Whenever You Need Somebody (song)

"Whenever You Need Somebody" is a song written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, which became successful for two of their artists.

O'Chi Brown version

"Whenever You Need Somebody"
Single by O'Chi Brown
from the album O'Chi
Released November 1985
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1985
Genre Dance-pop
Length 3:26
Label Magnet Records
Writer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
Producer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
O'Chi Brown singles chronology
"Why Can't We Be Friends"
(1985)		 "Whenever You Need Somebody"
(1985)		 "100% Pure Pain"
(1986)

The song was originally written for female singer O'Chi Brown, and released in November 1985 on Magnet Records. It became a minor hit for Brown in the UK, peaking at No. 97 there.

The single was later released in 1986 in the US, where it peaked at No. 1 on the Dance/Club Play chart. It also peaked at No. 88 on the Soul singles chart. It failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, however. The song was later included in Brown's album O'Chi, released in 1986.

When the song was covered by Rick Astley in 1987, Magnet reissued the single in 12" format with new mixes in late 1987.

Chart (1985) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 97
Chart (1986) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1
U.S. Billbaord Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 88
Preceded by
"Kiss" by Prince		 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
26 April 1986 		Succeeded by
"West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys

Rick Astley version

"Whenever You Need Somebody"
Single by Rick Astley
from the album Whenever You Need Somebody
Released 31 October 1987 (UK)
1988 (Europe)
22 September 1988 (US)
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1987
Genre Dance-pop
Length 3:26
Label RCA
Writer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
Producer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
Rick Astley singles chronology
"Learning To Live (Without Your Love)"
(1987)		 "Whenever You Need Somebody"
(1987)		 "When I Fall in Love/My Arms Keep Missing You"
(1987)
Audio sample
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In 1987, Rick Astley covered the song, and it would become the title track and second single from Astley's multi-million selling debut album Whenever You Need Somebody, also written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. Accompanying videoclip was shot (the girl part) in Las Canteras beach and adjacent Hotel Reina Isabel, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

It was a successful European hit for Astley, reaching No. 1 in seven countries, continuing the success of his previous smash single "Never Gonna Give You Up". It was not released as a single in the U.S.

Track listing

7" single
  1. "Whenever You Need Somebody" — 3:26
  2. "Just Good Friends" — 3:45
7" single - Picture-disc
  1. "Whenever You Need Somebody" — 3:26
  2. "Just Good Friends" — 3:45
12" maxi
  1. "Whenever You Need Somebody" (lonely hearts mix) — 7:34
  2. "Whenever You Need Somebody" (instrumental) — 3:50
  3. "Just Good Friends" — 3:45

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1987/88) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 3
Austrian Singles Chart[1] 4
French SNEP Singles Chart[1] 11
German Singles Chart[2] 1
Irish Singles Chart[3] 3
Norwegian Singles Chart[1] 2
Spain (AFYVE)[4] 2
Swedish Singles Chart[1] 1
Swiss Singles Chart[1] 1
UK Singles Chart[5] 3

Year-end charts

End of year chart (1987) Position
Dutch Top 40[6] 46
UK Singles Chart[7] 26
End of year chart (1988) Position
Australian Singles Chart[8] 12
German Singles Chart 28
Preceded by
"You Win Again" by Bee Gees		 German number-one single
4 December 1987 – 1 January 1988 		Succeeded by
"Always on My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys
Preceded by
"Oh Mama" by Lili & Sussie		 Swedish number-one single
9 December 1987 – 23 December 1987 		Succeeded by
"Tänd ett ljus" by Triad
Preceded by
"You Win Again" by Bee Gees		 Swiss number-one single
13 December 1987 		Succeeded by
"China in Your Hand" by T'Pau

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Whenever You Need Somebody", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 14 February 2008)
  2. ↑ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  3. ↑ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 14 February 2008)
  4. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  5. ↑ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 8 August 2008)
  6. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1987" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  7. ↑ The Complete Book Of British Charts by Warwick/Kutner/Brown
  8. ↑ "Top 50 Singles 1988". Retrieved 1 September 2008.