I Should Be So Lucky

"I Should Be So Lucky"
Australian single
Single by Kylie Minogue
from the album Kylie
Released 29 December 1987
Format
Recorded 1987
Genre
Length 3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
Kylie Minogue singles chronology
"Locomotion"
(1987)		 "I Should Be So Lucky"
(1987)		 "Got to Be Certain"
(1988)
Alternative cover
International cover of "I Should Be So Lucky"
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
Music video
"I Should Be So Lucky" on YouTube

"I Should Be So Lucky" is a 1987 song performed by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue from her debut studio album Kylie (1988). Released on 29 December 1987 by Mushroom Records and PWL Records, the song became a worldwide breakthrough hit; its now-iconic image of Minogue on the front cover was shot by David Levine. The song was well received by music critics.

The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman for Minogue, and they went on to produce Minogue's first four studio albums. "I Should Be So Lucky" was an international hit, reaching number one in several countries including Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany, as well as making the US Billboard Hot 100 top 30.

Background and composition

After the success of her debut single "Locomotion" in Australia, Minogue traveled to London to work with Stock Aitken Waterman, a successful British writing and production team. They knew little of Minogue and had forgotten that she was arriving; as a result, they wrote "I Should Be So Lucky" in forty minutes while she waited outside the recording studio.[2] Mike Stock wrote the lyrics for the song in response to what he had learned about Minogue prior to her arrival. He believed that although she was a successful soap star in Australia and very talented, there must be something wrong with her and figured that she must be unlucky in love.[2] Minogue recorded the song in less than an hour, which Stock attributes to her good ear for music and her quick memorization skills. After Minogue finished the recording session she returned home to Australia to continue work on the soap opera, Neighbours.[2]

"I Should Be So Lucky" is a dance-pop–oriented song which features elements of bubblegum pop and new wave music. According to the music sheet on MusicNotes.com, which was published by Universal Music Publishing Group, the song is set in the key of C major.[3] Minogue's vocals span from D4 to C5. The song is set in common time and moves at a moderate tempo of 116 beats per minute. Instrumentation of the song features synthesizers, keyboards and guitars. According to PopMatters, the song features "numerous orchestra hits to the uncomfortably thin sounding drum machine."[4] Waterman has said the tune was inspired by Pachelbel's Canon.[5] Stock told The Guardian: "Anyone who thinks I Should Be So Lucky is easy should try to play it. It's in four keys, all of them really awkward, and you can't even strum it unless you're a really good musician."[6]

"I Should Be So Lucky" received positive to mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, who thought that the song was an instant highlight and good song within the 80's, while some dismissed the lyrical content. Despite this, the song received commercial attention around the world, where the song peaked in the top ten in many countries including Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the Dance charts in the U.S.

The song was also known to many in the late 1980s and early 1990s as one of Minogue's signature songs, which many critics entering the song on their best track or worst track list. And additionally, in 2011, "I Should Be So Lucky" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's Sounds of Australia registry.[7][8]

"I Should Be So Lucky" later appeared on six of Kylie's hit compilations including Greatest Hits (1992), Greatest Hits 1987–1999 (2003), Greatest Hits 87–97 (2003), Ultimate Kylie (2004), her compilation The Best of Kylie Minogue (2012) and The Abbey Road Sessions (2012).

Critical reception

"I Should Be So Lucky" garnered positive reviews from some music critics. Nick Levine, from Digital Spy, called it "standout track".[9] Chris True from AllMusic had reviewed the album, and highlighted the song as an album standout.[10] But as a separate rating, they gave the single three stars out of five.[11] In the review of The Best of Kylie Minogue (2012), Tim Sendra highlighted it as an album standout.[12] Hunter Felt from PopMatters gave it a positive review, stating "something about Kylie’s innocent yet forceful vocals and the sheer catchiness of the song itself [...] So the song became a beloved secret, and I never bothered to try to tune my friends in on "I Could Be So Lucky", or, crazier yet, proclaim that this "has-been" would be a critical and commercial darling in a few years time." However, he did say the song was cliché.[4] However, Mark Edwards from Stylus Magazine gave it a scathing remark by saying "Listening to the first tracks on Ultimate Kylie, you want to skip straight through, because early songs like "I Should Be So Lucky" and "Locomotion" are unlistenable—horribly naff, squeaky songs" and criticized Stock, Aitken and Waterman songs they produced in the 80's by stating "[the songs] transport the listener back to a time when every single in the UK charts was either written by Stock, Aitken and Waterman or sung by an Aussie soap star, or both."[13] OK! called the song a "classic".[14]

The song won the Highest Selling Single award at the 3rd annual ARIA Awards.[15]

