"The Riddle" | ||||
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Single by Nik Kershaw | ||||
from the album The Riddle | ||||
Released | 5 November 1984 | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Nik Kershaw | |||
Producer(s) | Peter Collins | |||
Nik Kershaw singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Riddle" on YouTube |
"The Riddle" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released in 1984 as the lead single from his second studio album of the same name. Kershaw described the lyrical content as being nondescript to fill as a "guide vocal" for the production. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in countries like Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. An accompanying music video was made for the song and features references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).
The song was covered by many artists, including Gigi D'Agostino (1999), dArtagnan (band) ,Jack Holiday and Mike Candys (2012).
The "riddling" lyrics caused speculation among listeners as to their meaning; Kershaw states that there is in fact no intended meaning at all, the words simply being a "guide vocal" thrown together to fit the music. Kershaw has stated: "In short, 'The Riddle' is nonsense, rubbish, bollocks, the confused ramblings of an 80s popstar." [1]
The music video to "The Riddle" depicts Kershaw walking through a house shaped like a question mark, making his way through certain obstacles and looking through drawers while singing. The video depicts many references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) with an appearance of a young girl exiting the room through a small door, two portly gentlemen who resemble Tweedledum and Tweedledee and an observation made by Kershaw to Through the Looking-Glass (1871).
At the beginning of the music video, Kershaw is seen trying to get through a door with a screwdriver. The video ends with the camera moving up away from Kershaw to reveal that the question mark is lying in an alleyway, at which point, a man in a green costume seen earlier in the video comes and picks it up. The green man is the Riddler, a villain from the Batman comics.
Two versions of the video exist, with minor differences.[ citation needed ]
7" Single (WEA NIK 6) [2]
A: "The Riddle" – 3:52
B: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02
12" Single (WEA NIKT 6) [3]
A: "The Riddle" (Extended Riddle) – 5:08
B: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02
Cassette Single (WEA NIKC 6) [4]
A1: "The Riddle" – 3:52
A2: "Interview"
A3: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02
B1: "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Extended Mix)
B2: "Wouldn't It Be Good" (Extended Mix)
"The Riddle" [2]
Produced by Peter Collins
"Progress"
Recorded Live at Hammersmith Odeon.
Mixed by Simon Boswell
"The Riddle (Extended Riddle)"
Produced by Peter Collins
The extended mix is named "Special Extended Mix" on the cover and "Extended Riddle" on the label.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
"The Riddle" | ||||
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Single by Gigi D'Agostino | ||||
from the album L'Amour Toujours | ||||
B-side | "Remix" | |||
Released | December 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1999 | |||
Genre | Italo dance | |||
Length | 4:45 | |||
Label | ZYX | |||
Songwriter(s) | Nik Kershaw | |||
Producer(s) | Gigi D'Agostino | |||
Gigi D'Agostino singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"The Riddle" on YouTube |
"The Riddle" was covered as a dance song by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino, featuring uncredited vocals by British singer Adam Austin. This version was released on D'Agostino's second studio album, L'Amour Toujours (1999). The same lyrics are used as in Kershaw's song, but the order is changed and the tempo is faster.
The music video, which was made by Andreas Hykade, features La Linea -styled animation like the "Bla Bla Bla" music video (both of which feature the same humanoid character), taking place entirely with white lines on a light green background and features the aforementioned character fighting a dragon on a mountainous terrain.
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [27] | 14 |
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) [28] | 8 |
Canada Dance/Urban ( RPM ) [29] | 12 [lower-alpha 1] |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles) [30] | 15 |
France (SNEP) [31] | 7 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [32] | 4 |
Hungary (MAHASZ) [33] | 5 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [34] | 8 |
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [35] | 4 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [36] | 11 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [37] | 4 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [38] | 4 |
Chart (2000) | Position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [39] | 26 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [40] | 53 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [41] | 23 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [42] | 67 |
Chart (2002) | Position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [43] | 47 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [44] | 61 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [45] | 52 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Austria (IFPI Austria) [46] | Gold | 25,000* |
France (SNEP) [47] | Silver | 125,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [48] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) [49] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
"The Riddle Anthem" | ||||
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Single by Jack Holiday and Mike Candys | ||||
Released | 19 November 2012 | |||
Genre | Electronic | |||
Length | 3:13 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Nik Kershaw | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Jack Holiday singles chronology | ||||
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Mike Candys singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Riddle Anthem" on YouTube |
"The Riddle" was covered as a dance song by Swiss DJs Mike Candys and Jack Holiday. It was retitled "The Riddle Anthem" and released in November 2012.
Chart (2012–2013) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [50] | 29 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [51] | 31 |
France (SNEP) [52] | 43 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [53] | 44 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [54] | 26 |
Luigino Celestino di Agostino, known professionally as Gigi D'Agostino, is an Italian DJ and music producer. In 1986, he started his career as a DJ spinning Italo disco. His biggest chart successes include "Bla Bla Bla", "Another Way", a cover of Nik Kershaw's "The Riddle", "La Passion", "Super" and "L'Amour Toujours", all in the years 1999 and 2000. The hookline of "L'Amour Toujours" was also used for the 2018 hit game remix/mashup "In My Mind".
