Joyride (Roxette song)

"Joyride" is a song by the Swedish pop duo Roxette. Written by Per Gessle, it was released as the lead single from their third studio album, Joyride (1991), the follow-up to the duo's highly successful second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). It became one of Roxette's biggest hits, and was one of the most successful singles of 1991, topping multiple record charts across Europe, as well as in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

"Joyride"
Single by Roxette
from the album Joyride
B-side	"Come Back (Before You Leave)"
Released	27 February 1991
Recorded	July 1990
Studio	EMI Studios, Stockholm
Genre	Pop rock dance rock
Length	4:24 (album version) 4:00 (7-inch single)
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Per Gessle
Producer(s)	Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"It Must Have Been Love" (1990) "Joyride" (1991) "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" (1991)
Music video
"Joyride" on YouTube

Recording and release

Per Gessle has said that the opening line of the song was inspired by a note his girlfriend (now wife) left on his piano, which read: "Hej, din tok, jag älskar dig" ("Hello, you fool, I love you").[1] Its title was derived from an interview in which Paul McCartney compared writing songs with John Lennon to "a long joyride". Roxette's former tour manager Dave Edwards is credited with narration on the song.[2]

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Bryan Buss described the song as a "chanting carnival" in his review of the Joyride album.[3] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "playful pop/rock ditty with a catchy chorus that is destined to make a quick sprint up the charts."[4] Jim Farber from Entertainment Weekly noted that "they blithely toss a bit of whistling into "Joyride", next to some psychedelic Beatles-like flourishes."[5] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "Plenty of reason for joy in Top 40 land as Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson deliver the first of a new batch of songs. Wisely, the Swedish duo retain "Look Sharp" producer Clarence Ofwerman, and, once again it's clear all three understand the way to a Pop music fan's heart. Roxette has re-applied that happy, feelgood formula to making mass appeal records, and it's earned them instant recognition and remarkable chart success. This title track from their new album is certain to not only meet everyone's expectations, but surpass them."[6] Brendon Veevers from Renowned for Sound commented, "There isn’t a soul alive who cannot say they don’t love this track – Roxette fan or not. It’s pop at its finest and the video is equally as memorable; the band speeding down a U.S highway, playing guitar on top of a red corvette."[7] Rolling Stones J.D. Considine said that the song is "decked out in a glossy, Sgt. Pepper-style arrangement".[8] Mark Frith from Smash Hits labeled it as a "over-the-top" pop song, "with catchy choruses that remind you slightly of those other musical Swedes, Abba."[9]

Commercial performance

The song became one of the duo's biggest hits and was one of the most successful singles of 1991. It was their first number one single in their home country[10] and their first platinum-certified single there.[11] It also topped the charts in numerous other territories, including Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. The song spent eight weeks at number one in Germany,[12] where it was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie for sales in excess of 250,000 copies.[13] "Joyride" peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, their second-highest chart placing there—behind top three hit "It Must Have Been Love".[14]

The song spent three weeks atop the Australian Singles Chart,[15] and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments in excess of 70,000 units.[16] It went on to remain one of the top ten-best selling singles of the year in that country.[16] It was their fourth and last number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[17] It also topped the national RPM singles chart in Canada,[18] where it was certified gold by Music Canada (formerly the Canadian Recording Industry Association) for shipments in excess of 50,000 units,[19] and nominated for a Juno Award in 1992 for Best Selling Single by a Foreign Artist.[20]

In popular culture

During the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, the song was used as the intro music of the Vancouver Canucks as they took to the ice before each game.[2]

Formats and track listings

All songs written and composed by Per Gessle.

• Cassette and 7-inch single (Sweden 1364002 · UK TCEM177 · US 4JM-50342)

1. "Joyride" (7" Version) – 3:58
2. "Come Back (Before You Leave)" – 4:34

• 12-inch single (Sweden 1364006 · Germany 1C-060-1364006)

1. "Joyride" (12" Version / magicfriendmix) – 6:08
2. "Joyride" (7" Version) – 3:58
3. "Come Back (Before You Leave)" – 4:34

• CD single (Sweden 1364002 · UK CDEM177)

1. "Joyride" (7" Version) – 3:58
2. "Come Back (Before You Leave)" – 4:34
3. "Joyride" (12" Version / magicfriendmix) – 6:08
4. "Joyride" (US Remix) – 4:04

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06.[21]

• Recorded at EMI Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in July 1990.
• Mixed by Alar Suurna, Per Gessle and Clarence Öfwerman at EMI Studios in Stockholm.

