Venus (song)
Encyclopedia
"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 U.S., Canada, 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, Colombia, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and their native UK (#8 on UK Singles Chart
). It also went to number one for two weeks on the U.S. Dance chart.
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 remix
ed by Marc Almond
, with re-recorded vocals, and included on their 2005 album Drama
.
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
goddess
es. 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
.
12" single NANX10
2nd 12" single NANXR10
3rd 12" single NAXRR10
US 12" maxi-single 886 088-1
CD video single
Other versions
Additional personnel
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 recorder
s. 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 U.S.S.R., even among those who could understand the original English text.
In modern times, 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 1970's (http://lib.ru/ZHURNAL/SOLOUH/shizgara.txt).
, which is known for naming each installment after an 1980s hit song, named a two-part installment after this song.
Sara Dallin
Sara Elizabeth Dallin is an English musician mostly noted for her membership of the group Bananarama, which she co-founded with her childhood friend Keren Woodward.Dallin was born in Bristol, England...
, Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...
, and Keren Woodward
Keren Woodward
Keren Woodward is an English pop singer and songwriter of British girl group Bananarama, co-founded by her long time school friend Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey....
, had the idea of turning the song into a dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
tune, but they were met with resistance from their producers at the time, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain
Jolley & Swain
Steve Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful pop musician, songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era....
. Bananarama brought the idea to the production trio of Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
, and it became Bananarama's first collaboration with them.
Dallin, Fahey, and Woodward had nearly completed recording their third album, titled True Confessions
True Confessions (album)
True Confessions is the third album by the British girl group Bananarama. Released in 1986, the album was not a commercial success in the UK, but achieved their biggest sales and chart success in the U.S., where the first single "Venus" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 .A majority of the...
, 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 U.S., Canada, 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, Colombia, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and their native UK (#8 on UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
). It also went to number one for two weeks on the U.S. Dance chart.
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
Exotica (Bananarama album)
Exotica is the eighth studio album released by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. This is Bananarama's third album as a duo, and was produced by Pascal Caubet and issued only in France in 2001 on the M6 Interactions label. The work is a combination of new compositions along with re-recordings...
and it was later remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed by Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
, with re-recorded vocals, and included on their 2005 album Drama
Drama (Bananarama album)
Drama is the ninth studio album by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. It features eleven newly recorded tracks, along with a remix of their 1986 smash hit "Venus" and a 2005 remix of their 1982 hit "Really Saying Something", an underground bootleg club hit produced by Solasso.Drama is a...
.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song received extensive play on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and video channels across the world, and presented Bananarama in various costumes, including a she-devil, a French temptress, a vampiress, and several Grecian
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
es. In one sequence of the video, The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore...
, the painting by Sandro Botticelli
Sandro Botticelli
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance...
, 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
Bruno Tonioli
Bruno Tonioli is an Italian choreographer and TV personality who appears as a judge on the television dance competition Strictly Come Dancing for BBC TV in the UK, and its American adaptation Dancing with the Stars on ABC TV in the US, Tonioli co-created and appeared on the BBC talent show DanceX...
. Music video directed by Peter Care
Peter Care
Peter Care is an English director of music videos, commercials and film. He has directed music videos for R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison and Depeche Mode, amongst others.- Biography :...
.
Track Listings
7" single NANA10- "Venus" 3:30
- "White Train" 3:50
- S.Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward/P. Bishop/P. Seymour
12" single NANX10
- "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
- "Venus" (Dub) 8:15
- "White Train" 3:50
2nd 12" single NANXR10
- "Venus" (The Hellfire Mix) 9:20 #:Remixed by Ian Levine
- "Venus" (Hellfire Dub) 6:55
- "White Train" 3:50
3rd 12" single NAXRR10
- "Venus" (The Fire And Brimstone Mix) 6:35 #:Remixed by Stock, Aitken & Waterman
- "Venus" (Hellfire Dub) 6:55
- "White Train" 3:50
US 12" maxi-single 886 088-1
- "Venus" (The Hellfire Mix) 9:20
- "Venus" (The Fire & Brimstone mix) 6:55
- "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
- "Venus" (Dub) 8:25
CD video single
- "Venus" (Extended version) 7:23
- "True Confessions" (Edit) 4:09
- "A Trick of the NightA Trick of the Night"A Trick Of The Night" is a ballad recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released as the final single from Bananarama's album True Confessions....
" (Edit) 4:07 - "More Than PhysicalMore Than Physical"More Than Physical" is a song written and performed by English girl group Bananarama. It was one of two tracks on the group's True Confessions album produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman trio instead of Jolley & Swain...
