Shocking Blue

Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band from The Hague that existed from 1967 to 1974. Their biggest hit, "Venus", was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970.

The initial line-up consisted of:

• Robbie van Leeuwen (b. 1944) (vocals, guitar, sitar)
• Fred de Wilde (vocals)
• Klaasje van der Wal (bass guitar)
• Cor(nelius) van Beek (drums)

In 1968, Mariska Veres (b. October 1, 1947) replaced Fred de Wilde as lead singer.

They had a hit world-wide with the song "Venus", which was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970. The song was immediately covered at the year of its release by Greek pop band Olympians, with entirely different lyrics in Greek and retitled as "Το Κορίτσι Του Μάη" (To koritsi tou Mai - The girl of May). It was later part of the Stars on 45 Medley (which put it at #1 in 1981), British girl band Bananarama in the 1980s (1986), and Japanese singer Yoko Nagayama in 1986.

Nirvana also covered their song Love Buzz for their debut album Bleach in 1989.

Before the breakthrough by "Venus" the group had two minor hits in 1969 : "Long lonesome road" and "Send me a postcard". The flip-side of "Venus" was also heavily plugged on Dutch radio (:"Hot sand"). In 1970 two more hits followed: "Mighty Joe" and "Never marry a railroad man" (flip-side "roll engine roll"). In 1971 "Hello darkness" , "Shocking you" and "Blossom lady". In 1972 "Inkpot", "Out of sight out of mind" and "Eve and the apple", in 1973 "Rock in the sea" - just to name the big hits. In 1974 female singer Mariska Veres left the group to start a solo-career. Only bigger hit by her was "Take me higher" the same year. (title-listing submiited by roger kirk, r victoria)