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 - - - - - - - - - -
Rock in the Sea
Shocking Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish I was a bird in the sky
Like a bird in the sky
I stay high and dry
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I wish I was a mole in the ground
Like a mole in the ground
I'd root this mountain down
I wish I was a mole in the ground
I wish I was a mole in the ground
I'm so glad I can sing
I don't want furs and rings
Only the beauty of nature
Matters to me, yeah
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
Like a rock in the sea
Nothing could torture me
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
Shocking Blue's "Rock in the Sea" is a song that expresses the desire to escape from the trappings of society and become one with nature. The lyrics express the idea of freedom, where one wishes to be a bird in the sky, a mole in the ground, and ultimately a rock in the sea, where nothing could torture them.
The song starts with the desire to be a bird, symbolizing the desire to be free from the constraints of society and to fly without any worry. The second verse expresses the wish to be a mole, thus highlighting the idea of disappearing into the earth, getting lost in simplicity and purity, getting rid of all the complexities of modern life. In the third verse, the singer expresses their gratitude towards their own ability to sing and the desire for the beauty of nature, rather than material possessions like furs and rings.
The last two verses highlight the climax of the song, stating the ultimate desire to be a rock in the sea. The image of a rock in the sea is a powerful one, symbolizing a form of permanence and stability amongst an ever-changing world. Nothing could move or torture them, and they would exist in a state of constant peace and contentment.
Overall, "Rock in the Sea" is an ode to nature, where the singer seeks to escape and find solace away from the complexities and materialism of everyday society.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I imagine what it would be like to be a bird soaring freely in the sky
Like a bird in the sky
Just as a bird flies high in the sky, I too wish to be unbound and carefree
I stay high and dry
Without being dragged down by the weight of struggles and hardships, I'd like to stay elevated and unaffected
I wish I was a mole in the ground
If I weren't soaring high like a bird, I would rather be a mole burrowing through the earth
Like a mole in the ground
Similar to how a mole digs and creates tunnels underground, I would like to make my mark on the world
I'd root this mountain down
I would work tirelessly, like a mole digging through rock, to achieve my goals and bring change
I'm so glad I can sing
I find joy in expressing myself through song and melody
I don't want furs and rings
Material possessions have little value to me, I am content with simplicity
Only the beauty of nature
I find true fulfillment in the natural world and its aesthetics
Matters to me, yeah
It is what truly holds value and meaning in my life
I wish I was a rock in the sea
Like a rock, steady and unmovable amidst the tumultuous waves of the sea, I desire to remain grounded and resolute in the midst of life's challenges
Nothing could torture me
No external forces can bring me down or break me, I stand firm like a rock in the face of adversity
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@katsiarynalukashuk5853
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I wish I was a bird in the sky
Like a bird in the sky
I'd be safe, high and dry
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I wish I was a bird in the sky
I wish I was a mole in the ground
I wish I was a mole in the ground
Like a mole in the ground
I'd throw this mountain down
I wish I was a mole in the ground
I wish I was a mole in the ground
I'm so glad
I don't want furs and rings
Only the beauty of nature
Matters to me, yeah
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
Like a rock in the sea
Nothing could budge me
I wish I was a rock in the sea
I wish I was a rock in the sea
@juniorcandela970
Es mi canción favorita de esa banda. Me hubiera gustado disfrutarlo en la época en que fue creada, pero aún así sigo disfrutándolo, me hace transportarme a un mundo distinto al que existe ahora.
@MrGoldenthroat
Another little known gem by one of the top 10 greatest bands in music history!!
@inglepropnoosegarm7801
Agreed.
@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms
What would the other 9 be in your opinion? Not questioning it either,I would also include Arthur Lee's Love,The Velvet Underground,Can,Santana,Neu!,Pearls before Swine,Cream,Holderlin,and Dom personally. The Psych Era was probably the most interesting in all of American Music even though I know Shocking Blue and many others of these are in fact not American.
@jamesmoore9596
Awesome song that needs a comeback. Released in '72 it did not chart in North America. I think the first time I heard it was last year on YouTube. It's really grown on me. This would have been a huge hit in the '80s with that You Can't Hurry Love "bomp" feel. Very Motown. And with the big Motown revival back then, especially in the U.K., it would have fit right in with Culture Club, Paul Young, The Commitments (OST) and all the other soul revivalists of the time. But they probably would have slapped a crappy Yamaha DX7 synth on it with a whackload of digital reverb. Ruined! But we can still dream...and enjoy the brilliant version that already exists.
@blackpanda32
a great band , and greatly unappreciated, and those voice skills, omg
@genatzvalee
I've always loved this song. It's folky, it even borrows a line from an American folk song. I see it as black and white, very cool, shimmery, over the hills and far away, haha. It reminds me a bit of Led Zeppelin's "That's the Way". My favorite moments are when the bass joins in, and later the tambourine in the end to make it more energetic. Seems like there're also a banjo and possibly a mandoline involved.
@custodioguimaraes9981
Another catchy song to love Shocking Blue and Mariska Veres even more.
@claudiovieira8797
Não conhecia essa música. Muito boa música.
@mariopalacio6538
Excelente .
Que voz de Mariska .....