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Almost Unreal
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Almost Unreal
| cover = AlmostUnreal.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Roxette
| album = Super Mario Bros.
| B-side = Fingertips '93
| released = 10 May 1993
| recorded = March 1993
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop rock
| length = 3:59
| label = EMI
| writer = Per Gessle
| producer = Clarence fwerman
| prev_title = Fingertips '93
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Sleeping in My Car
| next_year = 1994
| misc =
}}
"'Almost Unreal'" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 10 May 1993 as the lead single from the soundtrack of the 1993 live action adaption of 'Super Mario Bros.', which starred Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, and Samantha Mathis. The song became a top twenty hit in numerous territories, including Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK. It would also be the duo's final top ten hit in the latter two countries, excluding a re-release of "It Must Have Been Love" two months later. The song proved to be unsuccessful in North America, peaking at number 94 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, although it performed better in Canada where it peaked within the top thirty. It appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their next studio album, 'Crash! Boom! Bang!' (1994), mis-titled "It's Almost Unreal".
Background and recording
Per Gessle wrote "Almost Unreal" after Walt Disney Pictures contacted him about composing the theme song to Bette Midler's upcoming film 'Hocus Pocus'. The song's backing track had already been completed at London's Mayfair Studios in March 1993 when Disney informed Gessle that US girlband En Vogue had been invited to record the film's theme song. "Almost Unreal" was then transferred to another Disney project, the live action adaption of the Nintendo game series 'Super Mario Bros.', which was released under the Hollywood Pictures banner. Although hesitant about the project, the duo decided to allow the company to use the song in the film, as they were both fans of Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper. The group re-recorded the lyrics to omit most references to 'Hocus Pocus', although the title would still remain in the song's chorus, with the lyric "I love when you do that hocus pocus to me". Marie Fredriksson's vocals were recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm in March 1993, when she was nine months pregnant.
Composition and style
According to Ultimate Guitar, "Almost Unreal" is a mid-tempo pop rock song composed in the key of E major, and is written in common time with a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute. The intro is composed of two repetitions of an EBAsus2 sequence, followed by a further two lines composed of CmBAsus2. Each verse is composed of variations of a BGm7ECmEAGsus4G sequence, while the chorus is composed of two repetitions of EBA, followed by a CmBAF sequence.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from 'Billboard' complimented the song as a "familiar power pop ballad" and said that "ABBA-esque harmonies at the chorus give the track a cute vibe, while hard drums and nimble guitar riffs lend an bright rock-ish glow." Alan Jones from 'Music Week' wrote, "Roxette have produced a string of catchy pop smashes, so this frankly rather dreary song from the forthcoming 'Super Mario Brothers' is a bit of a disappointment. What could be anthemic with a little work just sounds pompous." Mike Schiller from PopMatters called the song "awful"; and wrote, "...not only does it sound like corporate pandering, but it's probably the most forced smash-hit wannabe Roxette ever created."
Roxette themselves later dismissed both the song and the associated film, calling the latter a "flop" and "ridiculous". In the liner notes of the duo's first greatest hits compilation, 'Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!', Fredriksson referred to the track as "not one of our most inspired moments", while Gessle said, "I still like the song, in a way... but if you wanted to make a parody of Roxette, it would probably sound something like this."
Music video
The music video was directed by Michael Geoghegan, and stars British actor Nick Pickard as a young man playing a video game in which he's watching parts of the film, as well as both band members performing the song.
Formats and track listings
All music and lyrics by Per Gessle.
* '7" single and cassette' (Australia 8806494 Europe 8806492 North America UK EM268)
# "Almost Unreal" 3:59
# "The Heart Shaped Sea" 4:10
* 'UK exclusive 12" picture disc' (12EMPD268)
# "Almost Unreal" 3:59
# "The Heart Shaped Sea" 4:10
# "Fingertips '93" 3:42
* 'CD single' (Europe 8806762 UK CDEM268)
# "Almost Unreal" 3:59
# "The Heart Shaped Sea" 4:10
# "Fingertips '93" 3:42
# "Almost Unreal" (AC Mix) 3:56
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of 'The Ballad Hits'.
* Recorded at Mayfair Studios, London and Polar Studios, Stockholm in March 1993
* Mixed by Per Gessle, Clarence fwerman and Alar Suurna at Mayfair Studios
'Musicians'
* Marie Fredriksson lead and backing vocals
* Per Gessle lead and backing vocals and acoustic guitar
* Per "Pelle" Alsing drums
* Vicki Benckert backing vocals
* Anders Herrlin bass guitar, engineering and programming
* Jonas Isacsson electric guitars
* Clarence fwerman keyboards, programming and production
* Staffan fwerman backing vocals
* Alar Suurna engineering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
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