"Science Fiction" is a song by Australian rock/new wave group Divinyls, which was the lead single from their first studio album Desperate.[2][3][4] Released in December 1982,[1] "Science Fiction", peaked at No. 13 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[5] The B-side, "I'll Make You Happy" is a cover of The Easybeats 1966 hit.[2]
| "Science Fiction" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 7" vinyl release | ||||
| Single by Divinyls | ||||
| from the album Desperate | ||||
| A-side | "Science Fiction" | |||
| B-side | "I'll Make You Happy" | |||
| Released | 6 December 1982[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | New wave | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Mark Opitz | |||
| Divinyls singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In May 2001, "Science Fiction" was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.[6]
Background
editChristina Amphlett and Mark McEntee (ex-Air Supply) met at the Sydney Opera House where Amphlett was singing in a choral concert in 1980.[2][4][7] They recruited Jeremy Paul (ex-Air Supply), Bjarne Ohlin and Richard Harvey,[3] and they provided the soundtrack for the film Monkey Grip (1982).[8] The group released two singles from the soundtrack, Music from Monkey Grip EP,[9] "Boys in Town", which reached No. 8 on the national singles chart,[5] and "Only Lonely".[2] Original bassist Jeremy Paul left before the movie or first single were released.[4] He was replaced on bass, eventually by Rick Grossman (ex Matt Finish).[3][10]
After releasing Music from Monkey Grip EP on WEA in 1982, Divinyls released their first studio album Desperate on Chrysalis Records in 1983.[3] The album included the No. 13 hit on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, "Science Fiction" .[5] Their early manager Vince Lovegrove was former co-lead vocalist of 1960s pop band The Valentines with Bon Scott (later in AC/DC); Lovegrove had organised Divinyls' transfer from WEA to Chrysalis and their first tours of United States.[2] The B-side of this single is their cover version of The Easybeats' 1966 hit "I'll Make You Happy".[2]
Track listing
edit- "Science Fiction" (Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee)[11] – 3:32
- "I'll Make You Happy" (Stevie Wright, George Young)[12] – 3:21
Personnel
editDivinyls members
- Christina Amphlett – vocals
- Mark McEntee – guitar
- Bjarne Ohlin – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
- Richard Harvey – drums
- Rick Grossman – bass guitar
Additional musicians
Production details
- Producer – Mark Opitz
Charts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1982–1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 13 |
Year end charts
edit| Chart (1983) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] | 96 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Platterlog: Singles – Supplementary Page: 59 > 6 December 1982". Platterlog. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via Imgur.com.
- ^ a b c d e f McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Divinyls'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 8 September 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
- ^ a b c d Holmgren, Magnus; Baird, Paul. "Divinyls". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ a b c Nimmervoll, Ed. "Divinyls". HowlSpace – The Living History of Our Music. Archived from the original on 28 March 2001. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 91. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
- ^ Kruger, Debbie (2 May 2001). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
- ^ Amphlett, Christina; Larry Writer (November 2005). Pleasure and Pain: My Life. Sydney: Hachette Livre Australia. ISBN 0-7336-1959-2.
- ^ "Monkey Grip at Internet Movie Database (IMDb)". IMDb. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
- ^ "Monkey Grip Soundtrack at IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
- ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "Rick Grossman". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ ""Science Fiction" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
- ^ ""Middle Man" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
- ^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 5 August 2020 – via Imgur.com.
