Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Walking on Sunshine

| cover = Walkingonsunshine.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| B-side = Going to Liverpool

| released = {{start date|1985|4|15|df=y}}{{cite magazine|title= New Singles |magazine= Music Week |page= 16 |date= 13 April 1985}}

| recorded =

| studio = Cambridge, England

| genre =

New wave{{cite book|first= James E. |last= Perone |year= 2018 |title= Listen to New Wave Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre |page= 23 |publisher= Greenwood |isbn= 978-1-4408-5968-7 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Uw5pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA23}}
pop rock{{cite web|first= Bruce |last= Eder |title= Katrina & the Waves – Artist Biography |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= 24 January 2017 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/katrina-the-waves-mn0000365542/biography |quote= It peaked at number 28 in England and number 25 in America (the highest chart placement up to that time by any ex-member of the Soft Boys), and yielded the Top Ten U.S./U.K. hit "Walking on Sunshine," one of the more memorable pop/rock songs of the decade.}}
bubblegum{{cite book|first= David|last= Smay|editor1-first= Kim |editor1-last= Cooper|editor2-first= David|editor2-last= Smay|year= 2001|title= Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth|chapter= Bubblegum & New Wave|publisher= Feral House|location= Los Angeles|pages= 248–250}}

| length =

3:15 (original version)
3:59 (re-recorded version)
3:47 (video version)

| label = Attic

| writer = Kimberley Rew

| producer = {{hlist|Katrina and the Waves|Pat Collier}}

| prev_title = Plastic Man

| prev_year = 1984

| next_title = Do You Want Crying

| next_year = 1985

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|iPUmE-tne5U|"Walking on Sunshine"}}

}}

"Walking on Sunshine" is a song written by Kimberley Rew for British rock band Katrina and the Waves' 1983 eponymous debut full-length album. The rerecorded version was at first released on the band's 1985 self-titled album as the album's second single and reached No. 4 in Australia, No. 9 in the United States and No. 8 in the United Kingdom. It was the Waves' first American top 40 hit, and their biggest success in the UK until "Love Shine a Light" (1997), which won them the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 held in Dublin.

Background

"Walking on Sunshine" was written by the band's guitarist Kimberley Rew. "I'd love to say Walking on Sunshine relates to a significant event in my life, like walking out of my front door, seeing a comet and being inspired," he told The Guardian in 2015. "But it's just a piece of simple fun, an optimistic song, despite us not being outstandingly cheery people. We were a typical young band, insecure and pessimistic. We didn't have big hair and didn't look anything like a Motown-influenced group. We didn't have any credibility or a fanbase in awe of our mystique. We were a second-on-the-bill-at-a-festival-in-Germany pop band. But we had this song."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/sep/01/katrina-and-the-waves-how-we-made-walking-on-sunshine|title=Katrina and the Waves: how we made Walking on Sunshine|last=Simpson|first=Dave|date=1 September 2015|work=The Guardian|accessdate=5 September 2022}}

The rest of the band did not like the song at first. Lead singer Katrina Leskanich thought "it wasn't really us", while bassist Vince de la Cruz found it irritating.

The sheet music for "Walking on Sunshine" is in the key of B{{flat}} major in standard time with a tempo indication of "bright rock".{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0063751|title=Digital sheet music – Walking on Sunshine|date=13 March 2008 |publisher=Musicnotes.com}}

Success

Katrina and the Waves kept the song's publishing rights, and the royalties that are typically to the songwriter have been divided among the band members. The royalties from airplay and advertisements have been very lucrative; according to a former employee of EMI, the song was "the crown jewel in EMI's catalog", and it ranked among EMI's highest earners from advertisements.{{cite web|first= Elizabeth |last= Blair |title= 'Walking On Sunshine': Living on a Song |publisher= NPR Music |date= 24 May 2010 |access-date= 24 May 2010 |url= https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127091908}}

When Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, the MSNBC program Countdown with Keith Olbermann dubbed its coverage of the storm "Katrina and the Waves". The name also appeared in numerous headlines and blog postings. A New York Times reporter contacted Katrina Leskanich, who said: "The first time I opened the paper and saw 'Katrina kills 9,' it was a bit of a shock. ... I hope that the true spirit of 'Walking on Sunshine' will prevail. I would hate for the title to be tinged with sadness, and I will have to do my own part to help turn that around."{{cite news|first= Steven |last= McElroy |title= Arts, Briefly |newspaper= The New York Times |date= 1 September 2005 |access-date= 9 September 2017 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/arts/arts-briefly.html}} She also expressed her hope that "Walking on Sunshine" would become an anthem for the Gulf Coast's recovery.{{cite news|first= Allen |last= Salkin |title= What's in a Name, Katrinas? |newspaper= The New York Times |date= 11 September 2005 |access-date= 20 September 2017 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/fashion/sundaystyles/whats-in-a-name-katrinas.html}}