" (UK Single version) 3:40
Other versions
- "Venus" (The Greatest Remix Edit) 3:40
- Found on the 1989 UK CD single "Cruel Summer '89", Remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow
- "Venus" (The Greatest Remix) 7:43
- Found on the 1989 German CD single "Megarama '89Megarama '89"Megarama '89" is a megamix of songs by English girl group Bananarama. It was released as a single in 1989 in Germany, Japan and France. The French single differs from the version released in Germany and Japan....
", Remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow
- Found on the 1989 German CD single "Megarama '89
- "Venus" (2001 version)
- Found on the album ExoticaExotica (Bananarama album)Exotica is the eighth studio album released by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. This is Bananarama's third album as a duo, and was produced by Pascal Caubet and issued only in France in 2001 on the M6 Interactions label. The work is a combination of new compositions along with re-recordings...
- Found on the album Exotica
- "Venus" (Marc Almond's Hi-NRG Showgirls mix) 6:02
- Found on the 2005 album DramaDrama (Bananarama album)Drama is the ninth studio album by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. It features eleven newly recorded tracks, along with a remix of their 1986 smash hit "Venus" and a 2005 remix of their 1982 hit "Really Saying Something", an underground bootleg club hit produced by Solasso.Drama is a...
, Remixed by Marc AlmondMarc AlmondMarc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
- Found on the 2005 album Drama
- "Venus" (From Soundtrack Sugar & Spice: Stuck in the 80's)
Personnel
Bananarama- Sara DallinSara DallinSara Elizabeth Dallin is an English musician mostly noted for her membership of the group Bananarama, which she co-founded with her childhood friend Keren Woodward.Dallin was born in Bristol, England...
- Vocals - Siobhan FaheySiobhan FaheySiobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...
- Vocals - Keren WoodwardKeren WoodwardKeren Woodward is an English pop singer and songwriter of British girl group Bananarama, co-founded by her long time school friend Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey....
- Vocals
Additional personnel
- Andrew Biscomb - Sleeve design
- Peter Barrett - Sleeve design
Bananarama version in popular culture
- Included in the film Romy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School Reunion is a 1997 comedy film starring Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Camryn Manheim, and Alan Cumming directed by David Mirkin. The plot revolves around two 28-year-old women who appear to have achieved very little success in life and decide to invent...
- In the film American WeddingAmerican WeddingAmerican Wedding is a 2003 comedy film that is a sequel to American Pie and American Pie 2 as part of the American Pie series. It was written by Adam Herz and directed by Jesse Dylan...
the song is featured in a dancing scene in a gay bar. - The music video was viewed and commented on by Beavis and Butthead.
- The song is a major part of Gillette'sGlobal GilletteGillette is a brand of Procter & Gamble currently used for safety razors, among other personal care products. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was one of several brands originally owned by The Gillette Company, a leading global supplier of products under various brands, which was...
advertising campaignAdvertising campaignAn advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
for their line of "Venus" female razors. - It was the first ever song which a contestant on the UK version of Don't Forget the Lyrics failed to complete.
- Canadian teen drama series program Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
, which names each episode after an '80s hit song, named a two-part installment after the song. - An episode of American Dad ("Moon over Isla Island", Season 5 Ep2) plays the song when Roger suggests changing the name of the country of Isla to Bananarama, with "Venus" as its national anthem.
- The song was used for the goals segment of Don Cherry's Rock'Em Sock'em HockeyDon Cherry's Rock'Em Sock'em HockeyDon Cherry's Rock'em Sock'em Hockey is a series of videos, starring noted hockey commentator Don Cherry. Each video features a compilation of NHL plays, goals, saves, bloopers, hits and fights, as well as highlights from Coach's Corner, and a recap of the year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. The venture is...
(1989).
Bananarama version on the charts
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian singles chart | 1 |
| Austrian singles chart | 7 |
| Belgian singles chart | 3 |
| Canadian singles chart | 1 |
| 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 |
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
Other cover versions
- In 1969, BulgarianBulgariansThe Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
singer Lili IvanovaLili IvanovaLili Ivanova is a popular Bulgarian singer.-Discography:Lili Ivanova has released 65 albums Lili Ivanova (born April 24, 1939 in Kubrat) is a popular Bulgarian singer.-Discography:Lili Ivanova has released 65 albums Lili Ivanova (born April 24, 1939 in Kubrat) is a popular Bulgarian...
recorded her version of the song, called "Venera" (Bulgarian: "Венера"). - In 1970, GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
band Olympians recorded the song "To koritsi tou Mai" (Greek: "Το κορίτσι του Μάη", meaning "Girl of May") with the melody of "Venus" and lyrics written by Sevi Tiliakou. - In late 1976 the Stockley Sisters, a South African duo, took their recording of the song to number 5 on the South African singles chart.
