Shocking Blue -

Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band from Den Haag, best known for their 1969 global hit “Venus.” Formed as an all-male quartet, they cut a 1968 self-titled album on Polydor. After the arrival of singer Mariska Veres, they made seven albums between 1969 and 1974 on Pink Elephant and scored Continental hits with “Send Me a Postcard,” “Mighty Joe,” “Never Marry a Railroad Man,” “Hello Darkness,” “Blossom Lady,” “Inkpot,” and “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.”

Members: Robbie van Leeuwen (guitar, sitar, vocals, 1967-88), Cor van der Beek (drums, 1967-84), Klaasje van der Wal (bass, 1967-72), Fred de Wilde (vocals, 1967-68), Mariska Veres (vocals, 1968-2006), Leo van de Ketterij (guitar, 1970-72), Henk Smitskamp (bass, 1972-74), Martin van Wijk (guitar, 1973-74), Wim Voermans (bass, 1984-86), Jan Pijnenburg (drums, 1985-86), André van Geldorp (guitar, vocals, 1987-2006)

Background

Shocking Blue was formed in 1967 by Hague guitarist/singer Robbie van Leeuwen (b. October 29, 1944) after a two-album stint with Nederbeat stars The Motions. Leeuwen served as The Motions guitarist and chief songwriter on their 1965/66 Negram/Havoc albums Introduction to the Motions and There Own Way.

For Shocking Blue, Leeuwen hired singer Fred de Wilde (ex-Hu & The Hilltops), bassist Klaasje van der Wal (ex-The Kick), and drummer Cor van der Beek (ex-The Sect). They debuted as Shocking Blue with the September 1967 Dutch Polydor release “Love Is In the Air,” a blues-tinged ballad backed with “What You Gonna Do,” both Leeuwen originals.

Shocking Blue (album)

Shocking Blue released their debut album in November 1967 on Dutch Polydor. In 1969, the album appeared in Germany, re-titled Beat With Us on Karussell.

The album captures the band’s early Nederbeat sound with traces of blues rock and folk influences. It marks their only release with vocalist Fred de Wilde, who departed soon after its release. Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen led the group’s songwriting and direction, foreshadowing the melodic sensibility that would later define their international breakthrough.

Van Leeuwen wrote most of the material, including ten of the fourteen tracks. Vocalist Barry Hay co-wrote two songs (“What’s Wrong Bertha,” “Crazy Drunken Man Dreams”), and guitarist Dimitri contributed to three (“Jail My Second Home,” “Beggarman,” “Where My Baby’s Gone”). They also cover songs by Huey “Piano” Smith (“Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”), Arthur Crudup (“That’s Allright”), and Gene Vincent (“Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me”).

The album alternates between brisk beat numbers and blues-derived rockers. “Love Is in the Air” and “Ooh Wee There’s Music in Me” show the band’s rhythmic drive and call-and-response vocal lines, while “Little Maggie” and “Beggarman” emphasize darker, modal phrasing. “Where My Baby’s Gone” closes the set on an expansive note with its slow, cyclical build and layered harmonies.

A1. “Love Is in the Air” (2:36)
A2. “Ooh Wee There’s Music in Me” (2:32)
A3. “What You Gonna Do” (2:17)
A4. “Whisky Don’t Wash My Brains” (0:58)
A5. “Little Maggie” (2:47)
A6. “Jail My Second Home” (2:23)
A7. “What’s Wrong Bertha” (2:24)
A8. “League of Angels” (2:06)

B1. “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” (1:58) — originated as a 1957 hit by Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns, written by Smith and Johnny Vincent, later covered by Johnny Rivers, Aerosmith, and Professor Longhair
B2. “That’s Allright” (2:23) — first recorded in 1946 by Arthur Crudup as “That’s All Right, Mama,” popularized by Elvis Presley in 1954
B3. “Crazy Drunken Man Dreams” (2:51)
B4. “Beggarman” (2:31)
B5. “Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me” (2:01) — written by Gene Vincent and Bill “Tex” Davis; first recorded by Vincent in 1956
B6. “Where My Baby’s Gone” (5:01)

Sessions took place at Phonograph Studio in Hilversum with producer Cees de Man.

