Electric Blue (song)
"Electric Blue" is a 1987 hit single by the Australian rock / synthpop band Icehouse and was co-written by Iva Davies of Icehouse and John Oates[1] of the U.S. band Hall & Oates. The single reached number one on the Australian singles chart on 16 November 1987,[2] #7 on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on 21 May 1988,[3] #10 on the Canadian Singles Chart, #53 on the UK singles charts, and #4 on the NZ Top 40 Singles chart in November 1987.[4] Released in August 1987, it was the second single from their number one album Man of Colours on Regular Records in Australia, and, with a slightly different cover, on Chrysalis Records for European and North American releases. It is played regularly on Australian radio stations and remains one of their most popular songs according to listeners of Triple M in 2007.[5]
"Electric Blue" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
"Electric Blue" Australian release | ||||
Single by Icehouse | ||||
from the album Man of Colours | ||||
B-side | "Over My Head" | |||
Released | 31 August 1987 | |||
Recorded | EMI Studio 301, Sydney | |||
Genre | Pop rock, new wave | |||
Length | 4:23 | |||
Label | Regular Chrysalis | |||
Songwriter(s) | Iva Davies, John Oates | |||
Producer(s) | David Lord | |||
Icehouse singles chronology | ||||
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John Oates became involved with Davies after contacting him to state he was a fan. The resulting collaboration produced this song and Oates has stated that if Davies had not released the song under the Icehouse name then it would have been a Hall and Oates track.
In Australia, "Electric Blue" was available for a limited time on 7 inch blue vinyl.
A remix version by Skipraiders was released on the Icehouse album Meltdown in 2002.[6] In July 2007, it was covered by pop artist Steve Ward at the Pink Lemonade Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser.
On 5 September 2011, "Electric Blue" re-entered the Australian (ARIA) Singles Chart at #80.
Music video
The music video for "Electric Blue" was shot on the roof of 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia. It is now the Teachers Federation House. The actress featured in the video is Paris Jefferson who also features in the Icehouse music video, "Crazy". She is best known for her roles in Xena: Warrior Princess, The Diamond of Jeru, A Will of Their Own and Anna Karenina.
Track listing
Australian release (7")
- "Electric Blue"
- "Over My Head"
Australian release (12")
- "Electric Blue" (Extended mix)
- "Electric Blue" (7" version)
- "Electric Blue" (Dub Version Mix)
- "Over My Head"
UK release (12")
- "Electric Blue" (Extended Mix)
- "Electric Blue" (Dub Mix)
- "Over My Head"
UK (CD single)
- "Electric Blue" (Extended Mix)
- "Crazy" (Manic Mix)
- "Over My Head"
US (12")
- "Electric Blue" (Extended Mix)
- "Electric Blue" (Dub Mix)
- "Electric Blue" (Instrumental);
- "Electric Blue" (ST Edit)
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1987–88) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 1 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] | 83 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] | 4 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[10] | 53 |
US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 7 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[12] | 36 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] | 10 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] | 8 |
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100[15][16] | 77 |
References
- "APRA search engine". APRA. Archived from the original on May 8, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-01. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. ELECTRIC BLUE
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
- "Billboard Music Charts - Search Results - Icehouse". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
- "The Official New Zealand Music Chart NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 1987-11-15.
- "Triple M's Essential 2007 Countdown". Triple M. Archived from the original on 2008-11-22. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- "Meltdown credits". allmusic guide. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Icehouse – Electric Blue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- "Charts.nz – Icehouse – Electric Blue". Top 40 Singles.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Icehouse Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- "Icehouse Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- "Icehouse Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- "AMR Top Singles of 1987". www.top100singles.net.
- "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. December 24, 1988.
- "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved October 3, 2016.