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They are still a surprise today and worth (re)listening to, even if someone has nicknamed them "the Middle Of The Road in a more rockin' version".
Famous mostly for their superhit "Venus" from 1969, with the famous guitar riff borrowed from "Pinball Wizard" by the Who, these Dutch musicians did what has been defined as "psychedelic pop" supported by the wonderful voice of the half-Hungarian, half-German Mariska Veres, who reminds many of Grace Slick. Indeed, another band to which Shocking Blue was compared was Jefferson Airplane: a comparison that suits them much better than with M.O.T.R.
Almost every track they produced is a real gem, and it's no coincidence that Nirvana decided to cover one of their songs: "Love Buzz." Shocking had a very particular and unmistakable sound, which crossed the barriers between styles, barriers that were very marked at the time and of which critics and the public themselves were keenly aware. "Sally Was A Good Old Girl", for example, is a country song, the sweet "Water Boy" features the arabesques of a sitar, "Little Cooling Planet" is rather funky... but, taken all together, it's the typical "shocking blue" sound of this band.
It's not hard to get your hands on one of their compilations. If you can, listen to "I Love Voodoo Music", the aforementioned "Love Buzz" (beware: it's not included in 20 Greatest Hits!) or the wild rock of "Daemon Lover." Robbie van Leeuwen (guitar and sitar), who wrote almost all of their songs - including the lyrics -, is definitely to be counted among the best songwriters in the world.
The group toured the States with Ike & Tina Turner, Sly & The Family Stone, and Three Dog Night; they went to South America, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong... But in 1974, they ended up disbanding, partly because Robbie van Leeuwen was tired of being the glue between the individual components and of bearing the pressure from Elephant Pink, their label, which demanded at least three albums a year. The singer Mariska Veres then pursued a solo career, presenting songs in Dutch, German, and English, but achieved noteworthy success only in Holland. In 1993 she attempted to organize a reunion, but the other former members of Shocking showed little interest, and she revived the project with completely new musicians. For years, the newly formed Shocking Blue participated in numerous festivals for "Oldies" groups. Mariska devoted herself in parallel to blues, jazz, and gypsy music. She never married and, as in the old days of "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll", led a moderate life, did not smoke or drink (her favorite drink was always tea...).
Unfortunately, we must speak of her in the past, as the leader of Shocking Blue passed away on December 4, 2006, in The Hague; she was only 59. Paradoxically, it was cancer that killed her: precisely her, who had never fallen victim to vices..
Veres was the first European singer to embody, in the beat era, the ideal of the sexy young woman, capable of enchanting millions of fans with her sensual voice. An emblem of the vocal sensuality of that era was "Venus", which decreed the band's resounding success, remaining in the charts of best-selling records in Europe and the United States for over six months. "Venus" has since been covered by other bands and has also been frequently used in commercials. In "20 Greatest Hits" it is, of course, the number one track.
Essential Discography:
The Best of Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue - 20 Greatest Hits
Ink Pot / Attila (their first 2 albums on one CD)
Scorpio's Dance (1969)
At Home (1970) (includes "Love Buzz")
Dream On Dreamer / Good Times (1973/75; 2 albums on one CD)
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Venus (03:03)
A goddess on a mountain top
Was Burning like a silver flame
A summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name.
She's got it,
Yeah baby, she's got it.
(2x)
Well, I'm your Venus,
I'm your fire, at your desire.
Her weapons were her crystal eyes
Making every man mad.
Black as the dark night she was,
Got what no one else had.
She's got it,
Yeah baby,she's got it
(2x)
Well, I'm your Venus,
I'm your fire, at your desire.
Ahaaahaaaaa (2x)
She's got it,
Yeah baby,she's got it
(2x)
Well, I'm your Venus,
I'm your fire at your desire.
02 Mighty Joe (03:09)
Be carefull girls
for Mighty Joe
be carefull !
He teaches you all that don't know.
He makes you cry
before it's through
and I bet you like it too.
Did you hear about Mighty Joe ?
Did you hear about Mighty Joe ?
Beware
beware when he is around.
mighty Joe with the bass voice !
