Venus (Shocking Blue song)

1969 song by Shocking Blue

"Venus"

One of artworks for the original Dutch single

Single by Shocking Blue
B-side| "Hot Sand"
Released| 14 July 1969 (1969-07-14)
Studio| Soundpush (Blaricum, Netherlands)
Genre|

* Country rock[1]
* dance-rock[2]
* psychedelic rock[3]
* pop rock[4]

Length| 3:08
Label| Pink Elephant
Songwriter(s)| Robbie van Leeuwen[5]
Producer(s)|

* Robbie van Leeuwen

Shocking Blue singles chronology
| "Lucy Brown Is Back in Town"
(1968)  | "Venus"
(1969)  | "Mighty Joe"
(1969)

|
|

Music video
"Venus" on YouTube
Audio
"Venus" on YouTube

"Venus" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, released as a single in the Netherlands in the summer of 1969. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the song topped the charts in nine countries.[6]

The song has been covered dozens of times by many artists. In 1986, English girl group Bananarama covered "Venus" for their third studio album, True Confessions, with the single reaching number one in six countries. The composition has been featured in numerous films, television shows, and commercials.

## Composition and recording

[edit]

Shocking Blue in 1970

The song was written by Robbie van Leeuwen, Shocking Blue's guitarist, sitarist, and background vocalist. Van Leeuwen wrote new lyrics set to music based on "The Banjo Song" by Tim Rose and the Big 3, which is in turn lyrically a modification of the 19th century song "Oh! Susanna" by Stephen Foster.[7][8] Influences from other songs include the opening guitar riff that is similar to The Who's "Pinball Wizard".[9]

The song was recorded on a two-track machine in Soundpush Studio in Blaricum, the Netherlands.[10] Van Leeuwen also produced the song.

The lead vocals were performed by Mariska Veres. The written lyrics, however, contained a typo in the line, "A goddess on a mountain top", with "goddess" written as "godness", which was how Veres, who was at the time not fluent in English, sang it on the record and on television.[11] Later recordings by other artists corrected the error.[12]

## Release and reception

[edit]

"Venus" was issued in the Netherlands on 14 July 1969 as a single,[13] backed with "Hot Sand", on the Pink Elephant label, a label specially created for Shocking Blue by Dureco. The song initially peaked at number three on the Dutch Top 40 on 12 July 1969, and remained at that position for a total of five weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Belgium, France, and Germany.[14]

Jerry Ross, who was in Europe in the autumn of 1969 looking for European hits for release in the United States, was offered the song.[15] He signed Shocking Blue to his newly created Colossus Records, and chose the record for release in the United States on 2 October 1969.[14][16][17] "Venus" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 7 February 1970, the first song by a Dutch band to reach No. 1 on that chart.[18] On 28 January 1970, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of one million copies in the United States.[19] Its success in the United States prompted further interest in other markets around the world in 1970, and it reached No. 3 again in the Netherlands, as well as the top 10 in the UK.[14][20] It was No. 1 in Canada for 2 weeks. The popularity of the song also spurred interests in other Dutch groups.[14] Worldwide, the single has sold over 5 million copies.[21]

In 1981, it was used to open the "Stars on 45" medley.[6] "Venus" was included as a bonus track on the 1989 CD reissue of Shocking Blue's second studio album, At Home, originally released in 1969.

Stereogum said, "It's so clean and propulsive: that strum, that dinky organ riff, the Teutonic sneer in Veres' voice. Veres snarls hard enough that it ultimately doesn't matter whether or not she has any idea what she's singing. The yelp on the hook — 'She’s got it! Yeah, baby, she’s got it!' — means nothing, but it sticks in your head all the same. The song works like a hook-delivery machine."[22]

