Stock Aitken Waterman
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Related e |
Featured: |
Stock, Aitken & Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a British songwriting and record producing trio who had great success during the mid-late 1980s and early 1990s with many of their productions. The three can be considered to be the most successful songwriting and producing partnership of all time, scoring over 200 top 40 UK hits. SAW started in Hi-NRG production on underground club hits, but would hit the motherlode when they mixed the House-influenced sound with Sweet bubblegum lyrics and referred to themselves as the British Motown. During 1987-1989, their music style was Labelled "Eurobeat" in Europe.
UK number-one hits
The following SAW produced hits made it to the top of the UK pop chart:
- 1985 "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)", Dead or Alive
- 1987 "Respectable", Mel and Kim
- 1987 "Let It Be", Ferry Aid, a cover of the 1970 Beatles' hit
- 1987 "Never Gonna Give You Up", Rick Astley
- 1987 "I Should Be So Lucky", Kylie Minogue
- 1989 "Especially for You", Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
- 1989 "Too Many Broken Hearts", Jason Donovan
- 1989 "Hand on Your Heart", Kylie Minogue
- 1989 "Ferry Cross the Mersey", Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and SAW, a cover of the Gerry and the Pacemakers' 1964 hit
- 1989 "Sealed with a Kiss", Jason Donovan, a cover of the Brian Hyland single
- 1989 "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You", Sonia
- 1989 "Do They Know It's Christmas", Band Aid II
- 1990 "Tears on My Pillow", Kylie Minogue's cover of the 1958 song by Little Anthony and the Imperials
In addition to these, Bananarama's "Venus" and Rick Astley's "Together Forever" both held the number one position in the U.S. pop charts, although they were less successful in the UK.