Shocking Blue's by far biggest hit was Venus, which went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970. 'Venus' returned to the top of the U.S. charts in 1981 as part of the Stars on 45 Medley and was also successfully covered by artists such as Greece's Olympians (1970), Bananarama (1986), Japanese singer Yoko Nagayama (1986).
Nirvana covered the song Love Buzz for their debut album Bleach in 1989, and it was released as their first single. The British Group The Prodigy also sampled Love Buzz for their song 'Phoenix' on their 2004 album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned.
Before 'Venus' the group had only had two minor Dutch hits in 1969: Long Lonesome Road and Send Me A Postcard. In 1970 two more hits followed: Mighty Joe and Never Marry A Railroad Man, the latter almost provoking a strike by workers on the London Underground when posters advertising the single in the Underground stations were put on display.
Shocking Blue had several more hits in The Netherlands and beyond. The group started to dissolve in 1973 when Van Leeuwen called it quits. Singer Mariska Veres left the group to start a solo-career in 1974 and Shocking Blue folded.
Mariska Veres died on December 2nd, 2006, after a short battle with cancer. She was just 59 years old.
Members
The initial line-up consisted of
Robbie van Leeuwen (guitar, sitar and backing vocals) (1967–1973)
Fred de Wilde (vocals, 1967–1968)
Klaasje van der Wal (bass guitar, 1967–1972, deceased in 2018)
Cor van der Beek (drums) (1967–1974, deceased in 1998)
Later members were
Mariska Veres (vocals, 1968–1974, deceased in 2006)
Leo van de Ketterij (nl) (guitar, 1970–1971)
Martin van Wijk (guitar, 1973–1974)
Henk Smitskamp (nl) (bass guitar, 1972–1974)
Also
Wim Voermans
Jan Pijnenburg (nl)
Michael Eschauzier
André van Geldorp (nl)
Charles Pesch
Discography
Albums
1967 Shocking Blue (Polydor) also known as Beat with Us (German title) #31 US
1969 At Home (Pink Elephant)
1970 Scorpio's Dance (Pink Elephant) also known as Sally Was A Good Old Girl (Japanese title)
1971 Third Album (AKA Shocking You, Pink Elephant)
1972 Inkpot (Pink Elephant) – The official music of Mark Six
1972 Live in Japan (Pink Elephant)
1972 Attila (Pink Elephant) also known as Rock in the Sea (Japanese title)
1972 Eve and the Apple (Same as Attila with one different track, Polydor)
1973 Ham (Pink Elephant)
1974 Dream on Dreamer (Same as Ham, but with 3 different songs and 6 alternate versions, Polydor)
1974 Good Times (Pink Elephant)
Singles
Year Title US UK AUS NED NOR GER FRA NZ BEL JPN
1967 Love is in The Air / Fix Your Hair Darling - - - - - - - - - -
1968 Lucy Brown is Back in Town / Fix Your Hair Darling - - - 21 - - - - - -
1968 Send Me a Postcard / Harley Davidson - - - 10 4 - 4 - - -
1969 Long and Lonesome Road / Fireball of Love 75 - - 17 - - 6 - - -
1969 Venus / Hot Sand 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 - 15
1969 Mighty Joe / Wild Wind 43 45 43 2 - 6 8 - - -
1970 Never Marry a Railroad Man / Roll Engine Roll 102 - 40 1 5 10 1 4 19
1970 Hello Darkness / Pickin' Tomatoes - - - 4 - - - - 12 -
1971 Shocking You / Waterloo - - - 10 - - 1 - 21 -
1971 Serenade / Sleepless at Midnight 110 - - - - - - - - -
1971 Blossom Lady / Is This a Dream - - - 2 - - - - 3 -
1971 Out of Sight, Out of Mind / I Like You - - - 6 6 - - - 5 -
1972 Inkpot / Give My Love to The Sunrise - - - 5 - 21 1 - 4 -
1972 Rock in the Sea / Broken Heart - - - 14 - - 3 - 21 -
1972 Eve and the Apple / When I was a Girl - - - 15 - - 1 - 18 -
1973 Let Me Carry Your Bag / I Saw You in June - - - - - - 2 - - -
1973 Oh Lord / In My Time of Dying - - - 14 - - - - 6 -
1974 This America / I Won't be Lonely Long - - - - - - - - 16 -
1974 Dream on Dreamer / Where The Pick-Nick Was - - - - - - 4 - - -
1974 Good Times / Come My Way - - - - - - - - - -
1975 Gonna Sing My Song / Get It On - - - - - - - - - -
1980 Louise / Venus - - - - - - - - - -
1986 The Jury and The Judge / I am Hanging on to Love - - - - - - - - - -
1990 Venus '90 (UK Only) - 75 - - - - - - - -
1994 Body and Soul / Angel - - - - - - - - - -
I Love Voodoo Music
Shocking Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I still hear that fascinating sound.
