Living Next Door To Alice
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"Living Next Door to Alice" is a song co-written by
Nicky Chinn Nicholas Barry Chinn (born 16 May 1945) is an English-American songwriter and record producer. Together with Mike Chapman he had a long string of hit singles in the UK and US in the 1970s and early 1980s, including several international number- ...
and
Mike Chapman Michael Donald Chapman (born 13 April 1947) is an Australian-American record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s. He created a string of hit singles for artists including The Sweet, Suzi ...
. Originally released by Australian pop band
New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
in 1972, the song charted at No. 35 on the Australian chart. The song later became a worldwide hit for British band Smokie.


Lyrical content

The song is about a man's long-standing unrequited and unadmitted love toward Alice, his next door neighbour of 24 years. The protagonist learned through mutual friend Sally that Alice is moving away, and begins to reflect on childhood memories and his friendship with Alice, and becomes heartbroken as he sees Alice drive away in a limousine. In the final verse, Sally reveals that all the time she has been waiting 24 years for her opportunity with him ("Alice is gone, but I'm still here"). Later versions of the song insert an interjection during a pause in the chorus (from the audience during live performances or from a guest separate from the lead singer): "Alice! Who the fuck is Alice?" (guests will sometimes say "hell" or "heck"). These performances may also change a line in the chorus so that the singer's affections are as much sexual as they are romantic, and that the singer had hoped to "get inside her pants" instead of "get a second glance." On the ''
American Top 40 ''American Top 40'' (previously abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacr ...
'' broadcast of 26 May 1979,
Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably '' American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice Nor ...
reported that Chapman stated that his source of inspiration for "Living Next Door to Alice" was "
Sylvia's Mother "Sylvia's Mother" is a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein, produced by Ron Haffkine and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the ''Billboard'' singl ...
" by
Dr. Hook Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show (shortened to Dr. Hook in 1975) is an American rock band, formed in Union City, New Jersey. The band had commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles "Sylvia's Mother", " The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'" (both 1972) ...
.


Smokie versions

In November 1976, the British band Smokie released their version of "Living Next Door to Alice". The single peaked at number five on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and, in March 1977, reached 25 in the United States. It was a number one hit in Austria, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland and a number 2 hit in Australia staying in the charts for 23 weeks.


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Smokie featuring Roy Chubby Brown version

Smokie collaborated on a novelty re-recording in 1995 with comedian
Roy Chubby Brown Roy Chubby Brown (born 3 February 1945) is an English stand-up comedian whose act consists of offensive humour, high profanity, forthright social commentary and outspoken disdain for political correctness. Early life Roy Chubby Brown (born ...
, with the song interspersed with Roy Chubby Brown saying "Who the fuck is Alice?". In March 1995, Smokie's singer
Alan Barton Alan Leslie Barton (16 September 1953 – 23 March 1995) was a British singer and member of the hit record, hit-making duet (music), duo Black Lace (band), Black Lace. Their hits included "Agadoo", "Superman (Black Lace song), Superman" and their ...
died following an accident in Germany, and the version with Brown was released with all proceeds going to the family of Barton. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart in October 1995, selling almost half a million copies.


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Gompie version

A more risqué version of "Living Next Door to Alice" was released by the Dutch novelty act
Gompie Gompie is a Dutch band from Nijmegen, which in 1995 edited the Smokie hit "Living Next Door to Alice", adding the words "Alice, who the fuck is Alice!?". The song reached number 1 in the Netherlands and number 17 in the UK. ''Who the X Is Gompi ...
in 1995, titled "Alice, Who the X Is Alice?". Their version topped the charts in
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
and the Netherlands, and reached the top 10 in Austria, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number 17. Gompie is a project of
Peter Koelewijn Peter Koelewijn (born 29 December 1940 in Eindhoven) is a founding father of Dutch-language rock and roll. Koelewijn is also a successful producer and songwriter for other Dutch artists. His most famous song is "Kom van dat dak af". Biography Pe ...
and Rob Peters. Peters, while visiting a bar called Gompie in
Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...
, heard "Living Next Door to Alice" by Smokie. After the name Alice in the song, the disc jockey Onno Pelser turned down the volume and the crowd sang "Alice, who the fuck is Alice?". Peters realized it could become a hit record, contacted Koelewijn and a day later the song was recorded and released under the name Gompie. The success of this version resulted in various similar versions, including a new recording by Smokie with blue comedian
Roy 'Chubby' Brown Roy Chubby Brown (born 3 February 1945) is an English stand-up comedian whose act consists of offensive humour, high profanity, forthright social commentary and outspoken disdain for political correctness. Early life Roy Chubby Brown (born ...
. A dance version of the cover was released by the Steppers, titled "Alice, Who the F..k Is Alice?", and reached No. 2 on the
Australian Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
in September 1995. Actor Alan Fletcher, who plays doctor
Karl Kennedy Karl Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Alan Fletcher. The actor previously appeared in the soap in 1987 as mechanic Greg Cooper. He made his first screen appearance as Karl during the episo ...
in the soap opera ''
Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...
'', took up the song as "Who the Fuck Is Susan?" at fan events, in reference to his erstwhile fictional wife.