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Venus"  | Chart (1969–1970)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[23] | 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[24] | 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[25] | 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[26] | 1
Brazil (IBOPE)[27] | 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[28] | 1
Denmark (IFPI)[29] | 11
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[30] | 4
France (IFOP)[31] | 1
Ireland (IRMA)[32] | 10
Italy (Discografia Internazionale)[31] | 1
Italy (Musica e dischi)[33] | 1
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)[34] | 2
Japan International (Oricon)[35] | 1
Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[36] | 2
Mexico (Radio Mil)[31] | 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[37] | 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[38] | 2
New Zealand (Listener)[39] | 1
Norway (VG-lista)[40] | 2
Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[41] | 3
Singapore (Radio Singapore)[42] | 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[43] | 1
Spain (AFYVE)[44] | 1
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[45] | 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[46] | 1
UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 8
US Billboard Hot 100[47] | 1
US Top 100 (Cash Box)[48] | 1
US 100 Top Pops (Record World)[49] | 1
West Germany (GfK)[50] | 2

### Year-end charts

[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Venus"  | Chart (1970)  | Position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[51] | 19
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[52] | 8
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[53] | 17
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[54] | 31
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[55] | 28
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[56] | 7
US Billboard Hot 100[57] | 33
US Cash Box Top 100[58] | 6
West Germany (Official German Charts)[59] | 23

### Certifications and sales

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[60] | Gold  | 35,000^
France  | —  | 400,000[61]
Germany  | —  | 350,000[21]
Italy  | —  | 350,000[62]
Japan  | —  | 550,000[63]
Spain  | —  | 150,000[64]
United States (RIAA)[19] | Gold  | 2,000,000[65]
Summaries
Worldwide  | —  | 5,000,000[21]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## Bananarama version

[edit]

"Venus"

Single by Bananarama
from the album  True Confessions
B-side| "White Train"
Released| 19 May 1986
Recorded| December 1985
Studio| Odyssey (London)
Genre|

* Dance-pop[66][67]
* synth-pop[68]
* hi-NRG[69]

Length|

* 3:50 (album version)
* 3:30 (single version)
* 7:23 (extended version)

Label| London
Songwriter(s)| Robbie van Leeuwen
Producer(s)| Stock Aitken Waterman
Bananarama singles chronology
| "Do Not Disturb"
(1985)  | "Venus"
(1986)  | "More Than Physical"
(1986)

|
|

Music video
"Venus" on YouTube

### Background

[edit]

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

The group had nearly completed recording their third studio album, True Confessions, with Jolley & 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 group, SAW relented. The track was initially produced in an arrangement more faithful to the Shocking Blue original, but was reworked in hi-NRG style after Fahey suggested that their version should sound similar to Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)".[70]

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 song appeared as the B-side to the 1989 limited release "Megarama '89" in Germany and France. Bananarama has since re-recorded "Venus" for their eighth album Exotica (2001). It was later remixed by Marc Almond, with re-recorded vocals and included on their ninth album Drama (2005).

### Critical reception

[edit]

#### Initial response

[edit]

Jerry Smith of the Music Week magazine considered Bananarama's cover as a "lively version" of the original song, "catchy enough for minor success" but "lacking substance" with its SAW production.[71] Michael Pilgrim of Record Mirror was not enthusiastic, wondering why the Bananaramas needed to record another song, describing it like this: "There's beefy DOA-style hi-NRG electronics, the odd male vocal and at one point the girls go 'Wooaarrlll!'".[72] In a review published in Smash Hits, Martin Degville and Neal X of Sigue Sigue Sputnik criticized this cover version, saying about Bananarama that "they've destroyed it" and "They're completely boring and they've got boring hair".[73]

#### Impact and legacy

[edit]

In 2014, Matt Dunn of WhatCulture ranked the song number five in his "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles" list, describing it as a "timeless classic of 80s synth pop, an instantly recognisable foot-tapping gem", while underlining the "provocative video and all its fire, sexy choreography, coffin dancing and red patent-leather devil outfits".[74] In 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked "Venus" number two in their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs".[75] In 2023, Tom Eames of Smooth Radio ranked the song number two in his "Bananarama's 10 greatest songs, ranked" list.[76] In 2025, Classic Pop ranked it number 10 in their list of "Top 20 Cover Versions of the 80s".[77]