- On July 18, 1981, Dutch act Stars on 45Stars on 45Stars on 45 was a Dutch novelty pop act that was briefly very popular in the United Kingdom, throughout Europe, the United States and Australia in the early 1980s. The group later shortened its name to Stars On in the U.S., while in the U.K. and Ireland it was known as Starsound...
reached #1 in the U.S. with a medleyStars on 45 Medley"Stars on 45" was a song issued in 1981 by the studio group Stars on 45. In some countries including UK, Ireland and New Zealand the band was credited as 'Starsound' and the medley itself was named "Stars on 45"...
including the opening guitar riff from "Venus". With the original Shocking Blue and the later Bananarama cover both going to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, this arguably made it the only song in that chart's history to hit #1 by three different artists, though the Stars on 45 medley only included a portion. - A cover was released by then J-popJ-pop, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
idol singerJapanese idolIn Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
Yoko NagayamaYoko NagayamaYōko Nagayama is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress.- Early life :Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father...
in 1986, which became her first big hit. - In 1986, "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
included the Bananarama version in his polka medley "Polka Party!" from the album of the same namePolka Party!Polka Party! is the fourth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1986. The album is the third of Yankovic's to be produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
. - A version of the song by The ChipettesThe ChipettesThe Chipettes are a fictional group of anthropomorphic chipmunk singers first appearing on the cartoon series Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1983. In this and related materials, the Chipettes served as female featured characters in their own right, starring in numerous episodes...
, done in their signature style, was included on the album Born to RockThe Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to RockThe Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock is a music album by The Chipmunks and The Chipettes, released in 1988 on LP and in 1990 on CD and cassette by Quality Special Products...
in 1988. They would also cover the Bananarama version for the 1998 album The A-Files: Alien SongsThe A-Files: Alien SongsThe A-Files: Alien Songs is a 1998 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. The album's concept parodied the 1993–2002 FOX series The X-Files.-Track listing:# "Purple People Eater" – 3:35# "Men in Black Movie Theme" – 3:46...
. - The Italo House act Don Pablo's Animals released a mainly instrumental cover version in 1990.
- The Czech band Dunaj recorded a cover version in 1994
- When auditioning for the Spice GirlsSpice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
in the early '90s, Victoria BeckhamVictoria BeckhamVictoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
recorded a version of the song for a demo tape, never intending for it to be released, though it has since leaked onto the InternetInternet leakAn Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
. - Stefanie SunStefanie SunStefanie Sun was born Sng Ee Tze on 23 July 1978, and known to fans as 13姐 , is a Singaporean singer-songwriter. She has sold over 30 million copies of her albums during the span of her career thus far. She does the majority of her recording, and conducts most of her publicity events, in Taiwan,...
(Simplified Chinese: 孙燕姿; Traditional Chinese: 孫燕姿), a SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an singer-songwriter, covered the song on her 2002 album (Start自選集) as well as covers of "Hey JudeHey Jude"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...
" and "Silent All These YearsSilent All These Years"Silent All These Years" is a song by American singer-songwriter and musician Tori Amos. It was released as the second single from her debut studio album Little Earthquakes. It was originally released in November 1991 in the UK by EastWest Records...
". - Various hi-NRGHi-NRGHi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
/eurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
cover remixes by Obsession was released through Almighty RecordsAlmighty RecordsAlmighty Records is a British recording label and remix production team founded in 1989, releasing their first single in the same year. Producing mainly Dance-Pop and Hi-NRG music, the label is best known for releasing remakes and remixes of mainstream pop songs...
in 2003. Audio samples can be heard on the official Almighty Records website. - The winner of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
2004, RuslanaRuslanaRuslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko is a World Music Award winning and MTV Europe Music Award nominated artist, and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004....
, has recorded this song. - Norwegian act Erlend ØyeErlend ØyeErlend Øye is a Norwegian musician from Bergen, best known for being part of the indie folk duo Kings of Convenience together with Eirik Glambek Bøe. He has released one solo album, Unrest, in 2003 and a mix-CD in the DJ-Kicks series in 2004....
recorded part of the song in a medley on his album that was part of the DJ-KicksDJ-KicksDJ-Kicks is a series of DJ mix albums, mixed by various artists for the independent record label !K7 Records.-History:...
series. - No AngelsNo AngelsThe No Angels are an all-female pop trio from Germany, consisting of band members Lucy Diakovska, Sandy Mölling, and Jessica Wahls. Critically acclaimed, the band has won dozen of awards and prizes since their establishment in the early 2000s, including three ECHOs, a World Music Awards, a NRJ...