Critical reception

Alan Jones from ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
'' wrote, "In the finest tradition of Dutch compatriots
Stars On 45 Stars on 45 was a Dutch novelty pop act that was successful in Europe, the United States, and Australia in the early 1980s. The group later shortened its name to Stars On in the U.S., while in the UK and Ireland it was known as Starsound (aka ...
, Gompie perform a very accurate imitation of Smokie's 1976 Top Five hit, Living Next Door To Alice. Their template only slips after they sing the title refrain, where upon an ensemble pipes up, "Alice, Who The Fuck Is Alice?", at least on the unedited version. It's a one-joke song, and the irony is that it may succeed as much on the strength of the original song as the imitation. However, competing versions by Smokie themselves (with
Roy Chubby Brown Roy Chubby Brown (born 3 February 1945) is an English stand-up comedian whose act consists of offensive humour, high profanity, forthright social commentary and outspoken disdain for political correctness. Early life Roy Chubby Brown (born ...
) and Paddy Goes To Holyhead will be in there fighting too."


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Johnny Carver version

Concurrent with Smokie's American success with the song, country music singer Johnny Carver released his own version of "Living Next Door to Alice" in 1977. Carver's version peaked at No. 29 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart in April 1977.


Other cover versions

In 1973, the American band,
Gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ''Gallery'' (Elaiza album), 2014 album * ''Gallery'' (Gr ...
recorded the song and included it on the second album, "Gallery featuring Jim Gold". It was released as a single in 1974 but failed to chart. In 1982, British punk band
Chron Gen Chron Gen (short for Chronic Generation) are a British punk band, formed in January 1978 in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England.Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discography'', MOJO Books, , p. 115-6Glasper, Ian (2004) ''Burning Britain ...
included a live, sexually explicit version of "Living Next Door to Alice" on the cassette "Apocalypse Live Tour June '81 (Live at Leicester)" and released a studio version of the song on the debut album "Chronic Generation". In 1985, Australian comedian
Kevin Bloody Wilson Kevin Bloody Wilson (born Dennis Bryant; 13 February 1947) is an Australian musical comedian who performs comical songs with his heavy Australian English accent and often including sexual themes. He has won one ARIA Music Award. Early career ...
released "Living Next Door to Alan", a parody of "Living Next Door to Alice" imagining an Aboriginal family living next door to
Alan Bond Alan Bond (22 April 1938 – 5 June 2015) was an English-born Australian businessman noted for his high-profile and often corrupt business dealings. These included his central role in the WA Inc scandals of the 1980s, and what was at the time ...
, a famous Australian entrepreneur. In 1996,
Jimmy Sturr James W. Sturr Jr. is an American polka musician, trumpeter, clarinetist, saxophonist and leader of Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra. His recordings have won 18 out of the 24 Grammy Awards given for Best Polka Album. Sturr's orchestra is on the Top Te ...
recorded the song under the title "Alice" on his album ''Polka! All Night Long''. The 1996 album '' The Smurfs Go Pop!'' by
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
included a song to the same tune, titled "Smurfland". Ex-Smokie vocalist
Chris Norman Christopher Ward Norman (born 25 October 1950) is an English soft rock singer. Norman was the original lead singer of the English rock band Smokie (band), Smokie, (1964–1986), who found success in Europe in the 1970s. "Stumblin' In", a 1978 ...
included his solo cover of the song on his 2000 studio album ''Full Circle''.


