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 - - - - - - - - - -
Navajo Tears
Shocking Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where wants the Buffalo graze do high way to call this place.
Man shot them down to have some more fun
And only a few had a chance to run.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Man came to ruin in the land of the Tomahawk,
What could a knife do against rifles?
Many stories are written in the sand,
And I wonder when people go hand in hand.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
The lyrics of "Navajo Tears" by Shocking Blue speak of the destruction of native lands and the slaughter of the buffalo by colonizers. The song begins by painting the picture of the Tomahawk land, where the buffalo graze and the colonizers came to ruin it. Despite the Tomahawk's resistance, the invaders used weapons and gunned the animals down, leaving only a few to survive. The slaughter of the buffalo was not only detrimental to them but also affected the livelihood of the Tomahawk since they depended on the animal's resources.
The chorus of the song uses the imagery of tears, specifically Navajo tears. The tears fall like water from the mountains. The reference to Navajo tears could be seen as a tribute to the Navajo tribe, a Native American tribe known for their resilience and resistance against colonizers. The tears could also symbolize the sadness and grief felt by the Tomahawks after the destruction of their lands and the genocide of their people.
The second verse highlights the futility of the Tomahawk's knives against the colonizer's guns. It speaks of stories written in the sand, implying that the history and legacy of the Tomahawk will not be forgotten. The song ends with a hope for reconciliation, where people can go hand in hand. It is an acknowledgment of the past's wrongdoings and a call for harmony and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
Man came to ruin in the land of the Tomahawk
The arrival of humans in the land of the Tomahawk resulted in the downfall of the Native American civilization.
Where wants the Buffalo graze do high way to call this place.
The land where buffaloes graze is too vast to be claimed or named by humans.
Man shot them down to have some more fun
Humans killed buffaloes for entertainment and leisure.
And only a few had a chance to run.
Only a few buffaloes survived from the human hunting.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
The Native American Navajo tribe cried tears of sorrow.
Like the water from the mountains.
Their tears were plentiful and flowing like a mountain stream.
Man came to ruin in the land of the Tomahawk,
The arrival of humans to the land of the Tomahawk resulted in the destruction of the Native American culture.
What could a knife do against rifles?
Native Americans were at a disadvantage in their defense against the superior weaponry of the invading Europeans.
Many stories are written in the sand,
The history of the Native American civilization and their struggle are preserved but fragile and vulnerable like written words in the sand.
And I wonder when people go hand in hand.
The singer questions the possibility of unity and peaceful coexistence between humans and nature.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
The Native American Navajo tribe cried tears of sorrow.
Like the water from the mountains.
Their tears were plentiful and flowing like a mountain stream.
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
dieviskasbalsis
The song about the tragic fate of the ``Indians'' in conquering America, does anyone in the USA and Canada remember that?
Man came to ruin in the land of the Tomahawk
Where wants the Buffalo graze do high way to call this place.
Man shot them down to have some more fun
And only a few had a chance to run.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
Man came to ruin in the land of the Tomahawk,
What could a knife do against rifles?
Many stories are written in the sand,
And I wonder when people go hand in hand.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
Navajo tears, navajo tears fell
Like the water from the mountains.
David Donaghy
So much classier than today’s female stars.
simon x
they were very natural back then, and they sang from the heart .
Alan Hodges
Absolutely correct, Mariska & Shocking Blue brilliant.
Ricardo WanMeyl
Tenho 53 anos, apenas escutava a música Vênus, mas não conhecia a banda. Quando vi pelo YouTube pela primeira vez, me apaixonei pela Mariska. Mulher linda, elegante, com uma voz única e apaixonante. Que Deus a tenha em Seus braços. Como ela era cigana, esteja em um bom lugar em paz.
martin 53
Fully clothed and she's bloody gorgeous !
yu!peeter
Not an easy rhythm to play for Cor van der Beek (or for any drummer for that matter). Shows how technically brilliant he was.
J Pablo Lafuente
Incredible song! Beautiful Mariska!!!!❤❤❤❤
Clement Ragobir
Absolutely fantastic voice. Such a simple woman
Rod Francis
Lovely hair too !!!
Harry Kruisselbrink
@Rod Francis Not to disappoint you, but Mariska always wore a wig. Her own hair was half length and very curly, which was not very "hip" in those days. She was always terrrified by the thought of fanatic (japanese) fans trying to grab her to get some hair of her.......