, first season winners of GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Idol seriesIdol seriesThe British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia...
PopstarsPopstarsPopstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
, cover it for their 2003 album PurePure (No Angels album)Limited edition bonus CD-Credits and personnel:* Thomas Blug - guitar* Thorsten Brötzmann - keyboards* Alan Darby - acoustic guitar, electric guitar* Flo Daunber - drums* Stefan Hansen - keyboards* Clemens Heger - bass* Jeo - keyboards...
. This version was used in TV spotsTelevision advertisementA television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
for ladies' razorRazorA razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of unwanted body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, disposable razors and electric razors....
Gillette Venus - Belgian girl group Seduced recorded a cover which peaked at #25 on the Belgian Singles Top 50 in 2004.
- The Russian children's band Street Magic (Volshebniki Dvora) (Волшебники Двора) cover the song on their 2005 album Hit Parade (Хит-парад), featuring lead vocals by band member Denis Uzkov (Денис Усков).
- Japanese singer HitomiHitomibetter known by her stagename , is a Japanese singer and songwriter. She began her career as model, and after meeting Tetsuya Komuro he began managing her career as a pop singer...
featured a cover as the B-side to her "Japanese Girl" single in 2005. This version was the theme to commercials for the Gillette Venus razor in 2006 featuring Hitomi on a rock of a lagoon in HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. - Kumi KodaKumi Koda, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game...
recorded the song for Japanese Gillette commercials in 2007, releasing a full cover on her 2009 studio album TrickTrick (album)Trick is the seventh studio album released by J-Urban singer Kumi Koda. It was released on January 28, 2009, available in CD and CD+2DVD format. The CD contains ten previously unreleased songs as well as the CD singles Moon Crying, That Ain't Cool, Taboo, and Stay with Me...
. - Girlband (The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
UK 2008 finalist) covered the song in the first live show. 2010 Finalists Belle Amie also covered the song in the fourth live show which had a HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
theme. - Tom Jones covered the song on album "Classic Tom Jones", released in 1998
- Polish singer DodaDorota RabczewskaDorota Rabczewska , more commonly known as Doda Elektroda, is a Polish musical artist, among the most successful Polish artists ever in terms of number of prizes won. She was first known as a member of the Polish rock band Virgin...
covered the song on New Year's EveNew Year's EveNew Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2009/2010 in Łódź (TVP2Telewizja PolskaTelewizja Polska Spółka Akcyjna is Poland's public broadcasting corporation...
). - Lussi Lebrun covered the song during season 8 of Nouvelle Star.
- Finnish new wave band Belaboris covered the song, with Finnish lyrics, on their "...Olpa Kerran" 12"
- The song is featured in the stage musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical
- Jennifer LopezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, spokesperson for Venus razors, recorded her own version of the song for "The Venus Goddess Fund for Education". - The Mexican singer Niñel Conde recorded a spanish version of the song, on her new album "Ayer y Hoy", with the same name, Venus.
"Shizgarah", or "Venus" in Russian urban folklore
Despite the fact that the heavily controlled Soviet mass mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
totally ignored much of Western
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
, the Shocking Blue song quickly become a popular hit in 1970s Russia, especially among street youth akin to Western hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
and "hooligan" subcultures. Due to the song's simple arrangement and danceable rhythm, "Venus" was adopted and performed by thousands of underground
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
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
Gibberish
Gibberish is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning. This meaning has also been extended to meaningless text or gobbledygook. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can be described as a presence of nonsense...
or scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
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
Low fidelity
Low fidelity or lo-fi describes a sound recording which contains technical flaws such as distortion, hum, or background noise, or limited frequency response...
tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
s. 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 U.S.S.R., even among those who could understand the original English text.
In modern times, few disco clubs and a musical show on Nashe Radio
Nashe Radio
Nashe Radio is a rock music station designed to promote Russian rock bands . It is broadcast in every major Russian city as well as having an internet stream...
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 1970's (http://lib.ru/ZHURNAL/SOLOUH/shizgara.txt).
Legacy
The Canadian teenage drama series program Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
, which is known for naming each installment after an 1980s hit song, named a two-part installment after this song.