by Maarten Treurniet)^[6]

In music

• Stars on 45 used the opening riff from Shocking Blue's original "Venus" version to begin their medley "Stars on 45", which went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1981.

Chart performance

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7]	1
Austrian singles chart	2
Belgium singles chart	1
Canadian singles chart	1
Finnish singles chart	8
French singles chart	1
German singles chart	2
Irish singles chart	10
Italy singles chart	1
Japan Oricon Singles Chart	2
Dutch Top 40 Single Chart	3
Swiss singles chart	1
Spanish singles chart	1
UK Singles Chart[8]	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1

Bananarama version

"Venus"
Single by Bananarama
from the album True Confessions
B-side	"White Train"
Released	30 May 1986
Format	7" 12"
Recorded	December 1985
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	3:50
Label	London
Writer(s)	Robbie van Leeuwen
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Bananarama singles chronology
"Do Not Disturb" (1985) "Venus" (1986) "More Than Physical" (1986) Music sample "Venus"

Background

"Venus" had been a part of Bananarama's repertoire for several years before they actually recorded it. The team's three members, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward, had the idea of turning the song into a dance music tune, but they were met with resistance from their producers at the time, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. Bananarama brought the idea to the production trio of Stock Aitken Waterman, and it became Bananarama's first collaboration with them.

Dallin, Fahey, and Woodward had nearly completed recording their third album, titled True Confessions, with Jolley and Swain. Stock, Aitken and Waterman also resisted the idea because they believed that "Venus" would not make a good dance record. After persistence by the women, SAW relented, and the result was a worldwide smash. Bananarama's "Venus" went to number one in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Mexico, and South Africa. It hit number two in Germany and Hong Kong and was a top ten success in Italy, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and their native UK (number 8 on UK Singles Chart). It also went to number one for two weeks on the US Dance chart.^[9]

The collaboration on "Venus" led Bananarama and SAW to work together on the group's follow-up album Wow! the following year.

A new mix of the track appeared as b-side to the 1989 limited release "Megarama '89" in Germany and France. Bananarama has since re-recorded the track for their 2001 album Exotica and it was later remixed by Marc Almond, with re-recorded vocals, and included on their 2005 album Drama.

Music video

The music video for the song received extensive play on MTV and video channels across the world, and presented Bananarama in various costumes, including a she-devil, a French temptress, a vampiress, and several Grecian goddesses. In one sequence of the video, The Birth of Venus, the painting by Sandro Botticelli, was reenacted. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexual image for the girls that contrasted with the tomboyish style in their earlier work. Choreography by Bruno Tonioli. Music video directed by Peter Care.

Track listings

UK / USA / Canada 7" vinyl single

UK: London Records NANA 10 / USA: London Records 886-056-7 / Canada: London Records LDS 227 / Australia: Liberation Records LS 1789

1. "Venus" 3:30
2. "White Train" 3:50

   S.Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward/P. Bishop/P. Seymour

+ some copies released in picture disc format NANPD 10

UK / Australia 12" vinyl single

UK: London Records NANX 10 / Canada: Liberation Records LMD 474

1. "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
2. "Venus" (Dub) 8:15
3. "White Train" 3:50

2nd UK 12" vinyl single

London Records NANXR 10

1. "Venus" (The Hellfire Mix) 9:20 #:Remixed by Ian Levine
2. "Venus" (Hellfire Dub) 6:55
3. "White Train" 3:50

3rd UK 12" vinyl single

London Records NAXRR 10

1. "Venus" (The Fire And Brimstone Mix) 6:35 #:Remixed by Stock, Aitken & Waterman
2. "Venus" (Hellfire Dub) 6:55
3. "White Train" 3:50

USA 12" vinyl maxi-single

London Records 886 088-1

1. "Venus" (The Hellfire Mix) 9:20
2. "Venus" (The Fire & Brimstone mix) 6:55
3. "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
4. "Venus" (Dub) 8:25

CD video single

1. "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
2. "True Confessions" (Edit) 4:09
3. "A Trick of the Night" (Edit) 4:07
4. "More Than Physical" (UK Single version) 3:40

Other versions

1. "Venus" (The Greatest Remix Edit) 3:40

   Found on the 1989 UK CD single "Cruel Summer '89", Remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow

2. "Venus" (The Greatest Remix) 7:43

   Found on the 1989 German CD single "Megarama '89", Remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow

3. "Venus" (2001 version)

   Found on the album Exotica

4. "Venus" (Marc Almond's Hi-NRG Showgirls mix) 6:02

   Found on the 2005 album Drama, Remixed by Marc Almond

5. "Venus" (From Soundtrack Sugar & Spice: Stuck in the 80's)

Personnel

• Sara Dallin – Vocals
• Siobhan Fahey – Vocals
• Keren Woodward – Vocals

Additional personnel

• Andrew Biscomb – Sleeve design
• Peter Barrett – Sleeve design

Chart performance

Chart (1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 1 Austrian singles chart 7 Belgian singles chart 3 Canadian singles chart 4 Denmark singles chart 14 Dutch singles chart 4 Finland singles chart 5 French singles chart 4 German singles chart 2 Irish singles chart 12 Italian singles chart 4 Japan singles chart 43 New Zealand singles chart 1 Norway singles chart 4 South African singles chart 1 Spanish singles chart 7 Swedish singles chart 9 Swiss singles chart 1 UK Singles Chart[11] 8 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1 U.S. Hot Dance Club Play 1