### Chart performance

[edit]

Bananarama's version of "Venus" peaked at number one in the United States, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Switzerland, while reaching number two in Germany and the top-ten in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom (number eight on the UK Singles Chart, matching the same peak of Shocking Blue's version). It also topped the US Dance Club Songs chart for two weeks.[78]

### Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video, directed by Peter Care and choreographed by Bruno Tonioli, was extensively aired on MTV and video channels across the world, and presented the trio in various costumes, including a she-devil, a French temptress, a vampiress and several Greek goddesses. In one sequence of the video, Sandro Botticelli's painting The Birth of Venus is adapted as a tableau vivant. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexual image for the group that contrasted with the tomboyish style of their earlier work. In the music video there's a cameo of the Polish-German dancer Andreas Wisniewski, who appears as a dancer during the synth solo.

### Track listings

[edit]

* UK / US / Canadian 7-inch vinyl single

UK: London Records NANA 10 / US: 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 / Australian 12-inch vinyl single

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

1. "Venus" (extended version) – 7:23
2. "Venus" (dub) – 8:15
3. "White Train" – 3:50

* UK 12-inch vinyl single #2

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

* UK 12-inch vinyl single #3

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

* US 12-inch 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" (U.K. single version) – 3:40

* Other versions

1. "Venus" (the Greatest Remix edit) – 3:40

Included on the 1989 U.K. CD single "Cruel Summer '89", remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow
2. "Venus" (the Greatest Remix) 7:43

Included on the 1989 German CD single "Megarama '89", remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow
3. "Venus" (2001 version)

Included on the album Exotica
4. "Venus" (Marc Almond's Hi-NRG Showgirls mix) 6:02

Included on the 2005 album Drama, remixed by Marc Almond
5. "Venus" (from the soundtrack Sugar & Spice: Stuck in the 80's)
6. "Venus" (Leo Zero Remix)

Included on the EP Bananarama Remixed: Vol 1
7. Venus (Leo Zero Disco Remix)

Included on the EP Bananarama Remixed: Vol 1
8. "Venus" (Boys Noize Remix edit)

9. "Venus" (Boys Noize Remix)

10. "Venus" (Boys Noize Remix - Instrumental)

### Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of True Confessions.[79]

* Stock Aitken Waterman – production, Linn 9000 programming (credited as "A. Lin")
* Matt Aitken – guitar
* Mike Stock – keyboards
* Garry Hughes – keyboards
* Tim Young – mastering

### Charts

[edit]

#### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Venus"  | Chart (1986)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[80] | 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[81] | 7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[82] | 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[83] | 3
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[84] | 4
Canada (The Record)[85] | 1
Denmark (IFPI)[86] | 14
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[87] | 3
Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[88] | 2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[30] | 1
France (SNEP)[89] | 4
Ireland (IRMA)[32] | 12
Italy (Musica e dischi)[90] | 3
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)[91] | 43
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[92] | 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[93] | 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[94] | 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[95] | 1
Norway (VG-lista)[96] | 4
Quebec (ADISQ)[97] | 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[98] | 1
Spain (AFYVE)[44] | 14
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[99] | 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[100] | 1
UK Singles (OCC)[101] | 8
US Billboard Hot 100[102] | 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[103] | 29
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[104] | 1
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[105] | 1
US Top 100 Singles (Cash Box)[106] | 3
Venezuela (UPI)[107] | 10
West Germany (GfK)[108] | 2
Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[41] | 13