Polydor issued “Love Is in the Air” (b/w “What You Gonna Do”) as the album’s single in late 1967.

In September 1968, Shocking Blue followed with the non-album single “Lucy Brown Is Back in Town” (b/w “Fix Your Hair Darling”), both written by Van Leeuwen and produced by De Man.

In 1969, the album appeared in Germany as Beat With Us on Karussell, omitting “Whisky Don’t Wash My Brains” and “League of Angels.” The 2006 CD reissue restored those tracks and appended the “Lucy Brown” single as bonus material.

Classic Lineup

In late 1968, Fred de Wilde departed for the army. Leeuwen hired Mariska Veres (b. October 1, 1947), a Hague club singer of French, Hungarian, and Russian ancestry. Mariska first recorded with Les Mystères, which cut a 1964 EP with covers of the Dave Clark Five (“Can’t You See”) and the Gershwin standard “Summertime.” In 1965/66, she sang in multiple Nederbeat groups (The Bumble Bees, The Blue Fighters, Danny & His Favourites, General Four) and played organ in The Motowns.

Mariska debuted with Shocking Blue on the December 1968 Pink Elephant “Send Me a Postcard,” an uptempo fuzz-tinged psych rocker backed with “Harley Davidson.”

The track is an uptempo psych rocker built on fuzzed guitars, propulsive drumming, and Mariska Veres’ commanding vocals. It sets a tone of energetic psychedelia, combining European psych sensibilities with taut pop structures.

Guitarist and primary songwriter Robbie van Leeuwen composed “Send Me a Postcard” and produced the sessions, backed by Mariska Veres on vocals, Cor van der Beek on drums, and Henk Smitskamp on bass.

The song alternates driving guitar riffs with sharply accented percussion, Mariska’s vocal cutting across the arrangement with playful urgency. The B-side, “Harley Davidson,” matches the A-side’s momentum with brash riffing and rhythmic thrust.

A1. “Send Me a Postcard” (2:38) — written and first recorded by Shocking Blue, later adapted with Swedish lyrics by Per Gessle for Gyllene Tider (“Skicka ett vykort, älskling”), Finnish by Muska (“Kirjoita postikorttiin”), and Turkish by Mavi Işıklar (“Aşk Çiçeği”). Bob Mould covered it on Sunshine Rock (2019). Lyrics convey a brief, urgent plea for connection across distance.
A2. “Harley Davidson” (2:12) — Shocking Blue original emphasizing motorbike imagery and driving rhythm.

Sessions occurred at Pink Elephant studios with Robbie van Leeuwen producing.

Epic promoted “Send Me a Postcard” (b/w “Harley Davidson”), which reached No. 10 in the Netherlands and No. 4 in Norway.

The single’s influence extended internationally through multiple covers: Loog included it on Meltdown House (1995), Ladytron compiled it on Softcore Jukebox (2003), and Bob Mould revived it for his 2019 release.

In March 1969, Shocking Blue followed with “Long and Lonesome Road” (b/w “Fireball of Love”), which peaked at No. 16 in the Netherlands.

At Home

Shocking Blue released their second album, At Home, on September 30, 1969, on Pink Elephant.

The album established the band’s definitive sound: a vivid mix of psychedelia, folk rock, and early 1970s pop stylings framed by Veres’ commanding delivery and Robbie van Leeuwen’s blend of sitar textures and guitar leads. It contains the band’s best-known work and stands as their creative high point.

Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen wrote and produced all songs apart from “Acka Raga,” composed by British jazz musician John Mayer. The album also includes a contemporary adaptation of the traditional blues “Boll Weevil,” popularized in 1934 by Lead Belly and later by Brook Benton in 1961.

The record alternates between driving raga-tinged psych rock (“Acka Raga,” “Love Buzz”), jangling folk-pop (“Long and Lonesome Road,” “California Here I Come”), and dynamic blues-inflected rockers (“I’ll Write Your Name Through the Fire,” “Love Machine”). “Venus” combines a circular rhythm and twangy guitar lines with Veres’ resonant alto in a reworking of Tim Rose’s “The Banjo Song,” while “The Butterfly and I” closes the set with a layered, dreamlike arrangement.