Human Racing is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 27 February 1984 by MCA Records. Several songs like "Drum Talk" were based around improvisation; other songs, like "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", had a political message.
The Riddle is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 19 November 1984 by MCA Records.
"La Passion" is a song co-written and recorded by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino. It was released in October 2000 as the sixth single from his 1999 album L'Amour Toujours. It is a remix with some additional melodic variations of the song "Rectangle" by the French musician Jacno, which doesn't originally contain any vocals. Music producer and songwriter Carlo Montagner provides the vocals, which were heavily auto-tuned, as were many songs which followed Cher's trend during the early 2000s. D'Agostino has made various mixes for different albums. The song was a hit in Austria and Belgium, where it became a number 1 single.
"L'amour toujours" is a song co-written and recorded by the Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino. The song was released to American clubs and dance radio in July 2000. In Europe, the song was released in October 2000. The song is from D'Agostino's 1999 album of the same name. Ola Onabule is the vocalist of this song. He performs all the vocals on the track and on all versions of the song. It became an international success and a huge hit throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and Canada. In 2001, the song became extremely popular in the American dance club scene, peaking at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 15 September 2001. The album version has a different mix, which was used as the single version in the United States except with vocal samples from "Bla Bla Bla" added.
"Bla Bla Bla" is a song written and recorded by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino. It was released in May 1999 as the third single from the album L'Amour Toujours. It reached number 3 in Austria and number 15 in France.
The Riddle may refer to:
"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 January 1984 as the second single from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). The release was Kershaw's second single, with the non-album track "Monkey Business" as its B-side; it was a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album. The music video was directed by Storm Thorgerson.
"I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). It was his first single, released on 9 September 1983 to limited success. When re-released on 4 June 1984, the song became Kershaw's highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two. It features the non-album track "Dark Glasses" as the B-side, which was also released as a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album.
"The One and Only" is the debut single of British singer and actor Chesney Hawkes. Written by Nik Kershaw, the single was released by Chrysalis Records in January 1991. Produced by Kershaw and Alan Shacklock, and recorded and mixed by Gareth Cousins, the song was featured in the 1991 film Buddy's Song which starred Hawkes as the eponymous Buddy and Roger Daltrey as his father. The film performed moderately well at the UK box office, but the song was a hit in that country's music charts, spending five weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart in March and April 1991. Kershaw's influence can also be heard throughout the track not only in guitar style, but in the backing vocals on the intro and choruses, with Hawkes singing the verses.
"Insomnia" is a song by British musical group Faithless. Released as the band's second single, it became one of their most successful. It was originally released in 1995 and reached number 27 on the UK Singles Chart, topping the UK Dance Chart in the process. When re-released in October 1996, the song achieved a new peak of number three in the United Kingdom and topped the charts of Finland, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as the American and Canadian dance charts. It also featured on Faithless's 1996 debut album, Reverence.
L'Amour Toujours is the second studio album by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino, released in 1999. The album was released on two discs, titled "Chansons for the Heart" and "Beats for the Feet" respectively. The United States release only contains "Chansons for the Heart", with a slightly different track list. "Another Way", "L'Amour Toujours ", "The Riddle", "La Passion" and "Bla Bla Bla" were released as singles. "L'Amour Toujours " reached number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 2001. In addition, the album reached number nine on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart in 2001. A sequel titled L'Amour Toujours II was released five years later.
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"Holiday Rap" is a song by Dutch musical duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven. The debut single of the duo, it was released in most European countries in 1986 and achieved success, topping the charts of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, and West Germany and reaching number one on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. In North America, the single did not chart in the United States but peaked at number nine in Canada.
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"Voyage, voyage" is a song by French singer Desireless, released as the first single from her debut studio album, François (1989). It was written by Jean-Michel Rivat and Dominique Dubois, and produced by the former. Sung entirely in French, the song transcended the language barrier on the music charts and became a huge international success between 1986 and 1988, reaching the top position in more than ten countries across Europe.
"Brother Louie" is a song by German pop duo Modern Talking, released as the lead single from their third studio album, Ready for Romance (1986). It was their fourth consecutive single to top the German Singles Chart, after "You're My Heart, You're My Soul", "You Can Win If You Want" and "Cheri, Cheri Lady".
"Wide Boy" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was his sixth consecutive top-20 single, peaking at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985. It was followed by "Don Quixote" which was to become the last of his string of top-20 singles on the UK chart. "Wide Boy" also charted highly in Ireland and Australia, peaking at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively.
"In My Mind" is a 2012 song by Australian house music producer Ivan Gough and house music duo Feenixpawl, featuring the vocals of indie pop musician Georgi Kay.