Wouldn't It Be Good#Cover versions

{{Infobox song

| name = Wouldn't It Be Good

| cover = Wouldnt It Be Good.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| B-side = Monkey Business

| released = {{start date|df=yes|1984|1|20}}{{cite magazine|date=14 January 1984|title=News|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/84/Record-Mirror-1984-01-14-OCR.pdf|magazine=Record Mirror|page=5|access-date=14 June 2022}}

| recorded = Summer 1983

| studio =

| genre = * Pop rock

new wave

| length = {{ubl|4:32 (album version)|4:19 (single version)|6:50 (extended version)}}

| label = MCA

| writer = Nik Kershaw

| producer = Peter Collins

| prev_title = I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

| prev_year = 1983

| next_title = Dancing Girls

| next_year = 1984

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|cTLTG4FTNBQ|"Wouldn't It Be Good"}}}}

}}

"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 January 1984 as the second single from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). The release was Kershaw's second single, with the non-album track "Monkey Business" as its B-side; it was a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album. The music video was directed by Storm Thorgerson.

Background and recording

"Wouldn't It Be Good" was the second single from Kershaw's debut studio album Human Racing (1984). It spent three weeks at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and was successful throughout Europe, as well as a top-10 entry in Canada and Australia. Kershaw is also most closely associated with this song in the United States, where it narrowly missed the top 40. Kershaw performed it at Live Aid in London's Wembley Stadium in July 1985.

Kershaw's first single from this album had failed to be a major hit, and it was on the strength of this recording's success that the earlier single, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", was promoted for a re-release. This time the single went all the way to No. 2 in the UK, becoming his highest-charting single there to date.

Kershaw remembers that this was one of the last songs he wrote for the Human Racing album, mapping out the chords first on a keyboard. However, the aggressive guitar sound he wanted led to a clash in harmonics and therefore the result sounded rather unpleasant. Thus he decided to create a kind of "guitar orchestra", inspired by work of Queen's Brian May, where the notes were separated into single lines and harmonies.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonmusic.co.uk/nik-kershaw-eonmusic-interview-june-2017|title=Nik Kershaw|first=Eamon|last=O'Neill|date=June 2017|access-date=June 8, 2021}} Kershaw elaborates on the layering of the guitar lines:

{{quote|I think I'm playing fifths in one go. But some of the more subtle notes just didn't work, so I think I did about four takes of each note, so there were a lot of takes, and this was all on analogue tape, obviously. We then bounced them all together to make that one sound.}}

According to Kershaw, there were about 20 guitars on this song alone, and there was a bit of trouble in trying to get the other instruments being overdubbed (such as bass and keyboards) in tune with the guitars.{{cite magazine|title=Nik Kershaw: Recording Secrets|first=Nick|last=Webb|magazine=Sound on Sound|date=January 1986|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/nik-kershaw-recording-secrets/1291|access-date=June 8, 2021}}

The main synthesizer riff was produced using a combination of PPG Wave 2.2 and a Yamaha DX7.{{cite web|url=http://www.nikkershaw.co.uk/drum-talk.asp |title=The Official Nik Kershaw Website |publisher=Nikkershaw.co.uk |access-date=2012-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125125806/http://www.nikkershaw.co.uk/drum-talk.asp|archive-date=2009-01-25}}

Release

"Wouldn't It Be Good" was released in a single version and an extended 12" version. A remix by Simon Boswell, clocking in at 7:20, appears on the album Retro:Active 4: Rare & Remixed.

In 1985, "Wouldn't It Be Good" appeared on the soundtrack to the film Gotcha!

