"Forever Young" by Alphaville

Song#:  2254
Date:  03/23/1985
Debut:  95
Peak:  93
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Synthpop



Pop Bits:  The German band's first single, "Big in Japan," did quite well in Europe and on the US Dance chart where it got to #1. However, it didn't catch on at Pop and stalled at #66. Their next charting song in the US would be the title-track to their debut album Forever Young. As before, the single would reach the Top 10's of several European countries, but then fizzled in the US. It made a slight impression at Dance getting to #32 and spent a month near the very bottom of the Pop chart. However, that would not be the end of the song's story. Before the end of '88 the song would be reissued and do a bit better on the chart.

ReduxReview:  This is one of those songs that perhaps you think you may not know, but once you hear it, you'll recognize it. Over the years, the track has been heard in commercials, TV shows, and films. Many artists have covered the song in their concerts as well. It's a shame it never really caught on in the US. It's one of those songs that has a big sing-a-long chorus and seems to relay an important message. Usually, the pop audience will hook into these songs but for some reason this one got ignored. I think if a more prominent artist did the song in a big, orchestrated arrangement, it might have been a hit (Laura Branigan did a version on her fourth album, but more on that in a future post). Even though it sounds so dated now, the song is still a winner.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  When they hit with "Big in Japan," which went Top 10 or #1 in many European countries, their plan was to then issue "Forever Young" next as that song was completed and set to go. However, with their debut album still in the works, the record company wanted to save "Forever Young" for later and asked the band to quickly write and record something new specifically for single release. They reluctantly did so and within a two-day span they had recorded "Sounds Like a Melody." It quickly got issued as a single and ended up doing well going Top 10 in many countries. However, the band was left with a bad taste in their mouths regarding the pressure to write the song and despite it being a hit, they apparently refused to play the song for nearly a decade.

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