Black Is Black
Encyclopedia
"Black Is Black" is a song by rock band
Los Bravos
, released in 1966 as the group's debut single for Decca Records
. Produced by Ivor Raymonde
, the song reached number two in the UK,
number four in the U.S.,
and number one in Canada.
With the song's success, Los Bravos became the first Spanish
rock band to have an international hit single
.
A dance remix
of the song was released as a single in 1986.
Together with German-born singer Michael Kogel, the group set out to achieve success in the European market making English-language
pop music
. After signing with the Spanish division of Decca Records
, the band went to England to work with Ivor Raymonde
, a British producer
, arranger
, conductor
, and composer
who had been involved in making UK hit songs with such artists as Marty Wilde
, Billy Fury
, and Dave Berry
. "Black Is Black" was released in 1966 as the band's first Decca single.
Mike Kogel's vocals sounded so similar to Gene Pitney
that many listeners assumed that "Black Is Black" was a Pitney single.
In August 1966, the song debuted at number 100 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
singles chart.
It peaked at number four in October,
and spent 12 weeks on the chart. The song reached number one on the Canadian Singles Chart
, and peaked at number two in the UK. The single also sold two million copies in Spain.
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, American media
conglomerate company Clear Channel Communications
distributed the 2001 Clear Channel memorandum to program directors at the more than 1000 radio stations the company owned.
The memo contained a list of 162 songs with "questionable lyrics" that the stations should avoid playing.
"Black Is Black" was among the songs on the list.
and held the number one spot on France's singles chart for seven weeks in the fall of 1966.
The song was covered
by French vocal trio
La Belle Epoque
and released as a 1977 single, which peaked at number two in the UK,
and reached number one in Australia the following year. Australia
n-American
singer Rick Springfield
performed a version of the song on his 1982 album, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet
.
In 1986, a dance remix of the original "Black Is Black" by Los Bravos was released as a single. Europop
band Joy
released their version of the song as a 1987 single.
In 1996, the song was covered by the spanish pop/rock band La Unión on the album Hiperespacio.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Los Bravos
Los Bravos
Los Bravos were a Spanish beat group, formed in 1965, and based in Madrid. Their single "Black Is Black" reached #2 in the United Kingdom in July 1966, and #4 in the United States selling over a million records.-Biography:...
, released in 1966 as the group's debut single for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. Produced by Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde was a British musician, songwriter, arranger and actor, best known for his distinctive rock-orchestral arrangements for Dusty Springfield and others in the 1960s.-Life and career:...
, the song reached number two in the UK,
number four in the U.S.,
and number one in Canada.
With the song's success, Los Bravos became the first Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
rock band to have an international hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
.
A dance remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the song was released as a single in 1986.
Background
Four members of Los Bravos—bassist Miguel Vicens Danus, guitarist Tony Martinez, organist Manuel Fernandez, and drummer Pablo Sanllehi—had previously worked together in the Spanish band Los Sonors.Together with German-born singer Michael Kogel, the group set out to achieve success in the European market making English-language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. After signing with the Spanish division of Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, the band went to England to work with Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde was a British musician, songwriter, arranger and actor, best known for his distinctive rock-orchestral arrangements for Dusty Springfield and others in the 1960s.-Life and career:...
, a British producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who had been involved in making UK hit songs with such artists as Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, and is the father of pop singers Ricky Wilde, Kim Wilde and Roxanne Wilde.-Career:Wilde was performing under the name Reg Patterson at London's Condor Club in...
, Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, and Dave Berry
Dave Berry (musician)
Not to be confused with English 1960s singer Mike Berry.Dave Berry is a British pop singer and former teen idol of the 1960s...
. "Black Is Black" was released in 1966 as the band's first Decca single.
Reception
Lead singerLead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Mike Kogel's vocals sounded so similar to Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
that many listeners assumed that "Black Is Black" was a Pitney single.
In August 1966, the song debuted at number 100 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart.
It peaked at number four in October,
and spent 12 weeks on the chart. The song reached number one on the Canadian Singles Chart
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
, and peaked at number two in the UK. The single also sold two million copies in Spain.
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, American media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
conglomerate company Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
distributed the 2001 Clear Channel memorandum to program directors at the more than 1000 radio stations the company owned.
The memo contained a list of 162 songs with "questionable lyrics" that the stations should avoid playing.
"Black Is Black" was among the songs on the list.
Other versions
A French version of the song, entitled "Noir c'est noir," was recorded by Johnny HallydayJohnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday is a French singer and actor. An icon in the French-speaking world since the beginning of his career, he was considered by some to have been the French Elvis Presley. He was married for 15 years to one of the most popular French female singers: Sylvie Vartan...
and held the number one spot on France's singles chart for seven weeks in the fall of 1966.
The song was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by French vocal trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
La Belle Epoque
Belle Epoque (band)
Belle Epoque was the name of a female vocal trio, based in Paris, France. The group first rose to popularity during the mid to late 1970s with a disco remake of the song, "Black Is Black", originally a hit in 1966 for the Spanish group Los Bravos.-History:Belle Epoque consisted of lead singer...
and released as a 1977 single, which peaked at number two in the UK,
and reached number one in Australia the following year. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971 and then started his solo career with his début single "Speak to the Sky" reaching the top 10 in Australia. In mid-1972, he relocated to the United States...
performed a version of the song on his 1982 album, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet
Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet
Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet is an album by Rick Springfield, released by RCA in 1982. The album went platinum, and produced three top 40 singles; "Don't Talk to Strangers" , "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "I Get Excited"...
.
In 1986, a dance remix of the original "Black Is Black" by Los Bravos was released as a single. Europop
Europop
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s...
band Joy
Joy (band)
Joy is an 80s Europop band from Austria, best known for their biggest hits Touch By Touch and Valerie.-History:The band Joy was formed in Bad Aussee, an Austrian town of 7500 citizens. Freddy Jaklitsch , Manfred Temmel and Andy Schweitzer were school friends, but after the graduation all three...
released their version of the song as a 1987 single.
In 1996, the song was covered by the spanish pop/rock band La Unión on the album Hiperespacio.
Track listing
- "Black Is Black" (Grainger, Hayes, Wadey) – 2:55
- "I Want a Name" (Dias, Raymonde) – 2:38
Chart performance
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... 100 |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
4 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles | 3 |