Commercial performance

"I Should Be So Lucky" was released in the UK on 29 December 1987, and in Australia on 1 February 1988.[16] It was a commercial success, reaching atop the Australian Kent Music Report chart for six consecutives weeks, and became her second number-one single, following Locomotion.[17] The single was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and ranked at number five on the Year-end chart for 1988.[18] In New Zealand, the song entered at No. 15 on New Zealand Top 40 and peaked at No. 3 on 27 March 1988, spending twelve weeks on the chart.[19] In United Kingdom, "I Should Be So Lucky" was released on 29 December 1987. The song entered at No. 90 on the UK Singles Chart, climbing to No. 54 the following week and three weeks later, it was No. 1 and remained at the top position for five weeks.[20] It spent seventeen weeks on the chart.[20] It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for the shipment of 600,000 copies.[21] The song was one of the best-selling singles of 1988, with estimated sales of over 675,000.[22]

Elsewhere, "I Should Be So Lucky" peaked on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Dance Club Play. The song reached No. 10 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart on 4 June 1988 and no. 28 on the Hot 100 on 16 July 1988.[23][24] Across Europe, "I Should Be So Lucky" also topped the singles charts in Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.[25][26][27] It became a top-five hit in Austria, France and Norway,[27] as well as a top-thirty hit in Belgium, Netherlands and Sweden.[27][28] It peaked at No. 1 in Finland, Israel and Hong Kong.[29] The song was certified silver by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) and gold in Germany.[30][31]

Music video

Minogue in front of a colourful chalkboard background in the music video.

The music video for "I Should Be So Lucky" was directed by Chris Langman and filmed in November 1987 at Channel 7 Studios in Melbourne, Australia.[32] The video features Minogue walking through her home, with scenes of her dancing in front of a colourful chalkboard background intercut throughout. It presented a cute, wholesome, young "girl-next-door" image of Minogue to the public, with scenes of her giggling and making funny faces to the camera.

Another version of the video was made for live television promotion. This version of the video shows Kylie riding in a car with several friends through Sydney with passersby waving to her as she rides by them.

The video premiered in the UK in January 1988.[33] The complete version of "I Should Be So Lucky" featured in the music video has been released commercially through multiple VHS and DVD collections. Its most recent inclusion is on the companion DVD to her 2012 greatest hits album, The Best of Kylie Minogue. Outtakes from the music video were used in Kylie: The Videos.

As satire

The British satirical programme Spitting Image made a send-up of "I Should Be So Lucky" entitled "Kylie Minogue", in which Minogue is depicted as being brought to life in a way similar to Frankenstein's monster in an old 1930s movie. The action shifts between the laboratory to an apartment similar to that of the original video. The song also pokes fun at her performance in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, in which as Charlene Mitchell, later Robinson she was best known at the time, and implies that she was lucky to have been chosen over other soap stars, namely Paul Henry who was Benny Hawkins in the British drama Crossroads. Stock, Aitken and Waterman are combined together as a large tape player providing creature-Minogue's voice which at one point is distorted to sound like Rick Astley.[34]

"Kylie Minogue" is track 4 on the 1990 Spitting Image CD 20 Great Golden Gobs.

British comedians French and Saunders included a send-up of the song during the third season of their show (broadcast 26 April 1990). The sketch features the recording of the song with an orchestra and vocals by three opera divas, played by French, Saunders, and British mezzo-soprano Sarah Walker.[35][36]

Cover versions and usage in media

in 1988, Hong Kong singer Sarah Wong covered this song in Cantonese. The sketch comedy television show French & Saunders made a parody of "I Should Be So Lucky". Right after the release of the original song. Brazilian pop artist Simony recorded a version in Brazilian Portuguese entitled "Acho Que Sou Louca" (translation: I Think I'm Crazy). Japanese singer Wada Kanako covered this song in Japanese named "Lucky Love".[37] In 1992, the Egyptian pop singer Simon recorded a cover of the song with new lyrics in Arabic titled "Bahibak Aawy". French guitarist Noel Akchote's 2007 album So Lucky includes an instrumental cover. In September 2007, a cover version of "I Should Be So Lucky" appeared on the album Dolce Vita by Spanish singer Soraya Arnelas.[38] Also that year, Japanese duo Mihimaru GT released a hip hop cover version of the song. It was released as a double A-side single, along with the song "Ai Kotoba", in Japan in November 2007.[39] In 2008, Northern Kings recorded a rock version of this song included on their second album Rethroned. In 2016, Korean girlgroup CLC covered it as a B-side for their Japanese single "High Heels".[40]

The Kylie Minogue recording is featured in the 1989 film Cookie.

The cover version of this song had been featured in 1989's Miss USA Pageant.

Irish rock band U2 included snippets of the "I Should Be So Lucky" lyrics into their live version of "Angel of Harlem" on their Australian tour dates upon dedicating their song to Minogue.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "I Should Be So Lucky".

