"Wishing I Was Lucky" is the debut single of Scottish band

Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish soft rock band formed in 1982. They scored a number of hits in the UK charts and around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. They are best known for their 1994 cover of The Troggs' 1960s hit "Love Is All Around", which w ...

, released as the lead single from their first album, '' Popped in Souled Out'' (1987). Recorded for £600 in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, it was released in March 1987 and was their first hit, peaking at 6 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 No. 10 in Ireland. The following year, the song reached the top 20 in Belgium and the Netherlands, while in the United States, "Wishing I Was Lucky" became the group's first of two songs to chart on the ''

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, peaking at number 58.

Tommy Cunningham Thomas Cunningham (born 22 June 1964, Drumchapel, Glasgow) is a Scottish musician, best known as the drummer for Wet Wet Wet. Biography Cunningham's father, Tom Sr., bought his son his first drum kit in 1977, "down the Social Club for £15" ...

later said of the song: "I was in a queue in a

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in Glasgow when it came on

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. I felt like shouting to everybody, 'That's me and my mates!' It was an incredible feeling I've not forgotten."

Marti Pellow Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 ...

recorded an acoustic, solo version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album, ''

Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile ''Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile'' is a compilation/cover album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. The album contains re-recordings of Wet Wet Wet hits. It was released on 18 November 2002. Three of the eighteen songs we ...

''.

Music video

Two videos were made. The video in the UK features the band watching TV. As they switch channels, each member of the band is sent to the TV on a different channel before being sent back. The video ends with the band (performing the song throughout the video) getting trapped before the TV shuts off abruptly ending the song. The video in the US shows the band performing in a dimly lit room while shots of the band members travel in the city and have fun.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single # "Wishing I Was Lucky" # "Words of Wisdom" UK 12-inch single and European CD single # "Wishing I Was Lucky" # "Words of Wisdom" # "Still Can't Remember Your Name" UK 2×12-inch single :A1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" :B1. "Words of Wisdom" :B2. "Still Can't Remember Your Name" :C1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (Metal mix) US 12-inch single :A1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (Gotta Job mix) – 6:26 :B1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (instrumental dub) – 4:27 :B2. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (live) – 3:50 Australasian 12-inch single :A1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" – 5:42 :A2. "Words of Wisdom" – 3:08 :B1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (Metal mix) – 5:44 :B2. "Still Can't Remember Your Name" – 4:12 Japanese 12-inch single :A1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" :A2. "Words of Wisdom" :B1. "Wishing I Was Lucky" (long version) :B2. "Still Can't Remember Your Name"

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control Wet Wet Wet songs 1987 debut singles 1987 songs 1988 singles Mercury Records singles Songs written by Graeme Clark (musician) Songs written by Marti Pellow Songs written by Neil Mitchell (musician) Songs written by Tommy Cunningham