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 - - - - - - - - - -
Lucy Brown Is Back In Town
Shocking Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is all about one cool cat
Lucy Brown is back in town
Did you ever see her with her nose in the air?
She's looking to no-one, it ain't fair
Lucy Brown is back in town
She's like warm honey and oh so fine
Lucy Brown is back in town
Lucy Brown is back in town
Lucy Brown is back in town
Want to meet her now, have a new light
That seems to me really out of sight
Lucy Brown is back in town
I can hear rare sounds get any mad
It is all about one cool cat
Lucy Brown is back in town
Did you ever see her with her nose in the air?
She's looking to no-one, it ain't fair
Lucy Brown is back in town
The lyrics to Shocking Blue's song "Lucy Brown Is Back in Town" speak of admiration and longing for a woman named Lucy Brown who has returned to town. The repetition of "Lucy Brown is back in town" creates a sense of excitement and anticipation for her arrival. The lyrics also describe Lucy's physical appearance, with lines like "blue eyes, black hair and a perfect line" and "she's like warm honey and oh so fine." The singer of the song seems smitten with Lucy and desires to meet her, as expressed in the line "want to meet her now, have a new light that seems to me really out of sight."
However, there are also hints of jealousy and resentment towards Lucy in the lyrics. The line "did you ever see her with her nose in the air? She's looking to no-one, it ain't fair" suggests that Lucy may be arrogant or dismissive towards others. Despite this, the singer is still drawn to her and captivated by her presence.
Line by Line Meaning
I can hear rare sounds get any mad
The singer is excited and anticipatory because something remarkable is happening
It is all about one cool cat
The focus of everyone's attention is on someone who is effortlessly impressive
Lucy Brown is back in town
The subject of the song, a woman named Lucy Brown, has returned to the area
Did you ever see her with her nose in the air?
Have you witnessed Lucy's behavior of looking down upon others with disdain?
She's looking to no-one, it ain't fair
Lucy Brown refuses to give others the time of day, which is perceived to be unjust by the artist
Blue eyes, black hair and a perfect line
Lucy Brown has stunning physical features and a charming demeanor
She's like warm honey and oh so fine
The singer perceives Lucy as an alluring and desirable woman
Want to meet her now, have a new light
The artist is eager to meet Lucy and is feeling a sense of hopefulness
That seems to me really out of sight
The prospect of meeting Lucy is perceived as being extraordinary
Lucy Brown is back in town
The subject of the song, a woman named Lucy Brown, has returned to the area
I can hear rare sounds get any mad
The singer is excited and anticipatory because something remarkable is happening
It is all about one cool cat
The focus of everyone's attention is on someone who is effortlessly impressive
Lucy Brown is back in town
The subject of the song, a woman named Lucy Brown, has returned to the area
Did you ever see her with her nose in the air?
Have you witnessed Lucy's behavior of looking down upon others with disdain?
She's looking to no-one, it ain't fair
Lucy Brown refuses to give others the time of day, which is perceived to be unjust by the singer
Contributed by Micah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.