#### Year-end charts

[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Venus"  | Chart (1986)  | Position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[109] | 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[110] | 53
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[111] | 43
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[112] | 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[113] | 64
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[114] | 63
New Zealand (RIANZ)[115] | 6
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[116] | 20
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[117] | 5
UK Singles (OCC)[118] | 72
US Billboard Hot 100[119] | 38
US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[120] | 6
US Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[121] | 21
US Top 100 Singles (Cash Box)[122] | 43
West Germany (Media Control)[123] | 10
1985–1989 chart performance for "Venus"  Chart (1985–1989)  | Position

|

Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[124] | 41

### Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for "Venus"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Canada (Music Canada)[125] | Platinum  | 100,000^
France (SNEP)[126] | Silver  | 250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[127] | Silver  | 200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## BHF/Don Pablo's Animals remixes

[edit]

"Venus" was remixed and re-released by dance producers The BHF (Bisiach Hornbostel Ferrucci) Team in May 1990. Titled "Venus '90", the remix featured a hip house rhythm and samples. "Venus '90" reached number 78 on the UK Singles Chart and number 49 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.[128][20] An instrumental version was also released independently under the producer's alias, Don Pablo's Animals, without referencing Shocking Blue. The instrumental version became the highest-charting version of the song, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart.[129]

## Other versions

[edit]

Tom Jones recorded the song in 1970 on his album Tom.

Japanese singer Yōko Oginome covered the song in 1986, and peaked No.10 in Oricon Singles Chart.[130]

Dutch DJ Pieter Gabriel [nl] remixed the song for the opening ceremony of the Grand Final of The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 held in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The remix was used as a backdrop for the 26 finalists being introduced onto the stage in a flag ceremony.[131][132]

## Popular media

[edit]

Shocking Blue's "Venus" was featured in the sixth episode of the 2020 Netflix miniseries The Queen's Gambit. The protagonist Beth (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) dances and sings to the music video. The scene takes place in 1967, well before the song was released in 1969.[133][134]

Bananarama's cover of "Venus" was featured in the 2011 video game Just Dance 3.[135]

The song has been used in commercials for Gillette Venus Women's Razor since c. 2001.[12]

In 2023, the song appeared as part of the soundtrack of the comedy-drama film The Holdovers.

## See also

[edit]