In 2010, the 25th anniversary of the release of "Walking on Sunshine", the band's material was re-released and a re-recorded version of the track was produced.{{cite web|title= Kimberley Rew Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Walking on Sunshine with Four Retro Releases |website= antiMusic |date= 2 March 2010 |access-date= 13 March 2012 |url= http://www.antimusic.com/news/10/feb/03Kimberley_Rew_Celebrates_25th_Anniversary_of_Walking_On_Sunshine_With_Four_Retro_Releases.shtml}} A free download of a track from Kimberley Rew's solo album Bible of Bop was made available in March 2010 at the band's website.{{cite web|title= Katrina & The Waves |website= Katrinaandthewaves.net |access-date= 3 March 2012 |url= http://www.katrinaandthewaves.net}}{{Failed verification|date=September 2024}}

In August 2015, the song was acquired by BMG Rights Management for £10 million, along with all of the other songs written by Rew and Katrina and the Waves.{{cite news|title= 'Walking on Sunshine' bought by BMG for £10m |newspaper= The Irish Times |date= 6 August 2015 |access-date= 6 August 2015 |url= http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/walking-on-sunshine-bought-by-bmg-for-10m-1.2307925}}

In a 2020 interview, Leskanich said that she believes that the song is going to outlive her.{{cite web |author=Pingitore |first=Silvia |date=26 August 2020 |title=Remember 'Walking on Sunshine'? Interview with 1980s music legend Katrina and the Waves |url=https://the-shortlisted.co.uk/katrina-and-the-waves-interview/ |access-date=18 November 2021 |website=the-shortlisted.co.uk}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine\|title= Hits of the World \|magazine= Billboard \|date= 29 June 1985 \|volume= 97 \|issue= 26 \|page= 62 \|issn= 0006-2510 \|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-iMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=australia%22&pg=PT54}} \|align="center"\|4
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Weekly chart performance for "Walking on Sunshine" !scope="col"\|Chart (1985) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{singlechart\|Canadatopsingles\|3\|chartid=0539\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
{{singlechart\|Canadaadultcontemporary\|3\|chartid=9317\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
scope="row"\|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine\|title= European Hot 100 Singles \|magazine= Eurotipsheet \|volume= 2 \|issue= 23 \|page= 12 \|date= 10 June 1985}} \|align="center"\|13
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book\|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=126\|first=Timo\|last=Pennanen\|year=2021\|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021\|section=Katrina & The Waves\|page=126\|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava\|location=Helsinki\|access-date=29 June 2022\|language=fi}} \|align="center"\|25
{{singlechart\|Ireland2\|2\|song=Walking on Sunshine\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
{{singlechart\|New Zealand\|20\|artist=Katrina And The Waves\|song=Walking On Sunshine\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
{{singlechart\|Sweden\|12\|artist=Katrina And The Waves\|song=Walking On Sunshine\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
{{singlechart\|Switzerland\|14\|artist=Katrina And The Waves\|song=Walking On Sunshine\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
{{singlechart\|UK\|8\|date=19850608\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|title= Katrina & the Waves – Awards \|publisher= AllMusic \|access-date= 17 June 2013 \|url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/katrina-the-waves-mn0000365542/awards}} \|align="center"\|9
scope="row"\|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) \|align="center"\|21
scope="row"\|US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard) \|align="center"\|19
scope="row"\|US Top Rock Tracks (Billboard) \|align="center"\|21
scope="row"\|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite magazine\|title= CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 15, 1985 \|magazine= Cash Box \|url= http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19850615.html \|archive-date= 18 September 2012 \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120918030111/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19850615.html}} \|align="center"\|9
{{singlechart\|West Germany\|28\|artist=Katrina And The Waves\|song=Walking On Sunshine\|songid=1275\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 June 2013}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Chart (1996)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

{{singlechart|UK|53|artist=Katrina & the Waves|song=Walking on Sunshine|date=19960602|rowheader=true|access-date=12 July 2014|refname=UK1996}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Chart (2017)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

{{singlechart|Poland|84|chartid=2456|year=2017|rowheader=true|access-date=2 October 2017}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Year-end chart performance for "Walking on Sunshine" !scope="col"\|Chart (1985) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|url=https://i.imgur.com/SN2evHp.jpg\|title=Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985\|publisher=Kent Music Report\|via=Imgur\|access-date=January 23, 2023}}{{cite web\|title= Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s \|publisher= Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien \|access-date= 12 July 2014 \|url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275}} \|align="center"\|21
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|title= RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985 \|volume= 43 \|issue= 16 \|date= 28 December 1985 \|magazine= RPM \|publisher= Library and Archives Canada \|access-date= 12 July 2014 \|url= http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0619&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 \|archive-date= 21 September 2013 \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055705/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0619&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3}} \|align="center"\|18
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|title= Top 100 Hits for 1985 \|website= The Longbored Surfer \|access-date= 12 July 2014 \|url= http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1985}} \|align="center"\|75
scope="row"\|US Cash Box{{cite magazine\|title= The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985 \|magazine= Cash Box \|url= http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html \|archive-date= 1 October 2012 \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121001214739/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html}} \|align="center"\|80