Music video

In the music video for "Wouldn't It Be Good", Kershaw is an extraterrestrial visitor who observes the characteristics of the people around him. It was directed by graphic designer Storm Thorgerson,{{cite web|url= https://imvdb.com/video/nik-kershaw/wouldnt-it-be-good|title=Wouldn't It Be Good (1984)|website=IMDb|access-date=4 October 2016}} was released in 1984 and received heavy rotation on MTV, which helped the song reach No. 46 on the US charts. It used chroma key technology to achieve the alien suit's special effects. The music video was filmed in mid-January 1984 over a period of three days, primarily in and around St. James' Court Hotel, London. The closing scenes were recorded at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, near Cambridge.{{cite web

| title = The Nik Kershaw Picture Show

| url = http://it.kershaw.net/press/interviews/80interview.php?id=14

| publisher = It.kershaw.net

| access-date = 2013-07-13

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112535/http://it.kershaw.net/press/interviews/80interview.php?id=14

| archive-date = 4 March 2016

}}{{cite web|url= http://www.thelondonsalad.com/80s-music-videos-london/|title=Nik Kershaw |website=The London Salad| access-date=17 November 2017}}

According to Kershaw, the song was about "always wanting it better than everyone else", a concept which the director of the video further developed and integrated into the video plot of Kershaw being the alien who steps into other people's shoes. But in the end the alien realises that it was not such a good idea at all, and decides to return to his home planet.

Critical reception

In a review of the single's 1991 reissue, Stephen Dalton of NME praised it as "a deeply felt ennui at the hopeless dreams and aspirations of idealistic youth" and a "welcome re-release from a much underrated innovator of early synth-pop".{{cite magazine |last=Dalton |first=Stephen |date=30 November 1991 |title=Singles |magazine=New Musical Express |page=20}}

Track listings

7-inch single

: A. "Wouldn't It Be Good" – 4:35

: B. "Monkey Business" – 3:28

12-inch single

: A. "Wouldn't It Be Good" (special extended mix) – 6:50

: B. "Monkey Business" – 3:28

Charts

= Weekly charts =

scope="row"\| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|year=1993\|page=165\|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} \| 5
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Weekly chart performance for "Wouldn't It Be Good" ! scope="col"\| Chart (1984) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|12\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|17\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|9\|chartid=6753\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
scope="row"\| Canada (The Record){{cite book\|last=Lwin\|first=Nanda\|author-link=Nanda Lwin\|title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide\|publisher=Music Data Canada\|year=1999\|isbn=1-896594-13-1}} \| 7
scope="row"\| Europe (European Top 100 Singles){{cite magazine \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/84/M&M-1984-04-09-OCR-Page-0002.pdf \|title=European Top 100 Singles \|magazine=Eurotipsheet \|volume=1 \|issue=2 \|date=9 April 1984 \|page=10 \|oclc=29800226 \|via=World Radio History}} \| 9
{{single chart\|France\|35\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|2\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
scope="row"\| Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web \|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php \|title=Classifiche \|work=Musica e dischi \|language=it \|access-date=1 June 2022}} Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Nik Kershaw" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca". \| 14
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|24\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|32\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|16\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|Norway\|6\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=28 May 2022}}
scope="row"\| South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|title=SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts K\|website=The South African Rock Encyclopedia\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(K).html\|access-date=4 October 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524151624/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(K).html\|archive-date=24 May 2018}} \| 14
scope="row"\| Spain (AFYVE){{cite book\|last=Salaverrie\|first=Fernando\|date=September 2005\|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002\|language=es\|edition=1st\|location=Madrid\|publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE\|isbn=84-8048-639-2}} \| 26
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|3\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}
{{single chart\|UKsinglesbyname\|4\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|artistid=21164\|rowheader=true\|access-date=28 May 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|46\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|rowheader=true\|access-date=28 May 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboardmainstreamrock\|58\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|rowheader=true\|access-date=28 May 2022}}
scope="row"\| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles{{cite web \|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19840602.html \|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 2, 1984 \|work=Cash Box \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224235814/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19840602.html \|archive-date=24 February 2020 \|url-status=live}} \| 47
{{single chart\|West Germany\|2\|songid=1093\|artist=Nik Kershaw\|song=Wouldn't It Be Good\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 October 2016}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Year-end chart performance for "Wouldn't It Be Good" ! scope="col"\| Chart (1984) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine\|url=https://i.imgur.com/MyookoA.jpg\|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1984\|magazine=Kent Music Report\|issue=548\|date=31 December 1984\|via=Imgur}} \| 55
scope="row"\| Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9638&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9638.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9638\|title=Top 100 Singles of 1984\|magazine=RPM\|volume=41\|issue=17\|date=5 January 1985\|page=7\|issn=0033-7064\|via=Library and Archives Canada}} \| 62
scope="row"\| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1984\|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984\|website=hitparade.ch\|language=de\|access-date=4 October 2016}} \| 30
scope="row"\| UK Singles (Gallup){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1985/Music-Week-1985-01-26-I-IDX-55.pdf\|title=Top 100 Singles (January 3–December 29, 1984)\|magazine=Music Week\|date=26 January 1985\|page=37\|issn=0265-1548\|via=World Radio History}} \| 41
scope="row"\| West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1984\|title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1984\|publisher=GfK Entertainment\|access-date=4 October 2016\|language=de}} \| 26

