Sunshine Reggae
{{Infobox song
| name = Sunshine Reggae
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Laid Back
| album = Keep Smiling
| released = July 1983
| recorded = 1982
| studio =
| genre = Reggae
| length = 4:16 / 4:08 (different single editions)
6:35 (12" single)
| label =
| writer =
- Tim Stahl
- John Guldberg
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|R82XGJV_nkU|"Sunshine Reggae"}}|header=Music video}}
}}
"Sunshine Reggae" is a song written and recorded by Danish electronic music duo Laid Back. It was originally released as a single in July 1983 and released on their second album Keep Smiling (1983). As an international summer hit of 1983, it is the band's most successful song.
Reception and versions
"Sunshine Reggae" reached number one in Germany and Austria in September 1983. It peaked at number three in Italy,{{Cite web |title=Musica e dischi |url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Laid Back". four in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium), and number nine in Switzerland. It was surprisingly popular in South America.{{cite book|first= Colin |last= Larkin |year= 2006 |title= The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher= MUZE |volume=5|page= 66}} Its popularity was further increased by a film named after the song, Sunshine Reggae in Ibiza, which premiered in November 1983.
The song appeared in various single versions released by Metronome Records, Polydor Records, Sire Records, CBS and Atlas Records.{{cite web | url = https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-989 | title = Official German Charts | access-date = 2019-03-09}} The song was also released in different versions as a 12" maxi single with a length of about 6:30 minutes.
In the music video, band members are bored office workers who fantasize about a South Sea beach, where they perform the song, have fun, and play music with the locals. The video was recorded in Sri Lanka.
In the US, the single's B-side song, "White Horse", became more successful. It was released as a single and went on to spend three weeks at number one on the Dance Charts.{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |author-link= Joel Whitburn |year= 2004 |title= Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003 |publisher= Record Research |page= 150}}{{cite web| url = https://www.popmatters.com/100-greatest-singles-80s-part1 | title = The 100 Best Alternative Singles of the 1980s | author = Chris Gerard }}
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Laid Back|title=Sunshine Reggae|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1982|certyear=1984|access-date=3 August 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Laid Back|title=Sunshine Reggae|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1982|certyear=1983|access-date=3 August 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
Cover versions
A version by the Nips (this was the name of an Italian studio production group, and not to be confused with the Nips from the UK) peaked at number three in Switzerland in 1983.{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/song/The-Nips/Sunshine-Reggae-980|title=The Nips - Sunshine Reggae|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=2021-09-08}} In 2000, the version by Laid Back vs. Funkstar De Luxe peaked at number 68 in Germany.{{cite web | url = https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-4275 | title = Official German Charts | access-date = 2019-03-09}}