Live performances

Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:

The song was also performed on:

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the Kylie liner notes.[46]

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ↑ Lim, Dennis (26 February 2002). "Your Disco Needs Her". The Village Voice. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "I Should Be So Lucky". Love is in the Air. 2003-11-02. ABC Television.
  3. ↑ "Digital Sheet Music: I Should Be So Lucky". Universal Music Publishing Group. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  4. 1 2 Felt, Hunter. "Kylie Minogue: The Ultimate Kylie". PopMatters. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  5. ↑ "Pop mogul 'inspired by classics'". BBC News. 7 Oct 2002. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Simpson, Dave. "When pop goes bad: novelty records". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  7. ↑ National Film and Sound Archive: 'I Should Be So Lucky' on the Sounds of Australia registry
  8. ↑ National Film and Sound Archive: 'I Should Be So Lucky' on australianscreen online
  9. ↑ Levine, Nick (1 May 2010). "Music - The Sound - Kylie: Revisited #1: 'Kylie'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  10. ↑ Chris True. "Kylie - Kylie Minogue | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  11. ↑ "I Should Be So Lucky - Kylie Minogue | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  12. ↑ Tim Sendra (2012-06-19). "The Best of Kylie Minogue - Kylie Minogue | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  13. ↑ "Kylie Minogue - Ultimate Kylie - Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 September 2005. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  14. ↑ "Kylie: The Best Of Kylie Minogue | OK! Magazine". Ok.co.uk. 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  15. ↑ "1989: 3rd Annual ARIA Awards". ARIA Awards. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  16. ↑ "Australian Music Report No 705 – 1 February 1988 > Singles: New Releases". Imgur.com (original document published by Australian Music Report). Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  17. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc)|format= requires |url= (help). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  18. 1 2 3 "ARIA End of Year Singles 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  19. ↑ "Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky (song)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  20. 1 2 "Charts Stats - Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky". Official Charts Company. ChartStats.com. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  21. ↑ "Certified Awards - Searchable Database". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  22. ↑ "I Should Be So Lucky". Kylie Official Website. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  23. 1 2 "Kylie Minogue Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Kylie Minogue Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Chartverfolgung > Kylie Minogue > I Should Be So Lucky". Media Control Charts (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  26. ↑ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  27. 1 2 3 "Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky (song)". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  28. ↑ "Radio 2 - Top 30 - I Should Be So Lucky - Songs details". VRT Top 30 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  29. 1 2 Smith 2002, p. 219
  30. ↑ "Les Certifications (Singles) du SNEP (Bilan par Artiste)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  31. ↑ "Gold/Platin Datenbank". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  32. ↑ "I Should Be So Lucky" Music Video Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.. kylie.com.br. Retrieved 10 June 2007.
  33. ↑ "I Should Be So Lucky" Music Video Information. mvdbase.com. Retrieved 10 June 2007.
  34. ↑ The video was available on YouTube before being removed.
  35. ↑ "French & Saunders : Ab Fab : French & Saunders Series Three". Eddypiehands.tripod.com\accessdate=2014-03-30.
  36. ↑ Video on YouTube
  37. ↑ "Lucky Love - Wada Kanako". YouTube. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  38. ↑ "Soraya Arnelas confirma el track list de "Dolce Vita"". Official Soraya Arnelas Spanish Blog. 1 September 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  39. ↑ "Discography". mihimaru-GT.com. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  40. ↑ "CLC to Make Their Japanese Debut in April". soompi.
  41. ↑ I Should Be So Lucky (Australian 7-inch Single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Festival Records. 1987. K 485.
  42. ↑ I Should Be So Lucky (UK 7-inch Single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. PWL Records. 1987. PWL 8.
  43. ↑ I Should Be So Lucky (Australian 12-inch Single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1987. X 13306.
  44. ↑ I Should Be So Lucky (UK 12-inch (The Bicentennial Mix) Single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. PWL Records. 1987. PWLT 8R.
  45. ↑ I Should Be So Lucky (US 2-inch Single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Geffen Records. 1987. 0-20914.
  46. ↑ Minogue, Kylie (1988). Kylie (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Kylie Minogue. London, England: Mushroom Records.
  47. ↑ "This Week In... 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 18, 2017. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  48. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  50. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8553." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  51. 1 2 "Dutchcharts.nl – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  52. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 14, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  53. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. 5 (13). March 26, 1988. pp. 22–23. OCLC 29800226.
  54. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  55. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  56. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  57. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Should Be So Lucky". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  58. 1 2 Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-076-0.
  59. ↑ "Charts.nz – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  60. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". VG-lista. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  61. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  62. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  63. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  64. ↑ "1988 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  65. ↑ "Ultratop: Jaaroverzichten 1988". Ultratop. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  66. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). Offiziellecharts.de. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  67. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  68. ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
  69. ↑ "Eurochartbusters: The Hot 100 Singles Compiled from Music & Media's Five Year Chart Archives". Music & Media. 6 (11) (5 Years ed.). March 18, 1989. pp. 32–33. OCLC 29800226.
  70. ↑ "French single certifications – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 10 January 2015. Select KYLIE MINOGUE and click OK. 
  71. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kylie Minogue; 'I Should Be So Lucky')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  72. ↑ "Japanese single certifications – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  73. ↑ "British single certifications – Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 January 2015. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type I Should Be So Lucky in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  74. ↑ Myers, Justin (May 25, 2018). "Kylie Minogue's Official Top 40 biggest selling songs". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved 2011-10-11.

Works cited

  • Smith, Sean (2002). Kylie Confidential. Michael O'Mara Books Limited. ISBN 1-85479-415-9.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.