A1. “Boll Weevil” (2:40) — adapted from the traditional blues standard, known from Lead Belly’s 1934 version and Brook Benton’s 1961 pop hit
A2. “I’ll Write Your Name Through the Fire” (2:50)
A3. “Acka Raga” (3:10) — composed by Indian-born British musician John Mayer; originally performed by the Indo-Jazz Fusions ensemble in 1968
A4. “Love Machine” (3:15)
A5. “I’m a Woman” (3:00)
A6. “Venus” (3:07) — derived from “The Banjo Song” (Tim Rose and the Big 3), itself a 1963 reworking of Stephen Foster’s “Oh! Susanna”

B1. “California Here I Come” (3:15)
B2. “Poor Boy” (4:50)
B3. “Long and Lonesome Road” (2:44)
B4. “Love Buzz” (3:40)
B5. “The Butterfly and I” (3:50)

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum with production by Shocking Blue and engineer Paul Trefzger.

Pink Elephant issued “Venus” (b/w “Hot Sand”) on July 14, 1969, as the first single. The song reached No. 1 in nine countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, France, and Japan.

“Mighty Joe” (b/w “Wild Wind”) followed in November 1969 and reached No. 2 in the Netherlands, No. 3 in Belgium, No. 5 in Germany, and No. 6 in Switzerland.

“Never Marry a Railroad Man” (b/w “Roll Engine Roll”) appeared in May 1970 and topped charts across the Benelux region, also reaching No. 5 in Norway.

Scorpio’s Dance

Shocking Blue released their third album, Scorpio’s Dance, in September 1970 on Pink Elephant.

The album marked a stylistic broadening for the group, blending their established rock and psychedelic sound with overt touches of country and Americana. It followed the success of At Home and reinforced Mariska Veres’ role as frontwoman amid guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen’s increasingly cinematic songwriting and arrangements.

Van Leeuwen wrote and produced all tracks apart from “Sally Was a Good Old Girl,” a 1962 country tune by Hank Cochran, first popularized by Don Gibson and later recorded by Connie Francis.

The set balances western-tinged and blues-based material with moody, atmospheric pieces. “Alaska Country” evokes frontier imagery with its steady, galloping rhythm, while “Daemon Lover” stretches across six minutes of hypnotic pacing and layered organ tones. The two-part “Scorpio’s Dance” fuses sitar and tremolo guitar into a tense instrumental sequence. “I Love Voodoo Music” applies tribal percussion and jungle effects, contrasting the folk-based sway of “Little Cooling Planet” and “Water Boy.”

A1. “Scorpio’s Dance (First Movement)” (0:37)
A2. “Alaska Country” (3:51)
A3. “Sally Was a Good Old Girl” (3:30) — originated as a 1962 single by Don Gibson, written by Hank Cochran and covered later by Bobby Bare and Waylon Jennings
A4. “Daemon Lover” (6:00)
A5. “Scorpio’s Dance” (3:40)

B1. “Little Cooling Planet” (3:58)
B2. “I Love Voodoo Music” (3:58)
B3. “Seven Is a Magic Number” (2:58)
B4. “Keep It If You Want It” (2:51)
B5. “Water Boy” (2:30)

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum and Bell Sound Studios in New York City, with Shocking Blue handling production and Paul Trefzger engineering.

The album’s cover photo—shot in a desert-like cactus field—mirrors the record’s western and mystical themes.

Pink Elephant issued Scorpio’s Dance in Japan as Sally Was a Good Old Girl. In November 1970, the label released the non-album single “Hello Darkness” (b/w “Pickin’ Tomatoes”), which reached No. 4 on the Dutch chart.

Reissues of Scorpio’s Dance from 1990 onward appended three earlier singles: “Send Me a Postcard,” “Mighty Joe,” and “Hello Darkness.”

3rd Album

Shocking Blue released their fourth album, 3rd Album, on April 15, 1971, on Pink Elephant. The title reflects the band’s third release with Mariska Veres, discounting their pre-Veres debut.

