"Sunshine Reggae" is a song written and recorded by Danish electronic music duo Laid Back. It was originally released as a single in July 1983 and released on their second album Keep Smiling (1983). As an international summer hit of 1983, it is the band's most successful song.
| "Sunshine Reggae" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Laid Back | |
| from the album Keep Smiling | |
| Released | July 1983 |
| Recorded | 1982 |
| Genre | Reggae |
| Length | 4:16 / 4:08 (different single editions) 6:35 (12" single) |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Music video | |
| "Sunshine Reggae" on YouTube | |
Reception and versions
edit"Sunshine Reggae" reached number one in Germany and Austria in September 1983. It peaked at number three in Italy,[1] four in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium), and number nine in Switzerland. It was surprisingly popular in South America.[2] Its popularity was further increased by a film named after the song, Sunshine Reggae in Ibiza, which premiered in November 1983.
The song appeared in various single versions released by Metronome Records, Polydor Records, Sire Records, CBS and Atlas Records.[3] The song was also released in different versions as a 12" maxi single with a length of about 6:30 minutes.
In the music video, band members are bored office workers who fantasize about a South Sea beach, where they perform the song, have fun, and play music with the locals. The video was recorded in Sri Lanka.
In the US, the single's B-side song, "White Horse", became more successful. It was released as a single and went on to spend three weeks at number one on the Dance Charts.[4][5]
Charts
edit| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentina (CAPIF)[6] | 1 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] | 1 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] | 4 |
| Canada (RPM)[9] | 46 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[10] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 4 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 9 |
| Uruguay (CUD) | 1 |
| West Germany (GfK)[13] | 1 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Germany (BVMI)[15] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions
editA version by the Nips (this was the name of an Italian studio production group, and not to be confused with the Nips from the UK) peaked at number three in Switzerland in 1983.[16] In 2000, the version by Laid Back vs. Funkstar De Luxe peaked at number 68 in Germany.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Musica e dischi". Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Laid Back".
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 66.
- ^ "Official German Charts". Retrieved 2019-03-09.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 150.
- ^ Chris Gerard. "The 100 Best Alternative Singles of the 1980s".
- ^ "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 16 June 1984. p. 32.
- ^ "Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "RPM Top 50 Singles - March 31, 1984" (PDF).
- ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Laid Back".
- ^ "Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Laid Back – Sunshine Reggae". Music Canada. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Laid Back; 'Sunshine Reggae')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ "The Nips - Sunshine Reggae". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
- ^ "Official German Charts". Retrieved 2019-03-09.