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Wouldn't It Be Good"

! scope="col"| Chart (1984)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine|url=https://i.imgur.com/MyookoA.jpg|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1984|magazine=Kent Music Report|issue=548|date=31 December 1984|via=Imgur}}

| 55

scope="row"| Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9638&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9638.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9638|title=Top 100 Singles of 1984|magazine=RPM|volume=41|issue=17|date=5 January 1985|page=7|issn=0033-7064|via=Library and Archives Canada}}

| 62

scope="row"| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1984|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=4 October 2016}}

| 30

scope="row"| UK Singles (Gallup){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1985/Music-Week-1985-01-26-I-IDX-55.pdf|title=Top 100 Singles (January 3–December 29, 1984)|magazine=Music Week|date=26 January 1985|page=37|issn=0265-1548|via=World Radio History}}

| 41

scope="row"| West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1984|title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1984|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=4 October 2016|language=de}}

| 26

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Wouldn't It Be Good"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Nik Kershaw|title=Wouldn't It Be Good|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=1984|certyear=1984|id=8361-3151-1|date=1 March 1984|access-date=28 May 2022}}

Cover versions

In 1984, German singer Juliane Werding recorded a German-language version, titled "Sonne auf der Haut".{{cite web|title=Juliane Werding auf Platz 7 der Trendcharts von Music Control|url=http://www.openpr.de/news/181812/Juliane-Werding-auf-Platz-7-der-Trendcharts-von-Music-Control.html|access-date=11 June 2017|work=OpenPR.de|date=14 January 2008|language=de}}
In 1986, Danny Hutton Hitters did a rendition which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1986 film Pretty in Pink.{{cite news|last1=Green|first1=Thomas|title=Interview: 10 Questions for Nik Kershaw|url=http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/interview-10-questions-nik-kershaw|access-date=11 June 2017|work=The Arts Desk|date=6 August 2012}}{{cite news|last1=Allen|first1=Jeremy|title=The 'Pretty In Pink' Soundtrack Was a Gateway to Alt-Pop and Proletarian Revolution|url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/the-pretty-in-pinsoundtrack-was-a-gateway-to-alt-pop-and-proletarian-revolution|access-date=11 June 2017|work=Noisey|date=9 June 2017|language=en-uk}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
In 1986, Barbara Dickson covered it for her studio album The Right Moment {{cite web |title=The Right Moment – Album (1986) |url=https://www.barbaradickson.net/therightmoment |website=Barbara Dickson |access-date=24 March 2022}}
In 1992, American singer-songwriter Tommy Page did a cover for his studio album, A Friend to Rely On.{{cite news|title=Obati Kerinduan, Tommy Page Konser di Jakarta Mei 2015|url=https://lifestyle.sindonews.com/read/982061/157/obati-kerinduan-tommy-page-konser-di-jakarta-mei-2015-1427441935|access-date=11 June 2017|work=SINDOnews.com|date=27 March 2015|language=id}}
In 2006, German dance music act Cascada recorded their version for their studio album Everytime We Touch. It reached No. 54 in the Swedish national record chart.{{Refnec|date=March 2025}}

References

External links

{{discogs master|type=single|86863}}

Category:1984 songs

Category:1984 singles

Category:Cascada songs

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:Nik Kershaw songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Peter Collins (record producer)

Category:Songs written by Nik Kershaw

Category:Music videos directed by Storm Thorgerson