Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)

"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"
"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"
Single by A Flock of Seagulls
from the album Listen
B-side	"Committed"
Released	22 October 1982
Recorded	1982, Compass Point Studios
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	4:09 (7" version); 5:29 (Album version); 9:34 (Extended version)
Label	Zomba Records
Songwriter(s)	Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds
Producer(s)	Mike Howlett
A Flock of Seagulls singles chronology

"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" is a 1982 song by A Flock of Seagulls, the opening song and only hit single from their second album Listen.^[2]

Background

The song exemplifies "synth-pop's spaced-out loneliness" and yearning for imagined, absent lovers,^[3] and is noted for its Wall of Sound-styled layer of synthesizer padding – a "multi-layered, hypnotic song", according to AllMusic.^[2]

According to lead singer Mike Score, "Wishing" was based on a real person. When recalling the experience with this person, he said, "It was the eve of the first trip we ever took to America, and I had met a girl. We went out for the night, and I didn't want to forget her, so I said, 'We're going on tour and I'll be back. I'd like to get a photograph of you, if I could get one.' And she said, 'No, because you're going to go on to be famous and you'll forget me.'"^[4]

Formats

7" Jive 25 (UK) – 1982

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"	4:00
2.	"Committed"	2:50

12" Jive T25 (UK) – 1982

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) (Long Version)"	9:08
2.	"Committed"	5:34
3.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) (Short Version)"	4:57

12" Jive VJ 12014 (US) – 1982

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"	6:03
2.	"The Flight of Yuri Gagarin"	7:03
3.	"Rosenmontag"	8:01
4.	"Committed (Extended Version)"	5:34

CD August Day 41 (UK) – 2019^[5]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Extended Remix]"	8:34
2.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Ilya Santana Remix]"	6:08
3.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Soda Pimps Remix]"	4:06
4.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Chris Coco Dub]"	6:52
5.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Extended Instrumental]"	8:34
6.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Ilya Santana Instrumental Remix]"	6:08
7.	"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) [Orchestral Version]"	5:32

Chart and certifications

Unlike the band's 1982 hit "I Ran (So Far Away)", largely a United States and Australian hit, "Wishing" performed strongly in the band's home country, the United Kingdom, and reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart; in the US, it reached the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1983.^[6] It was popular in South Africa, reaching No. 8.^[7]

Weekly charts

Chart (1982–1983)	Peak position
Australian Kent Report	46
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[8]	10
France (SNEP)^[9]	1
Germany Singles Chart	37
Irish Singles Chart	6
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart	33
South African Singles Chart^[7]	8
UK Singles Chart	10
US Billboard Hot 100	26
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	3
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	26
US Cash Box Top 100^[10]	35

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[11]	82

Certifications

Certifications for *Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[12]	Silver	250,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "Behind The Vinyl - "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)" with Mike Score from A Flock Of Seagulls". boom 97.3. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
^ ^a ^b Bogdanov, Vladimir (2001). All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music. Backbeat Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780879306281. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (10 October 1995). "Spin Alternative Record Guide". Spin. ISBN 9780679755746. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
^ Prato, Greg (4 June 2018). "Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls". Songfacts. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
^ Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) (liner notes). A Flock of Seagulls. Concord Music Publishing. 2019. ADAY041.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 417. ISBN 9780879306533. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
^ ^a ^b Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (F)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6279." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
^ "The World's Music Charts (Songs from the Year 1983)". Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 9, 1983". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Cash Box magazine.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
^ "British single certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 October 2019.

This 1980s single–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[behind_the_vinyl-1] "Behind The Vinyl - "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)" with Mike Score from A Flock Of Seagulls". boom 97.3. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2018.

[bogdanov-2] Bogdanov, Vladimir (2001). All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music. Backbeat Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780879306281. Retrieved 19 January 2013.

[3] Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (10 October 1995). "Spin Alternative Record Guide". Spin. ISBN 9780679755746. Retrieved 19 January 2013.

[4] Prato, Greg (4 June 2018). "Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls". Songfacts. Retrieved 8 April 2023.

[5] Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) (liner notes). A Flock of Seagulls. Concord Music Publishing. 2019. ADAY041.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[BogdanovWoodstra2002-6] Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 417. ISBN 9780879306533. Retrieved 19 January 2013.

[autogenerated1-7] Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (F)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 3 December 2015.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-8] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6279." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.

[Songs_From_The_Year_1983-9] "The World's Music Charts (Songs from the Year 1983)". Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.

[10] "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 9, 1983". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Cash Box magazine.

[CAYE-11] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 May 2022.

[United_KingdomA_Flock_of_SeagullsWishing_(If_I_Had_a_Photograph_of_You)singleCertRef-12] "British single certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 October 2019.

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v t e A Flock of Seagulls
Mike Score Pando Kevin Rankin Gord Deppe Frank Maudsley Ali Score Willie Woo Mark Edmondson Paul Reynolds Chris Chryssaphis Gary Steadnin Ed Berner Dave Maerz Kaya Pryor Mike Radcliffe Mike Railton Jonte Wilkins Mike Marquart A.J. Mazzetti Dean Pichette Joe Rodriguez Darryl Sons Rob Wright Michael Brahm
Studio albums	A Flock of Seagulls (1982) Listen (1983) The Story of a Young Heart (1984) Dream Come True (1986) The Light at the End of the World (1995) Ascension (2018) String Theory (2021)
Compilation albums	The Best of A Flock of Seagulls (1987) I Ran: The Best of A Flock of Seagulls (2004)
Extended plays	Modern Love Is Automatic
Singles	"Talking" "Telecommunication" "I Ran (So Far Away)" "Space Age Love Song" "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" "The More You Live, the More You Love" "Who's That Girl (She's Got It)" "Heartbeat Like a Drum"
Other songs	"D.N.A." "Modern Love Is Automatic"
Related	Discography
Category