* List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Venus/Dancing on a Saturday Night/Beautiful Sunday (liner notes). Shocking Blue/Barry Blue/Daniel Boone. Old Gold. 1989. Retrieved 17 October 2019.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. ^ Molanphy, Chris (March 15, 2024). "Gotcha Covered Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
3. ^ Casalena, Em (November 1, 2024). "4 Hidden Gems From the World of One-Hit Rock Wonders". American Songwriter. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
4. ^ Raggett, Ned. Bananarama - The Greatest Hits Collection (1988) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
5. ^ "VENUS". GEMA – Members — Online Database – Musical Works. GEMA. Archived from the original on December 17, 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
6. ^ a b Grein, Paul (6 September 1986). "Chart Beat". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 36\. p. 6\. ISSN 0006-2510 - via Google Books.
7. ^ "The Birth of 'Venus': from Stephen Foster, to The Big 3, and Shocking Blue". Music Tales. June 25, 2018.
8. ^ Сітко. Практична граматика англійської мови. Книга 1. Нова Книга. p. 166\. ISBN 9789663824888.
9. ^ Willem Frijhoff; Kees Schuyt; Marijke Spies (2003). Dutch Culture in a European Perspective: 1950, prosperity and welfare. Royal Van Gorcum. p. 415\. ISBN 9789023239666 - via Google Books.
10. ^ Bronson, Fred (1997). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. p. 268\. ISBN 9780823076413.
11. ^ "Shocking Blue's #1 "Venus" Performance Will Bring Back Memories". Society of Rock. 29 October 2015.
12. ^ a b Morenz, Emily. "I'm Your Venus: Lyrics And Meaning Of The Shocking Blue/Bananarama #1". Groovy History.[permanent dead link]
13. ^ "Venus Shocking Blue Offizielle Deutsche Charts".
14. ^ a b c d "Shocking Blue: huge success around world". Billboard. Vol. 84, no. 49\. 2 December 1972. p. 40\. ISSN 0006-2510 - via Google Books.
15. ^ Gert Keunen, Lutgard Mutsaers, ed. (2017). Made in the Low Countries: Studies in Popular Music. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317417941 - via Google Books.
16. ^ Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music. Virgin. p. 389\. ISBN 9780753501542 - via Google Books.
17. ^ "The Foote Files: Shocking Blue And Venus". CBS News. 15 January 2019.
18. ^ "Today in Music History: Shocking Blue's "Venus" goes No. 1". The Current. 7 February 2019.
19. ^ a b "American single certifications – Shocking Blue – Venus". Recording Industry Association of America. 28 January 1970.
20. ^ a b c "Shocking Blue: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
21. ^ a b c Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s: an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 293\. ISBN 0668064595. "No 2 in Germany, where it sold 350,000 copies ... Global sales were over five million"
22. ^ Tom Breihan (14 December 2018). "February 7, 1970". Stereogum.
23. ^ Kent 1993, p. 273
24. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
25. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
26. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
27. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 28 March 1970. p. 102. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
28. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6118." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
29. ^ "Lange Lars fra Birthe". Ekstra Bladet. 19 February 1970. p. 32.
30. ^ a b Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
31. ^ a b c "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 82, no. 9\. 28 February 1970. p. 64\. ISSN 0006-2510 - via World Radio History.
32. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Venus". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
33. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Shocking Blue".
34. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 11 April 1970. p. 76. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
35. ^ "Mr.Heartbreaker's Chart Liner_Japan #1 DISKS". www.hbr3.sakura.ne.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
36. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 18 April 1970. p. 72. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
37. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Shocking Blue" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
38. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
39. ^ "Search listener". Flavour of New Zealand. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
40. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus". VG-lista. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
41. ^ a b Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
42. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 16 May 1970. p. 68. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
43. ^ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts S". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
44. ^ a b Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
45. ^ "Venus av Shocking Blue". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-07-04.
46. ^ "Shocking Blue – Venus". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
47. ^ "The Shocking Blue Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
48. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending February 14, 1970". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
49. ^ "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 24, no. 1180\. 24 January 1970. p. 43\. ISSN 0034-1622 - via World Radio History.
50. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Shocking Blue – Venus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
51. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
52. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1970". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 21 August 2019.
53. ^ "RPM's Top 100 of 1970". RPM. Vol. 14, no. 20/21. 9 January 1971. p. 13\. ISSN 0315-5994 - via Library and Archives Canada.
54. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1970" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
55. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1970" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
56. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1970". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
57. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Music Outfitters. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
58. ^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1970 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 26 December 1970. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
59. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1970" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
60. ^ "Ride High With Penny Farthing". Billboard. 11 November 1972. p. 61\. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
61. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1969". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022 - via Top-France.fr.
62. ^ "A Settevoci arriva "Venus" dall'Olanda". Corriere della Sera. 7 March 1970. Retrieved 6 April 2022. "Gli shocking blue sono a Milano per registrare una puntata di "Settevoci" (che andrà in onda domenica 22 marza). Nella trasmissione di Pippo Baudo il complesso olandese presenterà la canzone che li ha resi fulmineamente famosi nel mondo, "Venus". Di questo disco sono state vendute tre milioni e più di copie (soltanto in Italia trecentocinquantamila)"
63. ^ オリジナルコンフィデンス. 歴代洋楽シングル売り上げ枚数ランキング (in Japanese). 年代流行. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
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### Bibliography

[edit]

* Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

## External links

[edit]

* "Venus" at 45cat.com

* v
* t
* e

Shocking Blue

* Mariska Veres
* Robbie van Leeuwen
* Cor van der Beek
* Klaasje van der Wal

* Leo van de Ketterij

Studio albums|

* Shocking Blue
* At Home
* Scorpio's Dance
* Third Album
* Inkpot
* Good Times

Singles|

* "Send Me a Postcard"
* "Venus"
* "Love Buzz"