Translations

Danish singer Flemming "Bamse" Jørgensen covered the song as "Alice" on his 1977 solo debut '' Din Sang''. In 1981, South Korean band Oxen 80 () recorded cover of the song with title "In a Lonely Night" (). In Finnish, the song was recorded in 1977 by
Kari Tapio Kari Tapani Jalkanen (22 November 1945 – 7 December 2010), better known by his stage name Kari Tapio, was a Finnish schlager and country & western singer. During his career, he was one of the most popular singers in Finland for decades; having ...
, with the title "Viisitoista kesää" ("''Fifteen Summers''"). The arrangement is by Veikko Samuli and the Finnish lyrics by
Juha Vainio Juha Harri "Junnu" Vainio, also known as Juha "Watt" Vainio (10 May 1938 in Kotka, Finland – 29 October 1990, Gryon, Switzerland) was a Finnish lyricist, singer, composer and teacher. With the lyrics or music to over 2,400 songs to his name, V ...
. In Norwegian, there is a translation, "I 24 år har jeg bodd i samme gård som Anne". There are also other songs to the same tune. "Storholt, Stensen, Stenshjemmet, Sjøbrend åsså'n Hjallis" deals about the famous Norwegian speed skating team known as The Four Aces. The single was released in 1977 by
Stein Ingebrigtsen Stein Ingebrigtsen (born 23 August 1945) is a Norwegian singer. He was enormously popular in Norway in the 1970s, nicknamed "Mr. Norsktoppen" for his countless hits topping Norsktoppen, an official chart for music in Norwegian. Biography From ...
& Store Stå and peaked at No. 3 on the Norwegian
VG-lista VG-lista is a Norwegian record chart. It is presented weekly in the newspaper '' VG''. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continents around the world. The data are collected by Nie ...
. A German version of the song, titled "Tür an Tür mit Alice", was a hit for
Howard Carpendale Howard Victor Carpendale (born 14 January 1946) is a South African-German singer living and working in Germany. Biography Carpendale is a pop singer who sings most of his songs in German. His 1979 song ''Nachts, wenn alles schläft'' had been ...
in 1977. The single peaked at No. 8 in Germany and Switzerland and at No. 11 in Austria. In Czechoslovakia, the song was released on 21 February 1973 under the title "Alenka v říši divů" ("''Alice in Wonderland''"), performed by
Karel Zich Karel Zich (10 June 1949 – 13 July 2004) was a Czech singer, guitarist and composer whose voice was often compared with that of Elvis Presley. Life Karel Zich was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, into a musical family. His grandfather was Ota ...
. There is also a parody version recorded under the name Denis, from the Czech Republic. A Hungarian version was performed by István Torontáli with the title "Drága Alice" ("''Dear Alice''"), including lyrics translated by Tibor Bornai. In former Yugoslavia,
Toni Montano Toni Montano (Serbian Cyrillic: Тони Монтано), real name Velibor Miljković (Serbian Cyrillic: Велибор Миљковић) is a Serbian rock musician. Biography Radost Evrope Miljković started his career as a vocalist of the ban ...
made a song based on the original tune, titled "10 godina" ("''10 Years''"). A Russian version of the song, titled "Элис" ("''Alice''") was released by Конец фильма (Movie End) rock band in 2001 as the closing song of their studio album ''Soundtracks (Goodbye, Innocence)''. Its lyrics are by Mikhail Bashakov. The humorous lyrics are driven by the "А кто такая Элис?" ("But who is actually Alice?") interjection (thus, no profanity in the Russian version) and are about some company considering crashing at Alice's place, indeed answering to the ever repeated question in form of a long list of her virtues ("she is well dressed, she speaks beautifully, she is fluent in English and Hebrew" etc.). There is also an animated cartoon by Dmitry Rezchikov based on this version.


References


Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Living Next Door to Alice 1972 songs 1972 singles 1976 singles 1977 singles 1995 singles New World (band) songs Smokie (band) songs Dutch Top 40 number-one singles European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Number-one singles in Austria Number-one singles in Germany Number-one singles in Norway Number-one singles in Switzerland Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles Songs written by Mike Chapman Songs written by Nicky Chinn Song recordings produced by Mike Chapman Johnny Carver songs Polka RAK Records singles RSO Records singles ABC Records singles