Musicians

• Dave Edwards – narration
• Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals
• Per Gessle – lead and background vocals, whistling
• Anders Herrlin – programming and engineering
• Jonas Isacsson – electric guitars
• Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming and production
• Alar Suurna – engineering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[15] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[22] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[24] 12 Denmark (IFPI)[25] 1 European Hot 100 (Music & Media)[26] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 2 France (SNEP)[28] 39 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[29] 9 Italy (Musica e dischi)[30] 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 3 Norway (VG-lista)[34] 1 Poland Airplay (ZPAV)[35] 3 Portugal (AFP)[36] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[37] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[10] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[39] 21 Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[40] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position Australian Singles (ARIA)[16] 9 Austrian Singles (Ö3)[41] 6 Belgian Singles (Ultratop Flanders)[42] 7 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[43] 6 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[44] 95 Dutch Singles (Top 40)[45] 11 Dutch Singles (Top 100)[46] 12 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[47] 4 German Singles (GfK)[48] 4 New Zealand Singles (Recorded Music NZ)[49] 37 Norwegian Singles (VG-lista)[50] 1 Swiss Singles (Schweizer Hitparade)[51] 2 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[52] 47 US Billboard Hot 100[53] 23 US Singles (Cashbox)[54] 33

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16]	Platinum	70,000^^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[55]	Gold	25,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[19]	Gold	50,000^^
Germany (BVMI)[13]	Gold	250,000^^
Sweden (GLF)[11]	Platinum	50,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of European number-one airplay songs of the 1990s
• List of number-one hits in Australia
• List of number-one hits in Austria
• List of number-one hits in Belgium (Flanders)
• List of number-one hits in Germany
• List of number-one hits in the Netherlands
• List of number-one hits in Norway
• List of number-one hits in Switzerland
• List of number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100

External links

• Joyrider (CD maxi) at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

References

1. "Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! liner notes". Archived from the original on 23 March 2010.
2. "Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: Roxette, "Joyride"". Rhino Entertainment. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
3. "Roxette - Joyride". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
4. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 16 February 1991. p. 71. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
5. "Joyride". Entertainment Weekly. 19 April 1991. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
6. Sholin, Dave (15 February 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1843. p. 100. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
7. Veevers, Brendon (11 December 2013). "TOP 10 ROXETTE POP HITS". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
8. J.D. Considine (27 June 1991). "Roxette: Joyride : Music Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on 25 March 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
9. "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. No. 321. 20 March 1991. p. 44. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
10. "Swedishcharts.com – Roxette – Joyride". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
11. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Roxette – Joyride". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
13. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Roxette; 'Joyride')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
14. "Roxette: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
15. "Australian-charts.com – Roxette – Joyride". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
16. "ARIA End Of Year Singles 1991 | Top 50 Australian Singles Chart". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
17. "Roxette Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1510." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
19. "Canadian single certifications – Roxette – Joyride". Music Canada.
20. "Awards | The JUNO Awards". Juno Award. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
21. "Booklet". The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06 (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: Roxette Recordings and Capitol Records. 2006. 9463 67972–2 9.CS1 maint: others (link)
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25. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 14. 6 April 1991. p. 34. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
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27. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
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30. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 21. 25 May 1991. p. 26. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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34. "Norwegiancharts.com – Roxette – Joyride". VG-lista. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
35. "Lista Przebojów Trójki - Polskie Radio Online: Notowanie nr484 - 31 maja 1991". Polskie Radio (in Polish). 31 May 1991. Archived from the original on 2017-08-17. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
36. "Top Disco - Vendas de Discos em Portugal". Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
37. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
38. "Swisscharts.com – Roxette – Joyride". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
39. "Roxette Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
40. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
41. "Alle Rechte Jahreshitparade 1991" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 10 June 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
42. "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
43. "RPM100 – Hit Tracks of 1991 Top Singles: Volume 55, No. 3 – Dec 21, 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
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45. "De Single Top 100 1991 Over" (PDF) (in Dutch). Radio 538. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
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48. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
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50. "Topp 40 Single Russetid 1991". VG-lista (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
51. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". Swiss Hitparade. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
52. "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 11 January 1992. p. 20.
53. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 21, 1991). "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 103 (51): YE-14.
54. "Awards – Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. LV no. 20. 28 December 1991. p. 8. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
55. "Austrian single certifications – Roxette – Joyride" (in German). IFPI Austria.