"Run to Paradise" by Choirboys

Song#:  3829

Date:  03/11/1989

Debut:  89

Peak:  80

Weeks:  7

Genre:  Hard Rock

Pop Bits:  This pub rock band from Sydney, Australia, first got started in 1979. They would spend the next few years performing on the local circuit and honing their writing skills. Along the way they would record demos and one of those happened to find its way to George Young, former member of the famous and influential 60s Australian rock band The Easybeats (and older brother of AC/DC's Malcolm and Angus Young). He got them signed to Albert Productions and in 1983 a self-titled debut album was recorded. Its first single, "Never Gonna Die," would reach #30 in Australia with the album getting to #26. It was a good start, but before they could capitalize on the success, lead singer Mark Gable ruptured his vocal chords and that put the band in hiatus for a couple of years. In '86, they were ready for a return and signed on with Mushroom Records. An initial single was a modest charter, but then in '87 "Run to Paradise" would get to #3 in Australia. A second album, Big Bad Noise, would follow and get to #5. Two further singles would also perform well. With that success, a deal was struck for US distribution and "Run to Paradise" was issued out early in '88. The song would reach #33 at Rock while spending a few weeks in the bottom quarter of the Pop chart. It would be their only single to make the US charts. The album didn't make an impression and failed to chart.

ReduxReview:  Although the band was from Australia, the sound of this single fit right in with American heartland rock. Gable's gravely voice fronted a meaty production of crunchy guitars and big drums. There were shades of Henry Lee Summer and Mellencamp in the tune and it worked well. It was a good track that might have done a little better a few years earlier when this style of rock was more in favor. With glam rock reigning and other genres crowding pop radio, this track was going to be a difficult sell. Still, it was a nice slice of rock.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The band's next album, 1991's Midnight Sun, was unable to capitalize on the success of Big Bad Noise. It featured two mid-charting singles in Australia and that left the album peaking at #30. After a live album, the band was then let go from Mushroom Records. They would continue to be a popular live act and would record a few indie albums over the years.  2) This song got a revival in 2004. Australian DJ Nick Skitz would do a new dance remix of the tune and release it as by Nick Skitz vs. Choirboys. The track caught on and it ended up reaching #16. Skitz had been remixing popular songs and putting them into his own compilations beginning in the mid-90s. In 2008, the compilation Skitzmix 8 became his first to make the Australian Dance Top 10 and from that point through to 2013 most all of his remix compilations had reached the Dance Top 10.

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