"Living Next Door to Alice"
Single by New World
B-side"Something to Say"
ReleasedNovember 1972
Recorded1972
GenrePop, folk
LabelRAK
Songwriter(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
New World singles chronology
"Sister Jane"
(1972)		 "Living Next Door to Alice"
(1972)		 "Rooftop Singing"
(1973)

"Living Next Door to Alice" is a song co-written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Originally released by Australian pop band New World in 1972,[1] 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 broadcast of 26 May 1979, Casey Kasem reported that Chapman stated that his source of inspiration for "Living Next Door to Alice" was "Sylvia's Mother" by Dr. Hook.

Smokie versions

"Living Next Door to Alice"
Single by Smokie
from the album Midnight Café
(2007 Remastered Edition)
B-side
  • "Run to You" (UK)
  • When My Back was Against the Wall (US & Canada)[2]
Released12 August 1976
Recorded1976
GenreSoft rock,[3] pop rock
Length3:27
LabelRAK (UK)
RSO (US & Canada)[4]
Songwriter(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Producer(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Smokie singles chronology
"I'll Meet You at Midnight"
(1976)		 "Living Next Door to Alice"
(1976)		 "Lay Back in the Arms of Someone"
(1977)
Music video
"Living Next Door to Alice" on YouTube

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[5] 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.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–1977) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[9] 11
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 17
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 7
Norway (VG-lista)[15] 1
South Africa (EMA)[16] 2[17]
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 25
West Germany (Official German Charts)[22] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1977) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[23] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[24] 1
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[25] 12
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[29] 4

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[30] Gold 700,000[31]

Smokie featuring Roy Chubby Brown version

"Living Next Door to Alice (Who the F**k is Alice?)"
Single by Smokie featuring Roy Chubby Brown
B-side"Living Next Door to Alice" (Unbleeped)
Released6 April 1995
GenrePop rock, parody
Songwriter(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Smokie singles chronology
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
(1989)		 "Living Next Door to Alice (Who the F**k is Alice?)"
(1995)
Roy Chubby Brown singles chronology
"Living Next Door to Alice (Who the F**k is Alice?)"
(1995)		 "A Rocking Good Christmas"
(1996)

Smokie collaborated on a novelty re-recording in 1995 with comedian Roy Chubby Brown, with the song interspersed with Roy Chubby Brown saying "Who the fuck is Alice?".[32] In March 1995, Smokie's singer Alan Barton died following an accident in Germany, and the version with Brown was released with all proceeds going to the family of Barton.[32] The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart in October 1995, selling almost half a million copies.[33]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[34] 14
Germany (Official German Charts)[35] 18
Ireland (IRMA)[36] 26
Scotland (OCC)[37] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 22
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (1995) Position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[40] 78
Germany (Official German Charts)[41] 69
UK Singles (OCC)[42] 18

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Gompie version

"Alice, Who the X is Alice?"
Single by Gompie
from the album Who the X Is Gompie!
B-side
  • various versions of "Alice, Who the X is Alice?"
  • "My Brother Is a Rocker"
  • "Slaves on the Run"
ReleasedFebruary 1995
Length3:58
LabelRPC Entertainment
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Rob Peters
  • Ono Pelser
  • John van de Ven
Gompie singles chronology
"Alice, Who the X is Alice?"
(1995)		 "Tarzan & Heidi"
(1995)

A more risqué version of "Living Next Door to Alice" was released by the Dutch novelty act Gompie in 1995, titled "Alice, Who the X Is Alice?". Their version topped the charts in Flanders 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 and Rob Peters. Peters, while visiting a bar called Gompie in Nijmegen, 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.[44]

The success of this version resulted in various similar versions, including a new recording by Smokie with blue comedian Roy 'Chubby' Brown. 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 in September 1995.[45] Actor Alan Fletcher, who plays doctor Karl Kennedy in the soap opera Neighbours, 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 wrote, "In the finest tradition of Dutch compatriots Stars On 45, 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) and Paddy Goes To Holyhead will be in there fighting too."[46]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[68] Gold 25,000*
Germany (BVMI)[69] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[70] Gold 50,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[71] Gold  
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[72] Gold 25,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Johnny Carver version

"Living Next Door to Alice"
Single by Johnny Carver
from the album The Best of Johnny Carver
ReleasedFebruary 1977
Recorded1976
GenreCountry
LabelABC
Songwriter(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Producer(s)Ron Chancey
Johnny Carver singles chronology
"Afternoon Delight"
(1976)		 "Living Next Door to Alice"
(1977)		 "Down at the Pool"
(1977)

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.[73]

Other cover versions

In 1973, the American band Gallery 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 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 released "Living Next Door to Alan", a parody of "Living Next Door to Alice" imagining an Aboriginal family living next door to Alan Bond, a famous Australian entrepreneur.[74]

In 1996, Jimmy Sturr recorded the song under the title "Alice" on his album Polka! All Night Long.[75]

The 1996 album The Smurfs Go Pop! by The Smurfs included a song to the same tune, titled "Smurfland".[76]

Ex-Smokie vocalist Chris Norman included his solo cover of the song on his 2000 studio album Full Circle.[77]


Translations

Danish singer Flemming "Bamse" Jørgensen covered the song as "Alice" on his 1977 solo debut Din Sang.[78]

In 1981, South Korean band Oxen 80 (옥슨80) recorded cover of the song with title "In a Lonely Night" (그대 떠난 이 밤에).

