SHOCKING BLUE - Greatest Hits 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Essential 1980 Nederbeat collection with standout hits detailed credits and high resolution album photos

"Shocking Blue – Greatest Hits" is a 1980 Dutch vinyl LP capturing the peak of the Nederbeat icons’ career. Produced by Robbie van Leeuwen, it gathers their most memorable tracks, including the global hit “Venus,” the chart-toppers “Mighty Joe” and “Never Marry a Railroad Man,” and fuzz-driven gems like “Send Me a Postcard.” Blending pop rock hooks, psychedelic touches, and Mariska Veres’ distinctive vocals, the album showcases the band’s melodic craft and international appeal in a concise, high-energy set.

SHOCKING BLUE – “Greatest Hits”: Nederbeat in Full Flight Album Description:

Pressed in the Netherlands in 1980, this CNR anthology corrals Shocking Blue’s most potent sides and frames the Hague sound with brisk economy: chiming guitars, sitar spice, Farfisa glow, and Mariska Veres cutting clean through the mix. Credited to band architect Robbie van Leeuwen, it reads like a precise map of where Dutch pop met transatlantic radio.

Historical context: The Hague goes global

Shocking Blue came out of The Hague’s fertile Nederbeat scene in 1967, a pocket of post-Beat explosion where local bands wrote with export in mind. By early 1970, “Venus” had done the improbable—No. 1 in the U.S.—while still peaking at No. 3 at home, proof that a Dutch group could storm foreign charts without surrendering its Euro-garage DNA.

Band events that shaped the music

Van Leeuwen formed the group, then made the defining personnel move: replacing original singer Fred de Wilde with Mariska Veres in late ’68. The change tightened the songwriting and sharpened the band’s attack. Subsequent years brought relentless singles, a much-talked-about Japan trip and live set, and, by 1974, departures that ended the classic run—context that makes this set feel like a fast-moving documentary.

Musical exploration on the LP

“Venus” sets the template: a spring-loaded riff, organ stitching the groove, and Veres delivering the hook with quicksilver certainty. “Mighty Joe” leans tougher—tom-driven and cinematic—while “Never Marry a Railroad Man” shifts to cautionary folk-pop with a chorus built to carry across soccer terraces. “Send Me a Postcard” is the fuzz-pop missile; “Inkpot” and “Eve and the Apple” show the band’s knack for concise, melodic turns that finish before you expect. Across the sequence you hear van Leeuwen’s songwriter’s toolkit: modal color, economical bridges, and choruses that click shut like a well-made case.

Controversies & talking points

“Venus” has long invited debate over lineage: its guitar figure traces back to “The Banjo Song” by the Big 3—a wink that critics and fans still chew on when weighing originality versus transformation. For a band that otherwise kept headlines out of the papers, this musical footnote remains the lightning rod.

How it played in the Netherlands:

Chart peaks on the official Dutch Top 40 for songs featured on this LP:

  1. Mighty Joe — peak #1 (1969)
  2. Never Marry a Railroad Man — peak #1 (1970)
  3. Venus — peak #3 (1969)
  4. Inkpot — peak #5 (1972)
  5. Hello Darkness — peak #6 (1970)
  6. Send Me a Postcard — peak #11 (1968)
  7. Eve and the Apple — peak #13 (1972)
  8. Oh Lord — peak #14 (1973)
  9. Long and Lonesome Road — peak #17 (1969)

Read that list like a setlist: the No. 1 pair supply the sing-back thunder, “Venus” brings international lift, and the mid-chart jewels keep the pacing brisk—short songs, strong middles, clean exits.

Why this compilation works

Sequenced like radio, the set compresses four frantic years into a half-hour that still moves. Van Leeuwen’s production credit ties the arc together; Veres’ voice turns it into a story. You come for the global smash, stay for the Dutch craft, and leave hearing how a local scene engineered its own passport.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

Nederbeat, Pop Rock

Label & Catalognr:

CNR – 657.574

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram

Year & Country:

1980 Netherlands

Producers:
  • Robbie Van Leeuwen – Producer
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Myosotis, Baarn – Design

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Venus 3:07
  2. Never Marry A Railroadman 3:05
  3. Inkpot 2:37
  4. Send Me A Postcard 2:33
  5. Boll Weevil 2:40
  6. Tell It Like It Is
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Mighty Joe 3:04
  2. Tobacco Road (mispelled as Tababbo Road on the record's label)
  3. Eve And The Apple
  4. Oh Lord
  5. Sally Was A Good Girl
  6. Hello Darkness

Shocking Blue and Mariska Veres: Mighty Joe Video Clip 1969

Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover of the LP titled Greatest Hits. The design is a deep blue sleeve with neon-style typography: SHOCKING in light blue lines at the top left, BLUE beneath it, and greatest hits in rounded orange-yellow letters to the right. At top right is the CNR logo with catalog number 657.574. A large rectangular photo with rounded orange corners shows the four band members against a very dark background; the central figure is a woman, flanked by three men in reflective, dark outfits. To the right of the photo, a white, left-aligned song list in all-lowercase reads: Venus; Never marry a railroadman; Inkpot; Send me a postcard; Boll weevil; Tell it like it is; Mighty Joe; Tobacco Road; Eve and the apple; Oh Lord; Sally was a good old girl; Hello darkness. A magenta-red circular gradient sits behind the list.

The album cover is dominated by a deep blue field with neon-style lettering. SHOCKING appears at the top left in light-blue line work, BLUE sits directly beneath, and the phrase greatest hits runs to the right in rounded orange-yellow letters. At the upper right, the CNR emblem and catalog number 657.574 are printed in white.