The album continued their fusion of rock, blues, and folk with a heightened focus on texture and arrangement. It paired bright, electric tracks with more reflective, pastoral moments, bridging the psychedelia of Scorpio’s Dance and the pop orientation of their later work.

Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen wrote and produced all songs except “I Saw Your Face,” composed and sung by Regis Mull.

The album opens with the driving “Shocking You,” followed by the ethereal “Velvet Heaven” and the serene “Love Sweet Love.” Van Leeuwen takes the microphone on “I Saw Your Face,” giving the set a tonal shift, while “Simon Lee and the Gang” provides a brief instrumental interlude. “Serenade” closes the first side with a layered, mid-tempo pulse that highlights Veres’ sustained phrasing. On side two, “Don’t You See” and “The Bird of Paradise” return to blues-inflected territory, while “Moonlight Night” unfolds in a slower, reflective tempo. The closing “I’ll Follow the Sun”—unrelated to the Beatles song—ends the album on a calm, affirming note.

A1. “Shocking You” (3:01)
A2. “Velvet Heaven” (3:22)
A3. “Love Sweet Love” (3:12)
A4. “I Saw Your Face” (2:55) — written and sung by Regis Mull
A5. “Simon Lee and the Gang” (1:47)
A6. “Serenade” (3:25)

B1. “Don’t You See” (2:44)
B2. “The Bird of Paradise” (2:49)
B3. “Moonlight Night” (4:55)
B4. “Sleepless at Midnight” (2:28)
B5. “I’ll Follow the Sun” (2:44)

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum between January and March 1971 with Shocking Blue producing.

Pink Elephant promoted 3rd Album with “Shocking You” (b/w “Waterloo”) on February 28, 1971.

The non-album “Blossom Lady” (b/w “Is This a Dream”) followed on August 13, reaching No. 2 in the Netherlands and No. 4 in Belgium. Their followup single, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” (b/w “I Like You”), appeared in November 1971 and reached No. 6 in the Netherlands and No. 13 in Belgium.

In Argentina, the album appeared under the alternate title Shocking You with a revised track sequence that included several B-sides and earlier singles.

Inkpot

Shocking Blue released their fifth album, Inkpot, on March 20, 1972, on Pink Elephant.

The album retains the band’s crisp, rhythm-driven sound while introducing brighter acoustic textures and light country overtones. Mariska Veres alternates between bold phrasing and softer restraint across a compact set balanced between new originals and country–rock covers.

Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen wrote eight of the twelve songs and sang lead on “Hey.” The remaining tracks include covers of songs popularized by Webb Pierce (“I Ain’t Never”), Hank Williams (“Jambalaya”), and John D. Loudermilk (“Tobacco Road”).

Across the set, Shocking Blue weave folk-tinted storytelling (“Navajo Tears”) and nocturnal dreamscapes (“Shadows,” “Red Leaves I + II”) with crisp electric twang (“Blue Jean,” “Hey”). “Inkpot” stands out for its swirling sitar-like refrain and modal lift, while “Who Saved My Soul” closes side two’s first half with a psych-tinged air.

A1. “I Ain’t Never” (2:15) — originated as a 1959 single by Webb Pierce, co-written with Mel Tillis, whose own 1972 version became a country hit.
A2. “Navajo Tears” (2:39)
A3. “Shadows” (2:29)
A4. “Blue Jean” (2:35)
A5. “Jambalaya” (2:27) — written and first recorded by Hank Williams in 1952; inspired by Cajun culture and later covered by The Carpenters and Emmylou Harris.
A6. “Inkpot” (2:39)

B1. “Tobacco Road” (2:32) — written by John D. Loudermilk and first cut by him in 1960; popularized by The Nashville Teens in 1964 and later revived by War with Eric Burdon.
B2. “Hey” (2:29)
B3. “Who Saved My Soul” (1:56)
B4. “Red Leaves I + II” (2:36)
B5. “The Queen” (2:04)
B6. “I Melt My Butter” (2:12)

Sessions occurred between October 1971 and January 1972 at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum with Shocking Blue handling production.

