Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)

1982 single by A Flock of Seagulls

"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[1]
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
| "Space Age Love Song"
(1982)  | "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"
(1982)  | "Nightmares"
(1983)

|
|

"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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

| 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

[edit]

| Chart (1983)  | Position

|

Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] | 82

### Certifications

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.
2. ^ 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.
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)
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.
7. ^ a b Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (F)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
8. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6279." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
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.
11. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
12. ^ "British single certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 October 2019.

* 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

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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