In Finnish, the song was recorded in 1977 by Kari Tapio, with the title "Viisitoista kesää" ("Fifteen Summers").[79] The arrangement is by Veikko Samuli and the Finnish lyrics by Juha Vainio.

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 & Store Stå and peaked at No. 3 on the Norwegian VG-lista.[80]

A German version of the song, titled "Tür an Tür mit Alice", was a hit for Howard Carpendale in 1977. The single peaked at No. 8 in Germany[81] and Switzerland[82] and at No. 11 in Austria.[83]

In Czechoslovakia, the song was released on 21 February 1973 under the title "Alenka v říši divů" ("Alice in Wonderland"), performed by Karel Zich. There is also a parody version recorded under the name Denis, from the Czech Republic.[84]

A Hungarian version was performed by István Torontáli with the title "Drága Alice" ("Dear Alice"),[85] including lyrics translated by Tibor Bornai.[86]

In former Yugoslavia, Toni Montano 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).[87] 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. [88]

References

  1. ↑ "Living Next Door To Alice – NEW WORLD (1972) – Pop Archives – Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s". Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  2. ↑ "Smokie - Living Next Door To Alice / When My Back Was Against The Wall". Discogs. 1976.
  3. ↑ "Obituary: Alan Barton". The Independent. 18 April 1995.
  4. ↑ "Smokie - Living Next Door To Alice". Discogs. 1976.
  5. ↑ "The Official Charts Company – Smokie – Living Next Door To Alice". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  6. ↑ Australian Chart Book (1970-1992) pp.279
  7. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  10. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5176a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Living Next Door to Alice". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 6, 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  13. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice". VG-lista. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "EMA Top 10 Airplay: Week Ending {{{date}}}". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  17. ↑ "Smokie > South African Rock Lists". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  18. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  20. ↑ "Smokie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Smokie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  22. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  23. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 429. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  24. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1977". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1977". Ultratop. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  26. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1977". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Smokie; 'Living Next Door To Alice')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  31. ↑ Hennessey, Mike (26 November 1977). "EMI-Electrola, No. 1 in Germany, Gears For 20 % Increase In Sales" (PDF). Billboard. p. 84. Retrieved 10 September 2020 – via World Radio History.
  32. 1 2 Colin Larkin, ed. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 2005. ISBN 9780857125958 – via Google Books.
  33. ↑ "The Official Charts Company – Smokie Featuring Roy 'Chubby' Brown – Living Next Door to Alice (Who the Fuck is Alice)". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  34. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 38. 23 September 1995. p. 16. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  35. ↑ "Smokie featuring Roy 'Chubby' Brown – Who the f... is Alice" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Who the f**k is Alice?". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  37. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  38. ↑ "Smokie – WHO THE F... IS ALICE?". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "Smokie featuring Roy Chubby Brown: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  40. ↑ "Year End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1995" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  41. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1995" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week. 13 January 1996. p. 9.
  43. ↑ "British single certifications – Smokie ft Roy Chubby Brown – Living Next Door to Alice". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  44. ↑ "Muziekencyclopedie – Gompie (1995–2000)" (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  45. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – The Steppers – Who the F..k Is Alice?". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  46. ↑ Jones, Alan (29 April 1995). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  47. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 08 Oct 1995". ARIA. Retrieved 6 July 2017 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  48. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who The X Is Alice?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  49. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  50. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  51. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 36. 9 September 1995. p. 9. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  52. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  53. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 10, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  54. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  55. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  56. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?". VG-lista. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  57. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  58. ↑ "Gompie – Alice, Who the X is Alice?". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  59. ↑ "Gompie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  60. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1995" (in German). Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  61. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1995" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  62. ↑ "Year End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1995" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  63. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1995" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  64. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1995". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  65. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1995" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  66. ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1995" (in German). Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  67. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week. 13 January 1996. p. 9.
  68. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1995". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  69. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Gompie; 'Who the X Is Alice')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  70. ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Gompie – Alice Who the X Is Alice" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 10 February 2020. Enter Alice Who the X Is Alice in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1995 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  71. ↑ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  72. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Alice (Who the X Is Alice?)')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  73. ↑ "Johnny Carver > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  74. ↑ "Kevin Bloody Wilson - Living Next Door to Alan Lyrics".
  75. ↑ Bob Tarte. "Polka! All Night Long - Jimmy Sturr | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  76. ↑ "Smurfland - The Smurfs | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  77. ↑ "spanishcharts.com - Chris Norman - Full Circle". Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  78. ↑ "Bamses Venner". Bamsesvenner.dk. 3 November 1980. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  79. ↑ "Hakutulos kappaleelle Viisitoista kesää" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  80. ↑ "norwegiancharts.com – Stein Ingebrigtsen & Store Stå – Storholt, Stensen, Stenshjemmet og Sjøbrend åsså'n Hjallis". Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  81. ↑ "Musicline.de – Chartverfolgung – CARPENDALE,HOWARD" (in German). Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  82. ↑ "Howard Carpendale – Tür an Tür mit Alice – hitparade.ch" (in German). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  83. ↑ "Howard Carpendale – Tür an Tür mit Alice – austriancharts.at" (in German). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  84. ↑ "Těžkej Pokondr - Denis". YouTube (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  85. ↑ "Torontáli István - Drága Alice". YouTube (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  86. ↑ "Torontáli István - Drága Alice" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  87. ↑ "САУНДТРЕКИ (До свидания, невинность!) | CD | Дискография | Конец Фильма | Официальный Сайт". Filma.net. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  88. ↑ "Элис". YouTube (in Russian). Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.

Bibliography

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