Cruel Summer
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| "Cruel Summer" | ||
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| Single by Bananarama | ||
| from the album Bananarama | ||
| B-side(s) | "Cairo" | |
| Released | July 1983 | |
| Format | 7" single, 12" single | |
| Recorded | 1983 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 03:26 | |
| Label | London Records | |
| Writer(s) | Sara Dallin Siobhan Fahey Keren Woodward Steve Jolley Tony Swain |
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| Producer(s) | Tony Swain, Steve Jolley | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Bananarama singles chronology | ||
| "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (1983) |
"Cruel Summer" (1983) |
"Robert DeNiro's Waiting" (1984) |
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| "Help!" (1989) |
"Cruel Summer '89" (1989) |
"Megarama '89" (1989) |
| Alternate cover | ||
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| "Cruel Summer '89" cover | ||
"Cruel Summer", a song by British girl group Bananarama, was a U.K. number eight hit in 1983 and a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number nine hit in 1984.
The music video features a take on the American TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, with a bumbling cop duo who chase the girls as they make their escape in a truck (at one point, Bananarama members throw bananas at a trailing police cruiser). When Bananarama were still struggling to make money in their early years, they even performed the song at a beauty contest in Hawaii.
Since its success, the group recorded another two versions of the song. "Cruel Summer '89" was recorded with new member Jacquie O'Sullivan in 1989, and given a New jack swing make-over. It reached number nineteen in the UK singles chart in June. This version was not included on a Bananarama album until 2005's Really Saying Something: The Platinum Collection.
Another version of the song was recorded and featured on their 2001 album Exotica. This version featured Latin instrumentation and additional lyrics, but it was not released as a single.
"Cruel Summer" was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983, but wasn't an international success until its inclusion in the 1984 movie The Karate Kid, a year after its original release. The group didn't allow the record to go to the film soundtrack and was their first top ten hit in the USA. The song has since been revived in various forms. It appeared in several television commercials, was included on the soundtrack to the movie Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, and was covered by other acts, such as Ace of Base, who scored an international hit with it, and Blestenation on the Blue Crush soundtrack. In 2003, Swedish electronica female artist Sophie Rimheden sampled the beat and bassline from the song on the track "In Your Mind" from the album HiFi.
The song was also featured as the theme tune to the first series of Trouble's reality show of the same name, where a group of young adults were sent off to a holiday camp, only to be tortured and humiliated in an attempt to win a large sum of money.
[edit] Ace of Base version
"Cruel Summer" was covered by Swedish band Ace of Base and was a hit again in 1998
The group recorded three versions of the song.
- C&J = Cutfather & Joe Mix
- BBM = Big Bonus Mix
- FDWA = French Duet With Alliage
[edit] Release dates
- USA, July 14, 1998 (Cutfather & Joe Mix)
- France, Summer 1998 (duet with Alliage)
- Germany, August 10, 1998 (Big Bonus Mix / Faded Radio Edit)
- Scandinavia, October 6, 1998 (Big Bonus Mix / Faded Radio Edit)
- U.K., September 28, 1998 (Cutfather & Joe Mix)
| "Cruel Summer" | ||
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| Single by Ace of Base | ||
| from the album Flowers / Cruel Summer | ||
| Released | 1998 | |
| Recorded | 1998 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Writer(s) | Sara Dallin Siobhan Fahey Keren Woodward Steve Jolley Tony Swain |
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| Chart positions | ||
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| Ace of Base singles chronology | ||
| "Life Is a Flower" (1998) |
"Cruel Summer" (1998) |
"Whenever You're Near Me" (1998) |
Members: Jonas Berggren • Jenny Berggren • Linn Berggren • Ulf Ekberg
Albums: Happy Nation • The Sign • The Bridge • Flowers • Cruel Summer • Singles of the 90s • Greatest Hits • Da Capo
Singles: "Wheel of Fortune" • "All That She Wants" • "Happy Nation" • "Waiting for Magic" • "The Sign" • "Don't Turn Around" • "Living in Danger" • "Beautiful Life" • "Lucky Love" • "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" • "My Deja Vu" • "Angel Eyes" • "Life Is a Flower" • "Cruel Summer" • "Whenever You're Near Me" • "Travel to Romantis" • "Tokyo Girl" • "Donnie" • "Cecilia" • "Always Have Always Will" • "Everytime It Rains" • "C'est la Vie" • "Love in December" • "Hallo Hallo" • "Beautiful Morning" • "The Juvenile" • "Unspeakable"