Centered below the typography is a large rectangular photo with rounded corners, edged in orange. It shows four band members standing closely together against a nearly black backdrop. The central figure, a woman, faces forward; three men flank her, all wearing dark, reflective jackets that catch faint highlights.

On the right side of the photo, a clean white song list is set in all-lowercase, single-column text: Venus, Never marry a railroadman, Inkpot, Send me a postcard, Boll weevil, Tell it like it is, Mighty Joe, Tobacco Road, Eve and the apple, Oh Lord, Sally was a good old girl, Hello darkness. A soft magenta-red circular gradient glows behind the list.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of the LP Greatest Hits. The design features a cream background with black geometric line typography: SHOCKING at the top left, BLUE directly below, and greatest hits on the right in rounded lowercase letters. At the top right is the CNR logo, stereo marking, and catalog number 657.574 with matrix code. Centered below is a framed track listing split into two columns labeled Side 1 and Side 2, each with six songs. Song titles are in uppercase with track durations, and songwriting credits in parentheses, most attributed to R. van Leeuwen. At the bottom, in small text, it reads: Produced by Robbie van Leeuwen, Coverdesign: Myosotis - Baarn.

The back cover features a cream background with bold black line art typography. At the upper left, SHOCKING appears in extended geometric lettering, with BLUE directly below. To the right, the title greatest hits is written in rounded lowercase.

In the upper right corner, the CNR logo is printed along with the stereo mark, catalog number 657.574, and matrix code. Beneath the headings, a bordered rectangular box presents the track listing split into two columns: Side 1 and Side 2. Each lists six songs in uppercase, followed by track durations and songwriting credits, the majority credited to R. van Leeuwen.

At the very bottom, small black text notes: Produced by Robbie van Leeuwen, Coverdesign by Myosotis - Baarn.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of the Side 1 label from the LP Greatest Hits by Shocking Blue. The label is solid red with the CNR logo in white at the top center, encased in a rounded cross shape. Around the outer edge, white uppercase text reads: All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reproduced reserved, unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this record prohibited. Made in Holland. On the left side, the text reads Side 1, Stereo, 657.574. On the right side: 657.574-A, STEMRA, 33 1/3 R.P.M. Centered below the spindle hole is the album title Greatest Hits, followed by six track listings with titles, songwriting credits, and durations. At the bottom, the band name Shocking Blue is printed in uppercase.

This close-up shows the solid red Side 1 record label with the bold white CNR logo at the top, enclosed in a rounded cross shape. The outer rim carries fine white uppercase legal text prohibiting unauthorised use, ending with Made in Holland.

On the left, the label specifies Side 1, Stereo, and catalog number 657.574. The right side lists 657.574-A, STEMRA, and 33 1/3 R.P.M..

Beneath the spindle hole, the album title Greatest Hits is centered above six tracks with their durations and songwriting credits, most by R. van Leeuwen. At the bottom, the band name Shocking Blue appears in uppercase.

Side Two Close up of record’s label
Close-up of the Side 2 label from the LP Greatest Hits by Shocking Blue. The label is solid red with the CNR logo in white at the top center, enclosed in a rounded cross shape. Around the perimeter, white uppercase text reads: All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reproduced reserved, unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this record prohibited. Made in Holland. On the left, the text states Side 2, Stereo, 657.574. On the right, it shows 657.574-B, STEMRA, and 33 1/3 R.P.M. Centered below the spindle hole is the album title Greatest Hits, followed by six song titles with track durations and songwriter credits. At the bottom, the band name Shocking Blue is printed in uppercase.

This close-up shows the solid red Side 2 record label of the LP, featuring the bold white CNR logo at the top, framed within a rounded cross emblem. The fine white uppercase rim text outlines reproduction rights, concluding with Made in Holland.

On the left side, the label reads Side 2, Stereo, and catalog number 657.574. The right side displays 657.574-B, STEMRA, and 33 1/3 R.P.M..

Beneath the spindle hole, the centered album title Greatest Hits appears above six track listings with durations and songwriter credits. The bottom of the label bears the uppercase band name Shocking Blue.

Shocking Blue: The Dutch Rock Band that Shook the World with 'Venus'

SHOCKING BLUE Description:

Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band that was active from 1967 to 1974. They are perhaps best known for their hit single "Venus," which topped the charts in several countries in 1970, including the United States.

The band was formed in The Hague in 1967 by guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen. Other founding members included bassist Klaasje van der Wal, drummer Cor van der Beek, and lead singer Fred de Wilde. Shocking Blue's early sound was heavily influenced by American rock and roll and British invasion bands like The Beatles and The Who.

Shocking Blue's breakthrough came in 1969 with the release of their single "Venus." The song's infectious melody and catchy chorus helped it climb to the top of the charts in several countries. "Venus" was the first single by a Dutch band to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Despite the success of "Venus," Shocking Blue was never able to replicate its commercial success. The band continued to release albums and singles throughout the early 1970s, but none of their subsequent singles achieved the same level of success as "Venus."

In addition to "Venus," Shocking Blue had several other hits in Europe, including "Send Me a Postcard," "Mighty Joe," and "Never Marry a Railroad Man." The band's music was characterized by its catchy melodies and upbeat rock and roll sound.

Shocking Blue's music was also notable for its incorporation of Eastern influences, particularly on their 1969 album "At Home." The album featured several songs with Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired melodies and instrumentation.

In addition to their music, Shocking Blue was also known for their fashion sense. Lead singer Mariska Veres was known for her bohemian style and long, flowing hair. The band's fashion sense helped to cement their image as a quintessential 1960s and 1970s rock band.

Shocking Blue disbanded in 1974, and several of its members went on to pursue solo careers. Despite their relatively short career, the band's music continues to be celebrated by fans of 1960s and 1970s rock and roll.