Shocking Blue was a rock band from The Hague, The Netherlands that existed … Read Full Bio ↴Shocking Blue was a rock band from The Hague, The Netherlands that existed from 1967 to 1974. Fronted by singer, Mariska Veres, and with guitarist/songwriter, Robbie van Leeuwen, as its creative force, the band enjoyed international chart success and are one of the most successful bands ever to come out of The Netherlands.

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 - - - - - - - - - -

The Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

L

The devil and the angel are both been you.
The devil and the angel are both been you.
Ooh-ooh.
Ooh-ooh.

You can dance, make romance

And sometimes you are as cold as ice.
What goes on in your mind
When you say you'll never leave me behind?
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!

The devil and the angel are both been you.
The devil and the angel are both been you.
Ooh-ooh.
Ooh-ooh.

You are sweet, you are neat,
But sometimes you change and make me cry.
You are fine, you're mine,
But sometimes you like to break my heart.
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!

Overall Meaning

The Shocking Blue's song "The Shocking Blue" seems to be about a person who is both sweet and cold, loving and heart-breaking. The lyrics depict this person as being both an angel and a devil - capable of good and evil. The singer wonders what goes on in their mind when they say they will never leave them behind. This person can dance, make romance, but sometimes shifts into being as cold as ice. The lyrics also state that this person can sometimes change and cause the singer to cry.

The juxtaposing of the devil and angel imagery is fascinating as it gives the listener an understanding of the complex nature of the person being described. The use of opposites is also prevalent in the lyrics, sweet or neat contrasted with a tendency to break the singer's heart. In conclusion, it is a song about love and the emotional extremes that one can experience in a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

The devil and the angel are both been you.
You have both good and bad qualities in you.

Ooh-ooh.
Undetermined expression of emotion.

You can dance, make romance
You have the ability to have fun and be romantic.

And sometimes you are as cold as ice.
You can be detached and unfeeling at times.

What goes on in your mind
I am curious about your thoughts and feelings.

When you say you'll never leave me behind?
I am unsure if you will stay with me or not.

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!
Undetermined expression of emotion.

The devil and the angel are both been you.
You have both good and bad qualities in you.

Ooh-ooh.
Undetermined expression of emotion.

You are sweet, you are neat,
You are kind and orderly.

But sometimes you change and make me cry.
Your behavior can be unpredictable and hurtful.

You are fine, you're mine,
You are good enough for me and I want you.

But sometimes you like to break my heart.
You enjoy hurting me sometimes.

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!
Undetermined expression of emotion.

Contributed by Levi M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@imperfectshows1894

4y↑48

A1 Long And Lonesome Road 00:00 - 02:43
A2 Love Machine 02:47 - 06:05
A3 The Butterfly And I 06:07 - 10:10
A4 Venus 10:12 - 13:15
A5 California Here I Come 13:18 - 16:34
A6 Poor Boy 16:36 - 21:28
B1 Mighty Joe 21:29 - 24:33
B2 Bool Weevil 24:37 - 26:56
B3 Acka Ragh 27:00 - 30:05
B4 love buzz 30:08 - 33:50
B5 I'm A Woman 33:53 - 36:51
B6 Send Me A Postcard 36:55 - 39:30

@custodioguimaraes9981

Eletrizante Presente Iridescente
(POEMARISKaVEREsSHOCKINgRAINBOw)

Mariska Veres - todas as mulheres
em uma: quinta-essência do Uno,
silhueta e cabeleira celestes,
olhar turquesa de aurora boreal.

Caras, looks e kohl* em caleidoscópio.
Voz de arrepio no encanto de sereia.
Vênus - a deusa: o amor e a beleza em verbos.
Paixão à primeira audiovisão.

* kohl: pó cosmético negro usado pelas mulheres do Oriente para delinear olhos e sobrancelhas

All comments from YouTube:

@user-oj1xl6tr3y

26w↑3

Память на века всем ушедшим рокерам рок 🎸 рольщикам рокершам рок 🎸 навсегда здорово 👍

@luvhatpunk9453

50w↑6

I was surprised that I had only heard Venus for radio airplay. When I finally scored a copy of this LP in a used record store I found the whole album to be consistently well written and performed. I've listened to the entire LP over and over through the years and will continue to do so because it's a fantastic album. R.I.P. Mariska Veres.

@Eldorado42

3y↑14

БРАВО! ШОКИН БЛЮ! Непревзойденная МАРИШКА ВЕРЕШ! ПОМНИМ ВСЕГДА!

@imperfectshows1894

4y↑48

@paulperkins1615

4y↑2

Thanks. On my pressing, the instrumental between where you marked the end of California Here I Come and where the vocal for Poor Boy begins was part of the track for Poor Boy. Multiple CD re-releases of the song Poor Boy frustratingly cut it off at the end of the instrumental section, at the moment of silence before the song properly begins.

