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 - - - - - - - - - -
Poor Boy
Shocking Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime
Poor boy what you gonna do you ain't got much time
Ain't nobody for better or worse
Can't find nobody who cares
Can't you find a handy noose
You're so lonely and blue
Somebody there for better or worse
Somebody there who cares
You can find your heavy noose
And chateau for you
The lyrics of Shocking Blue's "Poor Boy" describe the struggles and desperation of a lonely, penniless man who is far from home and has no one to turn to. The repeated phrase "poor boy" emphasizes the hopeless situation of the singer, who has seemingly hit rock bottom. The lyrics suggest that the man may even be considering suicide as a way out of his misery, as he is unable to find anyone who cares about him or his plight.
The first stanza of the song sets up the scene, with the poor boy being far away from home and feeling lost and alone. The second stanza highlights his financial troubles, with the suggestion that he has spent all of his money and is running out of time. The chorus introduces the idea of suicide, with the poor boy unable to see any hope or reason to keep going. The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope, with the idea that there may be somebody out there who cares about him, but it is unclear whether this person is real or just a figment of his imagination.
Overall, the lyrics of "Poor Boy" paint a bleak picture of a man who is struggling to survive and find meaning in his life. The repetition of the phrase "poor boy" serves to reinforce his sense of helplessness and despair, while the chorus hints at the possibility of a way out, but leaves the listener uncertain about whether the poor boy will be able to find it or not.
Line by Line Meaning
Poor boy, poor boy are you long way from home
Are you far away from the place you call home, poor boy?
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone
Are you struggling financially and feeling isolated, poor boy?
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime
Did you use up all your money, poor boy?
Poor boy what you gonna do you ain't got much time
You don't have much time left, so what are you going to do, poor boy?
Ain't nobody for better or worse
There is nobody to share either the good or the bad moments with.
Can't find nobody who cares
There is no one who cares for you.
Can't you find a handy noose
Can't you find something to save you from your misery?
You're so lonely and blue
You are feeling very sad and alone.
Contributed by Benjamin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pedro Avila
Poor boy, poor boy are you a long way from home?
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone?
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime?
Poor boy what you gonna do? You ain't got much time.
Ain't there nobody for better or worse?
Can't there' nobody who cares?
Can't you find you Helli Lou?
You're so lonely and blue.
Poor boy, poor boy are you a long way from home?
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone?
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime?
Poor boy what you gonna do? You ain't got much time.
Somebody there for better or worse.
Somebody there who cares.
You can find your Helli Lou
And château for you .
Somebody there for better or worse.
Somebody there who cares.
You can find your Helli Lou
And château for you.
Sylvain Morel Jean
Une de mes préférées !!!!!
MARISKA encore sublime...!!!❤❤
Quel bonheur de l'écouter !!!!
Dieu...bénis Mariska..🙏🙏🙏🙏
juan carlos ballesteros gomez
mais oui nous sommes dáccord
SharonAnne N
*
This is Part 3 of the 3-part medley:
'Long and lonesome road' / 'California here I come' / 'Poor boy'
*
Thomas Winkelmuller
A great song. Very unusual. Very well built. It's a shame the song stops too early on the cd version. You can't hear the beautifully sung vocal parts.
Robert Kiraly
This is very good. The beginning of this song is progressive rock!
Pedro Avila
Poor boy, poor boy are you a long way from home?
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone?
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime?
Poor boy what you gonna do? You ain't got much time.
Ain't there nobody for better or worse?
Can't there' nobody who cares?
Can't you find you Helli Lou?
You're so lonely and blue.
Poor boy, poor boy are you a long way from home?
Poor boy are you down and out and all alone?
Poor boy, poor boy did you spend your very last dime?
Poor boy what you gonna do? You ain't got much time.
Somebody there for better or worse.
Somebody there who cares.
You can find your Helli Lou
And château for you .
Somebody there for better or worse.
Somebody there who cares.
You can find your Helli Lou
And château for you.
Szybki Dziad
Unique song
jack jc
this song is actually from the 'at home' album.
Rick Bruni
Well in fact the first version was shortest is from the At Home album but this extended version is from this album from 71.
HEINRICH RUV
Saturday 31 december 2022 00:00 AM, was listening to this song.