Wonderful Life (Black song)

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“Wonderful Life”
Single by Black from the album Wonderful Life
B-side	"Life Calls"
Released	1987
Format	7" single 12" maxi Cassette
Genre	Pop
Length	4:49
Label	A&M Records
Producer	Dave Dix
Certification	Gold SNEP, 1988
Black 1985 chronology
"More Than the Sun" (1984) "Wonderful Life" (1985) "Everything's Coming Up Roses" (1986)
Black 1987 chronology
"Sweetest Smile" (1987) "Wonderful Life" (1987) "I'm Not Afraid" (1987)

"Wonderful Life" is a single by British band Black taken from the album of the same name. First released in 1985 by Ugly Man Records (b/w "Birthday Night"), it initially charted at no. 72^{[citation needed]} in the UK. The band made a decision to pull the single and re-record and re-release it with a new record company, A&M. The single then reached no. 8^{[citation needed]} in the UK Top 40 in August 1987 - it is a well-known song to this day.

Contents 1 Cover version 2 Uses in the media 3 Formats and track listings 4 Chart and certification 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Cover version

In 1994, it was the soundtrack to a British television advertisement, which rekindled interest in the song. The decision to re-release the track to take advantage of the renewed interest was rather delayed, and this time the song did not appear in the Top 40.

Dutch singer Mathilde Santing (born Eleveld) created her version of Wonderful Life in 1999.^{[citation needed]}

A South African musician (vocalist) by the name of Thabo Mdluli, also sang a soulful version of Black's "Wonderful Life" in 2006/07.

Various cover versions have been produced, by artists including the British singer TJ Davis, Ace of Base, Lara Fabian, Tina Cousins, Myslovitz(Live only) , Hyperchild and Zucchero 'Sugar' Fornaciari, with the most recent being released by Hungary's pop star Csézy in November 2007.

Songs of the same name by Black Box Recorder, Nick Cave and Gwen Stefani are unrelated to Black's song.

[edit] Uses in the media

In season 4, episode 14 of the US series "Queer as Folk" (2004), the song eerily accompanies the main character's struggle to finish a 500 mile bicycle tour in spite of a broken collarbone.^{[citation needed]}

An infamous internet hoax Reprise of Evangelion contains three verses from "Wonderful Life".^{[citation needed]}

The song is also used in French TV advertisement for the Fleury Michon ham, but not as sung by Black.

It is used in Australian cinemas as an ad for the cinema as well.

[edit] Formats and track listings

12" maxi

1. "Wonderful Life" (4:49)
2. "Life Calls" (3:51)
3. "Has Enough" (4:58)
4. "All We Need Is the Money" (4:23)

7" single

1. "Wonderful Life" (4:49)
2. "Life Calls" (3:51)

[edit] Chart and certification

Chart (1986) Peak position UK Singles Chart[1] 72 Chart (1987) Peak position Austrian Singles Chart[2] 1 French Singles Chart[3] 2 German Singles Chart[4] 2 Irish Singles Chart[5] 7 Swiss Singles Chart[6] 2 UK Singles Chart[7] 8 Chart (1994) Peak position Irish Singles Chart[5] 30 UK Singles Chart[8] 42

Country Certification Date France[9] Gold 1988

Preceded by "Küss' die Hand, schöne Frau" by Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung

Austrian number one single February 1, 1988 (two weeks)

Succeeded by "Pop Goes the World" by Men Without Hats

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Lyrics, on official Web site of Vearncombe
• Music video, on official Web site of its director