* v
* t
* e

Bananarama

* Sara Dallin
* Keren Woodward

* Siobhan Fahey
* Jacquie O'Sullivan

Studio albums|

* Deep Sea Skiving
* Bananarama
* True Confessions
* Wow!
* Pop Life
* Please Yourself
* Ultra Violet / I Found Love
* Exotica
* Drama
* Viva
* In Stereo
* Masquerade

Extended plays|

* Now or Never

Compilation albums|

* The Greatest Hits Collection
* Bunch of Hits
* The Very Best of Bananarama
* Really Saying Something: The Platinum Collection
* 30 Years of Bananarama
* Master Series
* The Essentials

Remix albums|

* The Twelve Inches of Bananarama

Singles|

* "Aie a Mwana"
* "It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)"
* "Really Saying Something"
* "Shy Boy"
* "Cheers Then"
* "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"
* "Cruel Summer"
* "Robert De Niro's Waiting..."
* "Rough Justice"
* "Hot Line to Heaven"
* "The Wild Life"
* "Do Not Disturb"
* "Venus"
* "More Than Physical"
* "A Trick of the Night"
* "Set on You"
* "I Heard a Rumour"
* "Love in the First Degree"
* "I Can't Help It"
* "I Want You Back"
* "Love, Truth and Honesty"
* "Nathan Jones"
* "Help!"
* "Megarama '89"
* "Only Your Love"
* "Preacher Man"
* "Long Train Running"
* "Tripping on Your Love"
* "Movin' On"
* "Last Thing on My Mind"
* "More, More, More"
* "Every Shade of Blue"
* "Take Me to Your Heart"
* "Careless Whisper"
* "Move in My Direction"
* "Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)"
* "Love Comes"
* "Love Don't Live Here"
* "Baby It's Christmas"
* "Now or Never"

Featured singles|

* "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
* "Let It Be"

Promotional singles|

* "He's Got Tact"
* "I Found Love"

Video compilations|

* And That's Not All...
* The Video Singles
* The Greatest Hits Collection
* 30 Years of Bananarama

Related articles|

* Discography
* "Young at Heart"
* Fun Boy Three
* Shakespears Sister

* v
* t
* e

Stock Aitken Waterman

* Mike Stock
* Matt Aitken
* Pete Waterman

Notable artists|

* Rick Astley
* Bananarama
* Big Fun
* Brother Beyond
* Dead or Alive
* Hazell Dean
* Divine
* Jason Donovan
* Samantha Fox
* Lonnie Gordon
* Mel and Kim
* Kylie Minogue
* Pepsi & Shirlie
* Princess
* Sinitta
* Mandy Smith
* Sonia
* Donna Summer
* Sybil

Songs written|

* "Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)"
* "I'm So Beautiful"
* "Say I'm Your Number One"
* "Looking Good Diving"
* "Respectable"
* "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now"
* "I Heard a Rumour"
* "Toy Boy"
* "Never Gonna Give You Up"
* "Love in the First Degree
* "Whenever You Need Somebody"
* "I Should Be So Lucky"
* "Together Forever"
* "Got to Be Certain"
* "The Harder I Try"
* "All of Me (Boy Oh Boy)"
* "Take Me to Your Heart
* "Especially for You"
* "This Time I Know It's for Real"
* "Too Many Broken Hearts"
* "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt"
* "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You"
* "Happenin' All Over Again"
* "Better the Devil You Know"
* "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams"
* "Step Back in Time"

Compilations|

* The Hit Factory: The Best of Stock Aitken Waterman
* The Hit Factory Volume 2
* The Hit Factory Volume 3
* A Ton of Hits: The Very Best of Stock Aitken Waterman
* The Hit Factory: Pete Waterman's Greatest Hits
* Stock Aitken Waterman Gold
* Pete Waterman Presents the Hit Factory

Related articles|

* List of songs produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
* Pete Waterman Entertainment

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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*[e]: Edit this template