Other versions

• In 1976, the Stockley Sisters, a South African duo, took their recording of the song to number 5 on the South African singles chart.
• In 1986, a cover was released by J-pop idol singer Yōko Nagayama and it became her first big hit.
• The Chipettes covered the song on the 1988 album The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock and again on the 1998 album The A-Files: Alien Songs.
• In 2003, No Angels, the first season winners of German Idol series Popstars, covered it for their album Pure. This version was used in TV spots for ladies' razor Gillette Venus model.
• In 2004, Belgian girl group Seduced recorded a cover which incorporated elements of both the original Shocking Blue version and the Bananarama cover. The song peaked at #25 on the Belgian Singles Top 50 that year.^[12]
• In 2005, Japanese singer Hitomi featured a cover as the B-side to her "Japanese Girl" single. This version was the theme to commercials for the Gillette Venus razor in 2006 featuring Hitomi on a rock of a lagoon in Hawaii.
• In 2007, Kumi Koda recorded the song for Japanese Gillette commercials that year and included a full version of the cover on her 2009 studio album Trick.
• Between 2011 and 2012, Jennifer Lopez was the spokesperson for Venus razors and recorded her own version of the song for "The Venus Goddess Fund for Education". Her song was featured in the TV commercials for the products.
• In 2012, Clan of Xymox recorded a version on their covers album, Kindred Spirits.

Sampling

• On July 18, 1981, Dutch act Stars on 45 reached number 1 in the U.S. with a medley including the guitar riff from "Venus".
• In 1986, "Weird Al" Yankovic included the Bananarama version in his polka medley "Polka Party!" from the album of the same name.

In popular culture

In film

• In the film American Wedding (2003) the song is featured in a dancing scene in a gay bar.^[13]
• Included in the film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
• In Camille Rewinds the song was played during the 1985 party scene in a short montage of Camille (Noémie Lvovsky) and Eric (Samir Guesmi) dancing and getting close with each other.
• The British musical comedy film Walking on Sunshine covered the song.

In games

• This song is part of the set-list of Harmonix's Kinect game Dance Central 2.
• It was included on Dance Dance Revolution (2010 video game) (PS3/Wii/Xbox 360).
• It was also included on Just Dance 3.

In television

• An episode of American Dad! ("Moon Over Isla Island") features the song when Roger suggests changing the name of the country of Isla to "Bananarama", with "Venus" as its national anthem.
• The Canadian teenage drama series program Degrassi: The Next Generation, which is known for naming instalments after 1980s hit songs, named a two-part instalment after this song.
• Some notes of the song are used in the theme song for the PBS Kids cartoon from WNET Cyberchase.

"Shizgarah", or "Venus" in Russian urban folklore

Despite the fact that the heavily controlled Soviet mass media totally ignored much of Western popular culture, the Shocking Blue song quickly become a popular hit in 1970s Russia, especially among street youth akin to Western hippie and "hooligan" subcultures. Due to the song's simple arrangement and danceable rhythm, "Venus" was adopted and performed by thousands of underground amateur performers, both those who accompanied themselves on acoustic guitar and full contemporary bands who performed it with electric guitar at dance parties. Thus, the English language song of a Dutch band become a prominent phenomenon of Russian urban folklore and was considered by many an unofficial "anthem of the generation".

The English language in the song, however, was only very loosely approximated, and the song was not even known by its title, "Venus". A countless number of variants of Russian lyrics existed for this song, but traditionally it was performed using gibberish or scat singing phonetically inspired by the sounds of original English lyrics which had become hardly intelligible after being passed along via repeated duplicate copying on cheap, low-end tape recorders. In the Russian variant, the first line of the chorus, "She's got it", was usually pronounced as "Shizgarah" ("Шизгáра") [sheez-GA-rah], and it was this word which became a commonly adopted name of the song in the USSR, even among those who could understand the original English text.

In modern times, a few disco clubs and a musical show on Nashe Radio are named "Shizgarah" after this song.

Also, "Shizgarah" ("Шизгара") is a novel of Russian writer Sergey Soloukh portraying the life of young Soviet hippies in the 1970s.^[14]

References

1. In spite of the name mentioned on this cover, the band's name was Shocking Blue, without "The".
2. "VENUS". GEMA – Members — Online Database – Musical Works. Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
3. In spite of the name mentioned on this cover, the band's name was Shocking Blue, without "The".
4. Billboard Vol. 84, No. 49. Nielsen Business Media. 1972-12-02. p. 40. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 164. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 273. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
8. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 496. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
9. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 28.
10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 25. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 26 June 1988.
11. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 41. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
12. "Seduced - Venus - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
13. imdb.com
14. lib.ru Archived January 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics