Skateboard (song)
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"Stakeboard" aka "Skateboard (Uh Ah Ah)" is a 1977 single for German group Copains and also singer Benny Schnier. Both versions made the charts that year. It has been covered by more artists since the original release.
Overview
The song Skateboard was written by Hans-Ulrich Weigel, Frank Farian, Stefan Klinkhammer, and Roland Kaiser.Ultratop - [https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/cb57/Benny-Skateboard Benny – Skateboard] Along with "Amigo Charlie Brown" and "Bin wieder frei", "Skateboard" brought Frank Farian considerable success.Schmusa - [https://schmusa.de/legenden-frank-farian-2/ Frank Farian in den Menschen des Tages, * 18.07.1941, † 23.01.2024] With the kids being seen riding around on skateboards and being noticed by Roland Kaiser and Frank Farian, an idea for a song came about. It was Kaiser that suggested to Farian that a song should be made about the sport. The idea appealed to Farian and with Kaiser, Fred Jay and Hans-Ulrich Weigel, Farian composed Skateboard.schlagerprofis.de, 24/01/2024 - [https://schlagerprofis.de/frank-farian-auch-sein-duo-kumpel-aus-alten-zeiten-ist-tot-hit-dank-roland-kaiser/ FRANK FARIAN: Auch sein Duo-Kumpel aus alten Zeiten ist tot – Hit dank ROLAND KAISER, FRANK FARIAN: Duett-Kumpel aus Anfangszeit mit „LES COPAINS“ ebenfalls verstorben, 1978: Großer Hit mit „Skateboard“ mit Duo „LES COPAINS“] The song appears in the book, Skateboard Music of the 1960s and 1970s.Vintage Skaterock - [http://www.vintageskaterock.de/Vintage-Skaterock-Book/ Vintage Skaterock Book - Skateboard Music of the 1960s and 1970s The first book ever about skateboard music] According to Stern in 2021, this was Benny's paying homage to the skateboard.Stern, 23. August 2021 - [https://www.stern.de/auto/fahrberichte/fox-mia-2-0-auf-naehrbarem-batterieboden-skateboard-uh-ah-ah-30677856.html Skateboard Uh-Ah-Ah]
According to the August - September issue of Trust magazine, issue #95, the song was on a list of "100 greatest singles of all time". It was also available as a phone ringtone.Trust, nr 95 / 04 August/September 2002 - [https://archive.org/details/trust_95/mode/2up?q=%22Skateboard+%28Uh+Ah+Ah%29%22 skateboard dancin, The History of skaterock, partII: the 70ies]
=Copains version=
{{Infobox song
| name = Skateboard (Uh-Ah-Ah)
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Copains
| album =
| B-side = Rolling Skateboard
| released = July 1977
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:30
| label = Hansa International 11 512 AT, Hansa 11 512 AT
| writer = Farian/Klinkhammer/Kaiser/Weigel
| producer = Frank Farian
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
==Background==
Copains recorded the song which was produced by Frank Farian. Backed with "Rolling Skateboards, the song was released by Hansa Records in July 1977.Schweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Copains/Skateboard-245454 Copains – Skateboard] This is the English version of the song. Farian produced the song and sang lead on it.schlagerprofis.de, 24/01/2024 - [https://schlagerprofis.de/frank-farian-auch-sein-duo-kumpel-aus-alten-zeiten-ist-tot-hit-dank-roland-kaiser/ FRANK FARIAN: Auch sein Duo-Kumpel aus alten Zeiten ist tot – Hit dank ROLAND KAISER, FRANK FARIAN: Duett-Kumpel aus Anfangszeit mit „LES COPAINS“ ebenfalls verstorben, 1978: Großer Hit mit „Skateboard“ mit Duo „LES COPAINS“]
==Charts==
Spending seven weeks in the German charts, it peaked at no. 38.Offizielle Deutsche Charts - [https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/titel-details-245454 Copains, Skateboard] It was also a hit in Sweden, peaking at no. 17 during its three-week run.Schweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Copains/Skateboard-245454 Copains – Skateboard, Weltweit]
==Appears on==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Albums |
| scope="col" | Artist
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| Va
| Die größten Disco-Knüller | Ariola 26 126 OT | 1977 | |
| Va
| It's My Discothek | Hansa 25 761 GT | 1978 |
| Va
| Super 20 International - Hitstation | Ariola 25 880 XST | 1978 | Charted in Germany, |
=Benny version=
{{Infobox song
| name =
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Benny
| album =
| B-side = Daniela, was nun?