It keeps me awake at night,
It's the sound that's so right.
I love voodoo music,
Just a name drives me insane.
You'll love voodoo music,
I'll never find a better way
To explain how empty were my days.
Without that pounding beat
My life ain't complete.
I love voodoo music,
Just a name drives me insane.
You'll love voodoo music,
Yes, you will.
I'll never find a better way
To explain how empty were my days.
Without that pounding beat
My life ain't complete.
I love voodoo music,
Just a name drives me insane.
You'll love voodoo music,
Yes, you will.
The lyrics of Shocking Blue's "I Love Voodoo Music" express a deep love and appreciation of a particular kind of music - voodoo music. Even when there is silence all around, the singer of the song still hears the fascinating sound of the voodoo music that keeps them awake at night. This music is portrayed as being so right and powerful that it fills a void in the singer's life that they never knew existed before they discovered it. They can never imagine finding a better way to describe how empty their days were before they discovered voodoo music, and without its pounding beat, their life simply wouldn't be complete.
The song is essentially a celebration of the impact that music can have on a person's life, particularly when it is something that resonates deeply with them. The raw, primal energy of voodoo music is something that speaks to the singer on a fundamental level, and they revel in its power and vibrancy. However, the song also has a slightly ominous undertone, with the repeated line "just a name drives me insane" suggesting that the singer is perhaps a little too obsessed with this music and that it has taken on a kind of mystical, almost dangerous allure.
Overall, "I Love Voodoo Music" is a powerful and evocative tribute to the transformative power of music, particularly the kind that speaks to us on a deep, primal level.
Line by Line Meaning
When there's silence all around
Even when there is no sound, I still hear voodoo music.
I still hear that fascinating sound.
I am enchanted by the eerie and alluring sound of voodoo music.
It keeps me awake at night,
The hypnotic beat and rhythm of voodoo music prevents me from sleeping.
It's the sound that's so right.
The sound of voodoo music feels perfect and natural to me.
I'll never find a better way
To explain how empty were my days.
There is no other way to express how dull and unfulfilling my life was before discovering voodoo music.
Without that pounding beat
My life ain't complete.
The strong, pulsating beat of voodoo music is an essential part of my life and without it, I feel incomplete.
I love voodoo music,
Just a name drives me insane.
The mere mention of voodoo music excites and arouses me, I adore it.
You'll love voodoo music,
Yes, you will.
I am convinced that others will come to love voodoo music like I do.
Contributed by Jeremiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gerardo Flores
Excelente
Alison McShannon
Awesome... Just discovered them, thanks to all x
Rosi Angel de Dios
muy bien
IziCrack
I wait for your return. It seems the only way that I will ever feel alive. To throw myself into my injuries and close my eyes. I'd give anything to feel alive. And I will wait for you tonight.
Amalia Mei
basta lasciarsi trasportare.....
Juan Pablo Cansino Ortega
2020?!!