Eighties Archive Song Number
Highest Chart Position
Date Released
Date Of UK Top 40 Entry
Genre
Label
Catalogue Number
Story Behind The Song
Released in 1984 as the title track of Nik Kershaw’s second studio album, “The Riddle” is an exuberant blend of synth-pop, new wave and folk-inspired melody. Written by Kershaw and produced by Peter Collins, the recording combines programmed drums, synthesizers, guitars and layered vocals to create a richly textured production typical of sophisticated mid-Eighties pop.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the song is that its mysterious lyrics were never intended to have a particular meaning. Kershaw originally wrote them as a temporary guide vocal, using nonsense words that fitted the melody and rhythm while he planned to replace them later. However, when he attempted to write a conventional lyric, nothing sounded as natural as the original words, so they were retained. The result was a song that sounded as though it contained a carefully constructed puzzle, prompting listeners to search for hidden meanings that Kershaw had never intended.
Kershaw wrote the melody remarkably quickly, reportedly completing it in around ten minutes after his producer suggested that the material needed an obvious single. He had also been listening to Irish folk music, which may have influenced the song’s unusual melodic character.
The accompanying video embraced the song’s surreal atmosphere with fantasy imagery and references to Lewis Carroll. “The Riddle” remains a wonderfully enigmatic piece of Eighties pop, memorable precisely because its greatest mystery was never meant to be solved.
The song peaked at No. 03 in the UK charts on 8th December 1984.
UK 7'' SLEEVE COVERS
Shown below are the picture sleeve covers (front and back) for the UK release of this single. If no cover sleeve was issued in the UK, we will display another country’s picture sleeve.
UK 7'' TRACK LISTING
| A-Side | The Riddle (3:54) (Kershaw) Produced By Peter Collins |
| B-Side | Progress (3:02) (Kershaw) Produced By Unknown |
CHART PERFORMANCE
| UK Top 40 Chart Run [10 Weeks] – 17th November 1984 – 19th January 1985 |
OFFICIALLY RELEASED VERSIONS
All officially released versions that appeared in the 80s:-
- The Riddle (Single Version) (3:54)
- The Riddle (Extended Riddle) (5:10)
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OFFICIAL VIDEO
SONG LYRICS
I got two strong arms
Blessings of Babylon
Time to carry on
And try for sins and false alarms
So, to America, the brave
Wise men save
Near a tree by a river, there’s a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon in the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion, there’s a wrong and a right
But he’ll never, never fight over you
I got plans for us
Nights in the scullery
And days instead of me
I only know what to discuss
Oh for anything, but light
Wise men fighting over you
It’s not me you see
Pieces of valentine
And just a song of mine
To keep from burning history
Seasons of gasoline and gold
Wise men fold
Near a tree by a river, there’s a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon in the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion, there’s a wrong and a right
But he’ll never, never fight over you
I got time to kill
Sly looks in corridors
Without a plan of yours
A blackbird sings on bluebird hill
Thanks to the calling of the wild
Wise men’s child
Near a tree by a river, there’s a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon in the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion, there’s a wrong and a right
But he’ll never, never fight
Near a tree by a river, there’s a hole in the ground
Where an old man of Aran goes around and around
And his mind is a beacon in the veil of the night
For a strange kind of fashion, there’s a wrong and a right
But he’ll never, never fight over you
No, he’ll never, never fight over you
Written By Nik Kershaw
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