Science Fiction (song)

"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"
Released6 December 1982[1]
Recorded1982
GenreNew wave
Length3:32
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mark Opitz
Divinyls singles chronology
"Boys in Town"
(1981)
"Science Fiction"
(1982)
"Siren"
(1983)

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

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Christina 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

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  1. "Science Fiction" (Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee)[11] – 3:32
  2. "I'll Make You Happy" (Stevie Wright, George Young)[12] – 3:21

Personnel

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Divinyls members

Additional musicians

Production details

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1982–1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 13

Year end charts

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Chart (1983) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 96

References

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  1. ^ a b "Platterlog: Singles – Supplementary Page: 59 > 6 December 1982". Platterlog. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via Imgur.com.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Kruger, Debbie (2 May 2001). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  7. ^ Amphlett, Christina; Larry Writer (November 2005). Pleasure and Pain: My Life. Sydney: Hachette Livre Australia. ISBN 0-7336-1959-2.
  8. ^ "Monkey Grip at Internet Movie Database (IMDb)". IMDb. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  9. ^ "Monkey Grip Soundtrack at IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  10. ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "Rick Grossman". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  11. ^ ""Science Fiction" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  12. ^ ""Middle Man" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  13. ^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 5 August 2020 – via Imgur.com.