Mighty Joe was here last year
I tell you !
Just like you
I had no fear.
I fell for him
baby
and then he made of me a woman.
Sweet
sweet
sweet thing.
Sweet
sweet
sweet thing.
I love you
yes
I love you
I love you so bad.
He took my heart and in a sense
I swear he ain't got no sense.
when I said yeah
he's gone to town.
I warn you
he will let you down.
Did you hear about Mighty Joe ?
Did you hear about Mighty Joe ?
Beware
beware when he is around.
mighty Joe with the bass voice !
04 Hello Darkness (02:55)
HELLO DARKNESS
Between the grey and red shadows of twilight
The time stands still.
It seems like a hundred light-years
Since the day you went away.
Oh, oh, oh...
Hello...hello darkness
Step inside,
Make the hours run thru' the night.
Knowing that you're far from my heart
It's so hard to live on.
But on the day when you'll return
Know you'll make my fire burn
When the night is over you'll be mine.
Hello..hello darkness
Step inside
Make the hours run thru' the night.
05 Shocking You (03:01)
We're shocking you until you turn to blue
We're shocking you see what we're gonna do
Look out it's like electricity
Don't think it's fantasy
The sound of guitar is sparkling lightning
The sound of bass like a hurricane
Join the crowd and we'll be shocking you
Rhythm of drums like a waving thunder
Goddess of music brings a magic voice
Join the crowd and we'll be shocking you
The wave of currency knocks you down
Like high tension is that magic sound
Join the crowd and we'll be shocking you
Lyrics and music: Robbie van Leeuwen
07 Inkpot (02:39)
Put some love in your heart
like you put the ink in the inkpot.
Learn it and you will enjoy it baby
to put the ink in the inkpot.
Shu-bi-do-ah
shu-bi-do-ah
shu-bi-do-ah
shu-bi-do-ah.
You can play with every thing
but you cannot play with your heart
fooling around make it mean
and then I'm feeling that we'll be apart.
Put some love in your heart...
Your mama taught you how to pray
but once you will be a grown-up girl
but what you also have to learn
that is how to love somebody in this world.
Put some love in your heart...
09 Send Me a Postcard (02:39)
Before loneliness
Will break my heart
Send me a postcard, darling
How can I make you understand
I wanna be your woman
Here I'm waiting for a little sign
Waiting till the end of time
Send me a postcard, darling
Send me a postcard now
I can't taste a lonely night
I need someone I can turn to
Look out for the day I get a little sign
I want to know your own mind
Now
Now please don't let me down
Ain't no lover like me in town
Send me a postcard, darling
Send me a postcard now
13 This America (02:59)
It's my land and in days to come
Follow me and we can have some.
Beautiful flowers I give to you,
If I'll stay then I'll be true.
Lovely lady, you call me,
Two together we will be free.
Beautiful presents I shall bring,
All together we can sing.
This America,
I love how you love us.
This America,
I love how you need us.
This America,
I love how you want us to be free.
Come on and follow me.
People ask me to come and see
All the things they can offer to me.
I turn them down, 'cause I like your style.
I'll stick around here for a while.
This America,
I love how you love us.
This America,
I love how you need us.
This America,
I love how you want us to be free.
This America,
I love how you love us.
This America,
I love how you need us.
This America,
I love how you want us to be free.
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me,
Come on and follow me.
18 Eve and the Apple (02:41)
In the garden of Eden The black snake talked to Eve He said taste a big apple It won't give you any grief She said No, It ain't mine But a taste must be sweeter than wine Well she took the apple And we lost paradise Well she took the apple And we lost paradise Every boy and girl Ask their mom and dad About a place here on earth Where little Eve once said No, It ain't mine But a taste must be sweeter than wine Well she took the apple And we lost paradise Well she took the apple And we lost paradise And the sun went down In that world of light And the sun went down In that world of light And the sun went down In that world of light In the garden of Eden The black snake talked to Eve He said taste a big apple It won't give you any grief She said No, It ain't mine But a taste must be sweeter than wine Well she took the apple And we lost paradise Well she took the apple And we lost paradise
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