@imperfectshows1894

4y↑1

@Paul Perkins Edited

@sinisamihajlovic4429

26w

❤❤❤ RESPECT!

@user-cy1sw4sh5u

26w

Согласен с тобой

@user-xx5sv3vf7n

1y↑8

Очень искренняя,остающаяся на всю жизнь в душЕ и в сердце,как первая любовь МУЗЫКА,,,,,, FOREVER,,,,,

@flammaferus2998

34w

Yes! ...Shocking Blue 🚀🚀🚀

@keithfrazier7826

3y↑16

I got this album on an old paper label cassette around 1990, and was expecting only the hit Venus to be any good. Wow, was I ever wrong! Since then I have listened to this album through probably 60-80 times, and I can honestly say that, with the exception of I'm A Woman, every other song on here is very good. In fact, I publish a list of my 200 favorite albums of all time, and it came in at #39 on my most recent update. The Shocking Blue were far from being one-hit-wonders for the song Venus, as this album is catchy and melodic, rocks pretty damned hard, and has a wonderful Eastern flavor to it courtesy of their tasteful use of those instruments. If you like the song Venus, do your ears a favor and listen to this entire album start-to-finish. You won't believe how great it is.

@stevencorsoe9575

2y↑1

As I said we are a Top 40 world and we should appreciate great music by listening to the whole thing.Like reading a great book or watching a great movie and understanding it...It's a rare form today.

@wwicophone1966

1y↑4

Los tiempos pasan pero los recuerdos no siempre estarán en cada uno de nosotros Shocking Blue y Mariska Veres estarán por siempre gracias por el vídeo

@luiscordoba5636

1y↑5

En toda la historia del la psicodelia y del hippismo una de las mejores bandas neardentales cariños hasta la eternidad Mariska desde Piura Perú

@brettsnively4278

3y↑5

Thank You for posting this album. I was around 8 and Mom asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told her a Rock n Roll record like my older cousin has... I got a few that year and this was my favorite. Wore the grooves out of side 2. Haven't heard Boll Weevil or Love Buzz since maybe 1975. Y'all just took me back to my childhood bedroom for a little while and I can't thank you enough.

@StanLeeCubeBrick

3y↑8

Among most underrated bnds of ll tine.....breakthrough/debut album not single bad one. Beautiful ked singer.

@artamussumatra6286

2y↑5

One of my all time super faves - Love the Shocking Blue!

@user-dm4pp5pz7w

40w↑1

Первый раз услышал их в 1972 году и сразу стал их фанатом

@paulperkins1615

4y↑32

This is the Shocking Blue album I found in a bin in a short-lived record shop in Florida in 1970 or possibly 1971, after hearing Venus, Postcard, Mighty Joe, and Railroad Man on the local AM radio station and then searching every record shop I could get to for months for anything by this group. It was decades later before the Internet developed to the point where it was finally useful for tracking down more information about and more music by them.

@madmad8582

3y↑2

Hi Paul cool post i understand that i always new the song venus but not much i could find iether until the internet too and as an Artist i find them to be very talented and smart they new many kinds of music it was well produced amazeing sound , and she really could touch a mans heart with her voice , they new how to work there stuff i could go on for hours about this remarkable band.

@calebballantine3402

3y↑2

You the man Paul Perkins

@Nazzz65

3y↑3

For me I found a very playable copy of 'Scorpio's Dance' in a Suburban Boston Goodwill thrift store (Marlboro MA). This around 10 or 12 years ago? 'Scorpio's Dance' was not exactly like finding both ''#1 Record' and 'Radio City' together in a cut-out bin in 1985 but it was certainly NO disappointment. 'Scorpio's Dance' put the hook in me with the STUNNING ''Send Me A Postcard''!!! A long-gone, deep cut and lost track nobody should miss...

@hdew77

2y↑4

I was wondering if I was the only one that had a copy of this album with the cover you posted. I had heard most of this album 2 or 3 times ('71) on a radio station in the area, so when I saw it in a local K-Mart for about 50 cents, guess what I did? Still have the record, one of my favorites, and I have thousands. Good and diverse from start to finish.

@blubeaz

Thank you, great!

2 More Replies...

@martinsplichal1581

3y↑7

Awesome, sounds great from the vinyl, thanks.

@honeybozo

2y↑3

Classic album -doesn’t matter that Robbie got his inspiration from elsewhere: these sounds set a bar that still somehow eludes anything else that comes from Holland.

It’s quite telling that Venus never reached no 1 there...

@rustybeltway2373

3y↑7

Good in the headphones. Great arrangements. Found a best of cassette years ago, fan ever since.

@odysseasandroutsos1821

It's 3:20, I'm wearing my headphones and dancing alone in my dark room. If only I had some booze...

@jefffloyd7105

5y↑8

dutch + rock = awesome! Now i can listen to their first set and enjoy

@pinin21

22w↑1

Masterpiece! With the exception of Venus this band was really underrated, at least in Europe.