Pink Elephant promoted Inkpot with the title track (b/w “Give My Love to the Sunrise”). The song later gained enduring familiarity in Hong Kong as the theme of the Mark Six lottery program from 1976 onward.

Attila

Shocking Blue released their sixth album, Attila, in November 1972 on Pink Elephant.

The album continues the band’s concise, rhythm-charged sound but places greater emphasis on folk phrasing, acoustic texture, and lyrical reflection. Electric passages alternate with rustic instrumentation and occasional orchestral flourishes that extend their sound beyond earlier psych-pop parameters.

Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen wrote all twelve songs. Mariska Veres delivers with greater restraint, offsetting the material’s introspective tone with moments of theatrical uplift, most notably on “Rock in the Sea.”

“Rattler” opens with clipped electric drive, leading into the solemn “Never Release the One You Love.” The midsection alternates between folk ballads (“A Waste of Time,” “Wait”) and allegorical pop (“The Devil and the Angel”). Side two shifts toward plaintive chamber-folk and gospel-inflected fare (“Will the Circle Be Unbroken”), culminating with “Broken Heart,” a baroque piano miniature that borrows from Beethoven’s compositional cadence.

A1. “Rattler” (2:47)
A2. “Never Release the One You Love” (2:58)
A3. “A Waste of Time” (2:40)
A4. “Wait” (2:00)
A5. “The Devil and the Angel” (2:27)
A6. “Rock in the Sea” (3:00)

B1. “I’ve Spent My Money” (2:00)
B2. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (2:38) — traditional gospel song first popularized in 1935 by The Carter Family and later revived by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972).
B3. “Early in the Morning” (2:16)
B4. “I Built My World Around You” (1:55)
B5. “Don’t Let Your Right Know” (2:05)
B6. “Broken Heart” (2:27)

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum with Shocking Blue producing.

In Germany, Polydor reissued the album as Eve & the Apple, adding a new title track in place of “Rock in the Sea.”

Dream On Dreamer

Shocking Blue released their seventh album, Ham, in 1973 on Pink Elephant in Benelux and France.

In France and Japan, it was issued in its original mix without the band’s consent, while Benelux copies feature a remixed version that the band later approved. Polydor released a revised edition in Germany under the title Dream On Dreamer with an alternate tracklist.

The album continues the group’s concise, blues-steeped sound with subdued rhythmic pacing and understated folk inflections. Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen recovered from illness to lead the sessions, aiming for a J.J. Cale–inspired tone built around relaxed tempos and sparse arrangements.

Van Leeuwen wrote all twelve songs. He expanded his stylistic range with reflective pieces like “Time Slips Away” and “I Saw You in June” and set Mariska Veres’ voice in quieter, more atmospheric surroundings than before.

“Oh Lord” opens with somber phrasing that contrasts with the steady-motion blues of “Everything That’s Mine.” Side one alternates between weary confessionals (“Dowee Dowee,” “Time Slips Away”) and subdued spiritual imagery (“Devil’s Suite”). The second side blends rustic and devotional themes across “I Saw You in June,” “Wild Rose,” and “In My Time of Dyin’,” a reworking of the traditional gospel song later revived by Led Zeppelin.

A1. “Oh Lord” (2:40)
A2. “Dowee Dowee” (2:47)
A3. “Everything That’s Mine” (2:38)
A4. “Devil’s Suite” (3:07)
A5. “Time Slips Away” (2:22)
A6. “A Little Bit of Heaven” (2:30)

B1. “I Saw You in June” (3:00)
B2. “Wild Rose” (2:23)
B3. “In My Time of Dyin’” (3:38) — originated as a 1933 gospel song by Blind Willie Johnson (“Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed”) and popularized in 1937 by Josh White; later covered by Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin.
B4. “So Far From Home” (2:10)
B5. “Take Your Time” (2:08)
B6. “Now He’s Gone” (2:10)

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum with Shocking Blue producing.