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Year-end chart performance for "Walking on Sunshine"

!scope="col"|Chart (1985)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/SN2evHp.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur|access-date=January 23, 2023}}{{cite web|title= Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s |publisher= Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |access-date= 12 July 2014 |url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275}}

|align="center"|21

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|title= RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985 |volume= 43 |issue= 16 |date= 28 December 1985 |magazine= RPM |publisher= Library and Archives Canada |access-date= 12 July 2014 |url= http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0619&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 |archive-date= 21 September 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055705/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0619&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3}}

|align="center"|18

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|title= Top 100 Hits for 1985 |website= The Longbored Surfer |access-date= 12 July 2014 |url= http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1985}}

|align="center"|75

scope="row"|US Cash Box{{cite magazine|title= The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985 |magazine= Cash Box |url= http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html |archive-date= 1 October 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121001214739/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html}}

|align="center"|80

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Walking on Sunshine"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Canada|artist=Katrina and the Waves|title=Walking on sunshine|award=Gold|digital=true|certyear=1985|relyear=1985|access-date=22 June 2018}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Denmark|artist=Katrina & the Waves|title=Walking on Sunshine|award=Platinum|certyear=2022|relyear=1985|id=11584|access-date=August 16, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Italy|artist=Katrina & the Waves|title=Walking on Sunshine|award=Platinum|certyear=2024|relyear=1985|access-date=September 16, 2024|id=13214}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Portugal|artist=Katrina & the Waves|title=Walking on Sunshine|award=Gold|certyear=2022|relyear=1985|id=file_2022-05-13-15-04-29.pdf|access-date=23 May 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United Kingdom|artist=Katrina & the Waves|title=Walking on Sunshine|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2023|relyear=2005|id=13370-4062-1|access-date=21 July 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1985/M&M-1985-12-23.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|title=Capitol/EMI - Exciting Prospects '86|page=4|date=23 December 1985|accessdate=26 June 2023}}}}

In popular culture

An instrumental version was used as a theme song for the short-lived, weekly hour-long Australian game show called The Main Event hosted by Larry Emdur, it aired on the Seven Network from 7 April 1991 until 22 November 1992. This was an arranged version by series music composer Jamie Rigg where it featured female vocalists reapeating the title of the show as its only lyric.

The song is very popular in commercials, and advertisers typically pay $150,000 to $200,000 per year to use the song. This song appeared in a mashup with Beyoncé's "Halo" in the popular television show Glee, featured in the Season 1 episode "Vitamin D." It was performed by the female members of the glee club New Directions, with featured solos by Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley). It was released as a single on October 7, 2009 through digital download on iTunes,{{cite press release|title= "Glee" rules the iTunes charts with astounding 1.1 million downloads |publisher= Fox Broadcasting Company |date= 6 October 2009 |url-status= dead |url= http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z268z1z8&ID=5332 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120229152108/http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z268z1z8&ID=5332 |archive-date= 29 February 2012}} and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 40{{cite magazine|first= Silvio |last= Pietroluongo |title= 'Britney Spears, Justin Bieber Score Top Hot 100 Debuts |date= 15 October 2009 |access-date= 9 January 2022 |url= https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/britney-spears-justin-bieber-score-top-hot-100-debuts-1264135/}} while reaching number 4 in Ireland,{{cite web|title= The Irish Charts – Search Results – Walking on Sunshine |website= Irishcharts.ie |access-date= 5 February 2022 |url= http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=title&placement=Walking+on+Sunshine}} number 9 in the UK{{cite web|title= Official Singles Chart Top 100: 14 February 2010 – 20 February 2010 |publisher= Official Charts Company |access-date= 5 February 2022 |url= https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20100214/7501/}} and number 10 in Australia.{{cite web|title= Glee Cast – Halo / Walking on Sunshine |website= Australian-charts.com |access-date= 5 February 2022 |url= https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Glee+Cast&titel=Halo+%2F+Walking+On+Sunshine&cat=s}}

The song was featured in many movies, such as High Fidelity, American Psycho, Daddy Day Care, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Bean, The Master of Disguise," "Look Who's Talking," " Ella Enchanted and more.{{Cite web |last=Blake |first=Boston |date=2016-08-19 |title=The 20 Most Overused Songs In Movies And TV |url=https://screenrant.com/most-overused-songs-in-movies-and-tv/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}

References

Category:1983 songs

Category:1985 singles

Category:1997 singles

Category:2005 singles

Category:Katrina and the Waves songs

Category:Aly & AJ songs

Category:Capitol Records singles

Category:Hollywood Records singles

Category:Songs written by Kimberley Rew