@user-dm4pp5pz7w

40w

Первый раз услышал их в 1972 году и сразу стал их фанатом 😊

@user-uj5vAlexanderDok

3y↑3

Хороший канал!... много музыки для моего вкуса...

@adrianomelo6565

2y↑3

Mais alguém do Brazil escutando ...direto de Fortaleza city -ceara

@Nazzz65

3y↑5

Featuring the late Mariska Veres (nee Elizabeth Ender). Because of her fantastic (''contralto''-style?) voice she became known in the 60s as ''The Dutch Grace Slick'' (or was it the other way around?). Mariska Veres didn't write the book on the particular 60s high fashion revival of dark, dark kohl eyeliner exactly but she certainly contributed a chapter. Mariska Veres: mean, moody and magnificent and at 59 gone way too young (2006 sadly from cancer). Interesting factoid: just like Agnetha and Anni-Frid from Abba, Mariska spoke no English early in her career and had to sing phonetically at least initially. For example: ''A god(ness) on a mountain top...''. I always thought there was a palpable sense of remoteness and ''mystery'' to Mariska Veres vocals on not only their their single ''Venus'' but all over ''Scorpio's Dance'', the 1970 Shocking Blue LP that ''Venus'' was taken from. I never knew where the ''mysteriousness and remoteness'' of Mariska Veres vocals on ''Venus'' came from. Of course she had awesome pipes but I might go so far as to say her unusual (even unnatural) ''phonetic''' vocals and her slightly off-kilter phrasing was the fortuitous accident that helped ''Venus'' skyrocket to multi, multi platinum status for the ages. Those ''flawed'' vocals gave Venus it's strange appeal.

@sacchin1542

3y↑1

"Her weapons were her crystal eyes"

That was the line that got me hooked and convinced that there is something magic in her vocals.

@valeriyblinov1573

44w↑1

Super LEGENDS!!! Love!! Thank You!!!

@valentinpetrov1833

43w

Шедевр мирового искусства, лично для меня куда получше всяких однообразных дережаблей да королев будет, браво!!!

@flammaferus2998

34w

used to play "Mighty Joe" on guitar with a great pleasure 🎸 🙂

@rafaelbraga2751

46w↑1

Very good sound and band 🎤 🎸

@user-ev9eu6rf9f

3y↑2

А мне на душу упала композиция ван тандей

@MiguelGomez-hj3yc

5y↑16

Shocking Blue Rules!!

@jeffdawson2786

4y↑7

Such groovy time travel.

@river-jordan612

3y↑10

So good. People who don't like this are proper nobs!

@franciscozarppa7747

3y↑5

What a great discover, I only knew Venus but now I'm an inconditional fan, maybe a little late..

@RodionRomanov

1y↑1

El track de Venus está dañadísimo. Me da gusto saber que se le dio buen uso a este disco en sus días. :)

@marcelopinheiro5557

5y↑6

Very nice!

@user-dc7wf4mj9f

28w

Кажись это сборник с двух дисков 69 и 70 года.
Калифорния была в Танец Скорпиона 70г.
В основном материале песни с диска 69года ,,At home".

@custodioguimaraes9981

@RX797JMLAB

25w

Интересно, а на катушке reel-to-reel, что официально издали на 9 скорости Venus тоже в моно?

@esvensena8001

20w↑1

DELIGHTFUL SONGS...!!!
🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤AHHHHHHHH...

@yuriyositrov1617

1y↑1

Класс Класс Клааасссс

@michaelgaskell7408

2y↑1

Wasn't Long and Lonesome Road a B-side to one of their Penny Farthing singles ?

@23danmat

3y↑6

a pearl of other times !

@user-vx9te1ho6j

43w

Только кавер у этой пластинки другой.

@user-dm4pp5pz7w

40w

Супер

@vladimirfateev9048

3y↑4

Mariska is a Goddess

@salomebatsarah5528

3y↑4

Remarkable

@jefffloyd7105

5y↑8

Damn right! Thank you

@alexandrepolito3949

3y↑2

Sou, colesionador,de, vinil,este,eu, não, tenho, gostei,um,dia, eu,acho,um, desse,valeu, irmão,,,👍

@SilvaVieira-qr9xz

20w

😊🤘

@antichristiantormentowers6381

2y↑2

👌

@loreleiamrijass6991

3y↑2

🤘🖤🖤🖤

@Album382

3y↑1

good trip

@forevershampoo

2y↑1

That intro guitar reminds me of modest mouse shitluck

@nikolajorlov3899

15w

10:11 <= 4. Venus

@Berley_1234

22w

they didnt' like clothes eh? lol

@silvioalves22357

4y↑5

love Mariska Veres

@romancareca9630

43w

Mystery from Netherlands

@firefoxsonico5427

43w

Much better of Jefferson airplane.

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