Pink Elephant promoted Ham with “Oh Lord” (b/w “In My Time of Dyin’”), which reached No. 14 on the Dutch chart. “Time Slips Away” followed as a standalone single, notable for Veres’ airy, whisper-toned delivery. Another single, “Let Me Carry Your Bag” (b/w “I Saw You in June”), appeared the same year outside the album.

Dream On Dreamer reused nine of the same tracks with three substitutions and a new mix that reflected van Leeuwen’s final work with the band before his 1974 departure.

Dream On Dreamer tracklist

A1. “Time Slips Away” (2:22)
A2. “Dowee Dowee” (2:47)
A3. “So Far From Home” (2:10)
A4. “Take Your Time” (2:08)
A5. “A Little Bit of Heaven” (2:30)
A6. “Now He’s Gone” (2:10)

B1. “Diana in Her Arms” (3:00)
B2. “Just a Song” (2:30)
B3. “In My Time of Dyin'” (3:38)
B4. “Wild Rose” (2:23)
B5. “Save Your Love” (2:50)
B6. “Devil’s Suite” (3:07)

Final Lineup

In early 1974, Robbie van Leeuwen departed Shocking Blue and formed Galaxy-Lin. Shocking Blue continued with Martin van Wijk, a late-period member of Dutch psychsters Fairy-Tale who recently played in the Philips singles act Jupiter. In May 1974, the new lineup debuted with “This America” (b/w “I Won’t Be Lonely Long”), a No. 23 hit in Belgium.

Good Times

Shocking Blue released their eighth and final studio album, Good Times, on October 30, 1974, on Pink Elephant.

The album shifts toward blues-inflected hard rock with glam and funk overtones. It marks their only release without guitarist–songwriter Robbie van Leeuwen, whose role passed to Martin van Wijk. Mariska Veres maintains her commanding vocal presence while the band adopt a broader palette that combines brisk rhythm sections with American rock and country influences.

Van Wijk wrote six songs. The remaining material includes covers of songs by The Easybeats (“Good Times”), the Four Seasons (“Beggin’”), and Bobbie Gentry (“Mississippi Delta”), as well as renditions of songs by Waylon Jennings (“Nashville Rebel”) and The Temptations (“Ball of Confusion”).

The title track opens the set with a kinetic reinterpretation of the Easybeats’ 1968 single, followed by the reflective “You’ll Come” and Van Wijk’s melancholic “My Life.” Side one closes with the Timebox-associated “Beggin’,” recast here with heavier phrasing and Veres’ robust phrasing. Side two traverses Southern rock and R&B terrain from the patriotic “This America” and Jennings’ “Nashville Rebel” to a taut rendering of “Ball of Confusion” and Gentry’s “Mississippi Delta.”

A1. “Good Times” (3:27) — Harry Vanda, George Young; originated as a 1968 single by the Easybeats, featuring Steve Marriott of the Small Faces and pianist Nicky Hopkins.
A2. “You’ll Come” (2:06) — M. Black
A3. “My Life” (2:35) — van Wijk
A4. “Morning Sun” (3:32) — van Wijk
A5. “Loving Girl” (3:30) — Ron Floegel, Andrew Samuels, Tom Phillips
A6. “Beggin’” (4:13) — Bob Gaudio, Peggy Farina; originated as a 1967 single by the Four Seasons, later revived by Timebox in 1968.

B1. “This America” (2:57) — van Wijk
B2. “Nashville Rebel” (2:27) — Waylon Jennings
B3. “Ball of Confusion” (3:25) — Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong; originally a 1970 hit by the Temptations.
B4. “Mississippi Delta” (2:50) — Bobbie Gentry; drawn from Gentry’s 1967 Ode to Billie Joe album.
B5. “I Won’t Be Lonely Long” (2:57) — van Wijk
B6. “Come My Way” (3:19) — van Wijk

Sessions occurred at Sound Push Studios in Blaricum between November 1973 and March 1974 with producer Rudy Bennett.

Pink Elephant promoted the album with “Good Times” (b/w “Come My Way”) as a single.

Good Times concluded Shocking Blue’s recording career. Veres pursued solo work afterward while drummer Cor van der Beek and bassist Henk Smitskamp joined other Dutch rock outfits.

Discography: