The Foote Files: Shocking Blue And Venus

(CBS 11) - Today's song is still as good today as it was when it was first released nearly 50 years ago.

Shocking Blue was a rock group from The Hague, Netherlands. Founded in 1967, the group consisted of founder Robbie van Leeuwen on guitar, Klassje Wal on bass, Car Beek on drums and Mariska Veres on vocals.

Many of their songs fell into the psychedelic rock genre that was prevalent during the mid to late 1960's. They released a number of songs but their most successful one worldwide was "Venus."

That song hit #1 on the American Billboard Hot 100 in December 1969 and stayed on the charts for 13 consecutive weeks. It also was #1 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and Spain. The song was also redone 17 years later by the British pop/rock group Bananarama, which also made it to #1 with the song in the summer of 1986. The song has also been featured in numerous films, television shows, and commercials over the years.

"Venus" was released on October 2, 1969. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen and produced by him and Jerry Ross, running 3:06 on the Colossus label, the lyrics go like this:

A goddess on a mountain top
Was burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name

She's got it
Yeah baby, she's got it
Well, I'm your Venus
I'm your fire
At your desire
Well, I'm your Venus
I'm your fire
At your desire

Drummer Car Beek passed away on April 2, 1998. Vocalist Mariska Veres passed away on December 2, 2006. Bassist Klaasje Wal died on February 12, 2018.

The Bananarama version is very good, but the Shocking Blue version is awesome! You can hear this song on SIRIUS XM 60s On 6 with Phlash Phelps, Pat St. John, Shotgun Tom Kelly, Dave Hoeffel, Mike Kelly, and Cousin Bruce Morrow.