| released = December 1977
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:30
| label =
| writer = (Farian/Klinkhammer/Kaiser/Weigel)
| producer = Frank Farian
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
==Background==
Frank Farian produced the song for Benny Schnier, and backed with "Daniela, was nun?", it was released by Hansa Records in late 1977.Ultratop - [https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/cb57/Benny-Skateboard Benny – Skateboard] This version was the more successful one. Benny was actually discovered by Farian.schlagerprofis.de, 24/01/2024 - [https://schlagerprofis.de/frank-farian-auch-sein-duo-kumpel-aus-alten-zeiten-ist-tot-hit-dank-roland-kaiser/ FRANK FARIAN: Auch sein Duo-Kumpel aus alten Zeiten ist tot – Hit dank ROLAND KAISER, FRANK FARIAN: Duett-Kumpel aus Anfangszeit mit „LES COPAINS“ ebenfalls verstorben, 1978: Großer Hit mit „Skateboard“ mit Duo „LES COPAINS“] It was Dieter Thomas Heck who came up with extra title, "a dangerous sport.The chronicle of the ZDF hit parade
The Dieter Thomas Heck era from 1969-1984, 2020 - ISBN:9783967991611, 396799161X - [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Die_Chronik_der_Zdf_Hitparade/GjjJDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Skateboard%22Frank+Farian%22&pg=PA281&printsec=frontcover Page 281 AUSGABE 102, vom 06.03.1978]
According to the 29 December 1978 issue of Bravo, Benny hadn't had a good hit since "Amigo Charlie Brown". His producer Frank Farian thought they should take advantage of the skateboard boom in Germany. At first, he was skeptical but afterwards he was glad he recorded the song.Bravo, 29 Dec - [https://archive.org/details/bravo-1991-01/BRAVO%201978-01/page/57/mode/2up?q=%22Frank+Farian%22Skateboard%22 Page 63 Benny Warum seine erste große Liebe platzte]
==Charts==
The record spent ten weeks in the German charts, peaking at no. 40.Schweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Benny/Skateboard-52055 Benny – Skateboard]
==Appears on==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Albums |
| scope="col" | Artist
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| Va
| 16 Top Hits 12/'77 | Club Top 13 65 943 3 | 1977 |
| Va
| Die grossen 20 | Ariola 25 697 AT | 1977 | Album charted in Germany |
| Va
| Super 20 - Hitparade | Ariola 25 909 XST | 1978 | Album charted in Germany |
| Va
| Du liebst nur einmal | Hansa 303 127 | 1987 | |
| Bernhard Brink / Benny
| Das große deutsche Schlager-Archiv | Sono Cord 39 763-8 | 1989 | |
| Benny
| Amigo Charly Brown | Ariola Express 74321 20714 2 | 1994 | |
| Va
| Schlager Gold | Ariola Express 74321 82652 2 | 2001 | |
| Benny
| Amigo Charly Brown (2006) | MCP CD 170.397 | 2006 | Rudeboard Mix |
| Benny
| Bin wieder frei! | Sony 88697907492 | 2011 |
| Va
| Mein Herz schlägt Schlager | Ariola 88875 06531 2 | 2015 | Charted in Austria |
| |
| | | |
Television
Chart summary
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Skateboard by Frank Farian, Stefan Klinkhammer, Roland Kaiser, Hans-Ulrich Weigel |
| scope="col" class="unsortable" | Act
! scope="col" | Country ! scope="col" | Yr ! scope="col" | Chart peak ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | duration |
|---|
| scope="row" | Copains
| 1977 | 38 |
| scope="row" | Copains
| Sverige | 1977 | 17 |
| scope="row" | Benny Schnier
| Deutschland | 1977 | 40 | 10 weeksSchweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Benny/Skateboard-52055 Benny – Skateboard] |
| scope="row" | Benny & Copains
| 1977 | 8 |
Other versions
In 1978, The Chinox released a single of the song, but with it titled as "Skateboard ooh-ah-ah".Pop Fakta - [https://www.popfakta.se/sv/utgivning/e/acc49575-c63f-48aa-8985-5a1ae2642c7e/skateboard-ooh-ah-ah/ Övergripande information #S20072073, Titel:Skateboard ooh-ah-ah, Artist / Grupp:Chinox] Leif Blooms recorded a version of "Skateboard ooh-ah-ah" that was released in 1979.Apple Music - [https://music.apple.com/se/song/skateboard-ooh-ah-ah/1246249870 Skateboard-Ooh-Ah-Ah Dansbandsdisco . Leif Blooms]
It appears on the Spelar Partyorgel Vol. 6 album by Nils Dacke as part of a medley that also includes, "Rivers of Babylon" and "Tro Vad Du Vill".CLiGGO - [https://music.cliggo.com/artist/Nils_Dacke/album/959597-Nils_Dacke_Spelar_Partyorgel_Vol._6 Nils Dacke Spelar Partyorgel Vol. 6]
In later years it was covered by Disaster Area.Underdog, Sommer 2009 #28 - [https://archive.org/details/underdog_28/page/34/ Page 34] It was apparently covered by Harpo as well. But in a review of Disaster Area's Forever album, their version wasn't much of an improvement on that.Plastic Bomb, 052 2005 - [https://archive.org/details/plastic_bomb_052/page/n3/mode/2up? Page 40 DISASTER AREA-forever-CD]
Further reading
- Trust, nr 95 / 04 August/September 2002 - [https://archive.org/details/trust_95/mode/2up?q=%22Skateboard+%28Uh+Ah+Ah%29%22 skateboard dancin, The History of skaterock]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- elnoi2 channel, Aug 26, 2023 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tnXSSVeY2I Benny Schnier - Skateboard (video)]
- Copains Topic channel, Nov 23, 2023 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7igAdQMskI Skateboard (Uh-Ah-Ah) (audio)]
- Leif Bloms Topic channel, Jan 19, 2015 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf_rg2D2_5s Skateboard-ooh-ah-ah by Leif Blooms (audio)]
- ponocnosunce channel, Jul 27, 2014 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6X98LM8pY ĐORĐI PERUZOVIĆ - Opet skupa ti i ja (audio)]
- Lazy Rain channel, Nov 9, 2024 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuqZxOtOFWM Kjell Vidars – «Skateboard» (video live performance)]
- MrGulpereel channel, Jun 23, 2011 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1h_thifq6E Kjell Vidars - Skateboard (audio)]
- Disaster Area Topic channel, May 14, 2021 - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUyjwn2rs00 Skateboard (Uh Ah Ah) by Disaster Area (audio)]
Category:Song recordings produced by Frank Farian
Category:Songs written by Frank Farian