The NeverEnding Story (song)

"The NeverEnding Story" is the title song from the English version of the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story. It was produced and composed by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder and performed by Limahl. Limahl released two versions of the song, one in English and one in French. The English version featured vocals by Beth Anderson, and the French version titled "L'Histoire Sans Fin" featured vocals by Ann Calvert. It was a success in many countries, reaching No. 1 in Norway and Sweden, No. 2 in Austria, Germany and Italy, No. 4 in the UK, No. 6 in Australia and No. 1 in the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

"The NeverEnding Story"
Single by Limahl
from the album Don't Suppose and The NeverEnding Story soundtrack
B-side	"Ivory Tower" or Instrumental version
Released	25 July 1984
Recorded	January 1984
Genre	Synthpop, new wave
Length	3:31
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey
Producer(s)	Giorgio Moroder
Limahl singles chronology
"Too Much Trouble" (1984) "The NeverEnding Story" (1984) "Tar Beach" (1984)
Music video
"The NeverEnding Story" on YouTube

Original version

Background and writing

The song was composed by Giorgio Moroder with lyrics by Keith Forsey, although it (and other electronic pop elements of the soundtrack) is not present in the German version of the film, which features Klaus Doldinger's score exclusively.

Beth Anderson recorded her lyrics in America separately from Limahl's.[1] Anderson does not appear in the music video; frequent Limahl backup singer Mandy Newton lip syncs Anderson's lyrics.

As a reference to the film and its title, the song has no distinctive beginning, nor an end. While many songs fade out, "The NeverEnding Story" not only fades out, but also fades in, thus making it "never ending".

Personnel

• Limahl – vocals
• Beth Anderson – background vocals
• Dee Harris – guitar
• Giorgio Moroder – synthesizer
• Keith Forsey – drums, percussion

Cover versions

• For The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, the song was performed by Joe Milner, heard during the closing credits.
• J-pop group E-Girls covered a Japanese version of the song in 2013. It debuted in the second place of the Oricon weekly singles chart, selling 40,055 copies.
• American pop punk group New Found Glory covered the song on their 2000 EP From the Screen to Your Stereo.
• Shooter Jennings and Brandi Carlile covered the song on Jennings' 2016 Giorgio Moroder tribute album Countach (For Giorgio).
• German eurodance group Scooter's thirteenth studio album Jumping All Over the World samples the theme song from the American version of the film.
• Canadian industrial band The Birthday Massacre covered the song for their 2004 album Violet. The track was omitted from the final release, but became audible via online leaks.
• Swedish melodic power metal band Dragonland covered the song and included it as a bonus track for the Japanese version of their album Holy War.
• Norwegian synth-pop act Echo Image covered the song as a b-side on their 2001 single "Skulk".

Legacy

In the final episode of the third season of Stranger Things, set in 1985, "The NeverEnding Story" is sung by Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and his long-distance girlfriend Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) as a way to reconnect after not seeing each other for some time.[2] Following the season's release on July 4, 2019, interest in "The NeverEnding Story" surged; viewership of the original music video had increased by 800% within a few days according to YouTube, while Spotify reported an 825% increase in stream requests for the song. Limahl expressed gratitude for Netflix for this; while he had not watched the series, he was told of the song's inclusion by his nephews and watched clips of the duet. Limahl had previously found a similar increase in his past work when Netflix used his band Kajagoogoo's song "Too Shy" in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.[3][4]

Track listings

7" single

1. "The NeverEnding Story"
2. "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder

12" single

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (club mix) – 6:09
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (instrumental version) – 5:28

12" maxi

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" mix) – 5:17
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (7" mix) – 3:30
3. "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) (instrumental) by Giorgio Moroder – 5:54

iTunes single

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" mix) – 5:20
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (Giorgio 7" mix) – 3:31
3. "The NeverEnding Story" (Rusty 7" mix) – 3:54
4. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" dance mix) – 6:08
5. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" dub mix) – 5:27
6. "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder – 3:08
7. "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) by Giorgio Moroder – 5:55

Official mixes

• "The NeverEnding Story" (7" Mix) – 3:28
• "The NeverEnding Story" (12" Mix) – 5:17
• "The NeverEnding Story" (Club Mix) – 6:09
• "The NeverEnding Story" (Instrumental Version) – 5:28

Certifications

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified
UK[5]	Silver	December 1, 1984	200,000

Charts

Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 6 Austrian Singles Chart[7] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 3 French SNEP Singles Chart[7] 7^1 German Singles Chart[9] 2 Irish Singles Chart[10] 4 Japanese Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 5 Japanese Oricon International Singles Chart 1 New Zealand Singles Chart[11] 28 Norwegian Singles Chart[11] 1 Poland (LP3)[12] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[13] 1 Swedish Singles Chart[7] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[7] 3 UK Singles Chart[14] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 17 US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[15] 6 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[15] 10 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[15] 23

End of year chart (1984) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 49 Austrian Singles Chart[17] 11 Poland (LP3)[18] 8

¹ "The NeverEnding Story"/"L'Histoire Sans Fin"

References

1. "'NeverEnding Story' Release Info". Limahl.co.uk. Archived from the original on October 10, 1999. Retrieved June 17, 2010. (dead)
2. Gooden, Tai (July 4, 2019). "The Song Dustin & Suzie Sing In 'Stranger Things' From 'The Neverending Story' Was An Epic Choice For The Teen Couple". Bustle. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
3. Codero, Rosy (July 9, 2019). "The NeverEnding Story theme singer Limahl celebrates newfound interest thanks to 'Stranger Things'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
4. Kaufman, Gil (July 18, 2019). "Limahl 'Gobsmacked' by Explosion of Interest in 'Neverending Story' Thanks to 'Stranger Things'". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
5. UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "NeverEnding Story", various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2017-03-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de Archived 2008-12-16 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
10. Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
11. "Limahl – The Never Ending Story (song)". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
12. "Results of Polish Charts from 20.10.1984" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
13. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
14. UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
15. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
16. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – 1984". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
17. 1984 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
18. "Podsumowanie roku 1984 na LP3" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 15 May 2020.