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Fairground (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Fairground
| cover = Fairground.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Simply Red
| album = Life
| B-side =
* "Fairground" remixes
* "Stars" (live)
* "The Right Thing" (live)
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Dance-pop, house
| length =
*4:23 (single and video version)
*5:34 (album version)
| label = EastWest
| writer =
*Mick Hucknall
*Ren ter Horst
*Gaston Steenkist
*Srgio Mendes
| producer =
*Mick Hucknall
*Stewart Levine
| prev_title = Your Mirror
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Remembering the First Time
| next_year = 1995
| misc =
}}
"'Fairground'" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released on 18 September 1995 as the first single from their fifth album, 'Life' (1995). Co-written and co-produced by frontman Mick Hucknall, it makes extensive use of a sample of Dutch duo the Goodmen's 1993 hit "Give It Up". It became Simply Red's first and only 1 single on the UK Singles Chart, staying at the top for four weeks in September and October 1995, and was also a chart hit in mainland Europe and Australia but failed to generate long-term success in North America.
Background and release
When "Fairground" went straight to number-one in its first week on the UK Singles Chart, it had already been released to UK radio stations almost a month before, via satellite with the first promotional copies following a few days later. The single was placed in heavy rotation on Top 40 radio stations, which resulted in it reaching the top of the airplay charts, a position that was held for three weeks. When the single was released to the public on 18 September 1995, it had already been the most played record on British radio.
Composition
Producer Andy Wright has said that for 'Fairground', Mick Hucknall wanted to do a Brazilian, carnival-style track. Whilst Mick was at the dentist for two hours, Andy had the idea to sample a record that he knew of: 'Give It Up' by The Goodmen, which in-turn sampled 'Fanfarra (Cabua-le-le)' by Srgio Mendes. To round out the track, Fritz McIntyre played the house-style piano element, Ian Kirkham used the EWI (electronic wind instrument) to play the clarinet-style part, and Andy Wright made the wobbly, dreamy sound heard in the verses.
Critical reception
Swedish newspaper 'Aftonbladet' noted the "hot rhythms and odd harmonies" of the song, adding that the album "would have needed even more such songs"."SIMPLY RED Life". 'Aftonbladet'. 6 October 1995. AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann said that Mick Hucknall "opts for a Latin-tinged sound that ends up evoking Herb Alpert more than Milton Nascimento". Another editor, Jon O'Brien deemed the song "a mesmerizing fusion of tribal rhythms and ambient chillout pop". Larry Flick from 'Billboard' described it as an "expectedly romantic soul tune", adding that "fueled by his now instantly familiar voice, the track combines old-school warmth with street-smart percussion that is largely derived from samples of "Give It Up" by the Goodmen. At the core are wonderfully soothing lyrics and a melody that permanently sticks to the brain upon impact." Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger commented that it "surprised people at the time, and on the verses at least it's their strangest-sounding single. "Driving down an endless road..." it begins, and that's not at all a bad description of the lonesome vibe here the odd combination of flowing, tumbling Latin percussion and Hucknall's ruminative vocal, working together to create something genuinely arresting, even haunting."
Pan-European magazine 'Music & Media' noted that it is "totally different from Hucknall's previous singles but still very much him thanks to the one-in-a-million voice and the trademark composition." They added that "the fairground attraction" of the single is its "percussive arrangement and clubiness." A reviewer from 'Music Week' rated it five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. The reviewer added, "No wonder radio has leapt on this, a charmingly-delivered song which couples instant commerciality in the tune stakes with a hip tribal backing. Headed straight for the summit." Alan Jones said, "Despite its heavily syncopated underpinning, it is a stylish and straightforward pop song with Mick Hucknall's usual high calibre vocal and an instantly commercial chorus." James Hamilton from the magazine's 'RM' Dance Update called it "attractive". 'People Magazine's reviewer wrote that the "energetic" song "combines soulful abandon with tribal ecstasy." David Gaskey from 'The Rice Thresher' described it as "an innovative, futuristic jazz/pop song inspired by a popular fairground outside of Milan." Mark Sutherland from 'Smash Hits' stated that Hucknall "still has a lovely singing voice". However, he felt the song "sort of tinkles along merrily without really going anywhere."
Chart performance
It was the first and only single by the group to reach No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. It spent four weeks at the top, and fourteen weeks in the top 40. The track also reached No. 1 in Ireland and Italy and peaked within the top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. A remix by Soulshock and Karlin was included on the US single release and received moderate success on R&B radio but failed to chart on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, peaking at No. 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
In 2012, "Fairground" was ranked No. 47 in 'NME's list of the "50 best-selling tracks of the 90s", adding: "Shamelessly lifting the clattering samba percussion from The Goodmen's 'Give It Up' (but giving due credit), Mick Hucknall greeted his post-'Stars' future with a mid-tempo ballad that sounded like an on-the-money dance track. Everyone got on board the rollercoaster and Hucknall had a new diamond for his gnasher."
As of October 2018, the single has sold 718,463 copies according to the Official Charts Company.
Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Irish filmmaker Michael Geoghegan. The video (which uses the shorter single version) shows Mick Hucknall driving in his Jaguar XK140 to and singing at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, Lancashire, that had been closed for the day and had been invaded by a group of his friends and opened up again. The majority of the video was shot on the Pepsi Max Big One and around the park, and some scenes are shot on the Promenade showing the Illuminations in 1994. Filming credits go to the single cameraman, Steven Young.
Track listing
* 'CD maxi'
# "Fairground" (single edit) 4:23
# "Fairground" (extended single mix) 5:32
# "Stars" (live) 4:12
# "The Right Thing" (live) 4:31
* '12-inch maxi'
# "Fairground" (extended single mix) 5:32
# "Fairground" (too precious remix) 7:50
# "Fairground" (rollo and sister bliss remix) 9:42
* 'CD maxi remixes'
# "Fairground" (single edit)
# "Fairground" (extended single mix)
# "Fairground" (in the garden mix)
# "Fairground" (too precious remix)
# "Fairground" (rollo and sister bliss remix)
* 'CD single'
# "Fairground" (single edit) 4:23
# "Fairground" (in the garden mix) 5:32
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"!Chart (1995)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)
|69
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
|25
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)
|65
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
|17
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|92
|-
!scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts)
|54
|-
!scope="row"|Iceland (slenski Listinn Topp 40)
|55
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
|30
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)
|33
|-
!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
|55
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|7
|}
Certifications
Release history
References
Category:1995 singles
Category:1995 songs
Category:East West Records singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Music videos directed by Michael Geoghegan
Category:Number-one singles in Italy
Category:Number-one singles in Scotland
Category:Simply Red songs
Category:Songs written by Mick Hucknall
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
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