All of you know the chart results of "Go West" in Germany and UK but what about Europe?

[Nickname]

It was Number 1 and it proves that (MTV European Top 20 chart):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iObfP8fK8kM

Some people could know that but others don't. So I suppose it made someone happy 31 years later.

[leesmapman]

It's here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_West_(song)#Charts_2

[Nickname]

It's here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_West_(song)#Charts_2

According to the European chart of MTV it was Number 1.

[leesmapman]

Yeah, the MTV charts were something... I don't know if Wikipedia is doing listings on those, but I do remember when in 1995 half of Europe was listening to Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise (being on #1 in several countries) and MTV didn't even mention it once in their charts... The MTV charts are weird that way. No idea how they measured those charts but it's probably how many times they played the videos on their channel.

[andmaste]

Go West #1 in the European Charts
#2 in the UK Charts

[tottenhammattspurs]

People in the uk didnt buy enough copies from Woolies.

[oakey]

Go West was a big hit everywhere in Europe and MTV Europe played the video on heavy rotation.

However, pan-European charts were never a thing (I’m from the Netherlands). I see eurochart positions listed a lot on fan forums and wikipedia but that’s completely meaningless. I mean there were several since the 80s but they were all weird, containing songs that you had never ever heard of in your own country. Each European country had it’s own chart and that’s what mattered at the time. The eurocharts were also not broadcast locally, only on those pan European stations Sky and Super channel in the late 80s and later MTV Europe of course. But that would not be something you and your friends watched.

It also meant that going on holiday abroad resulted in hearing “new” songs that had not charted in your own country. Loved Stéphanie’s One love to give which was a hit in Germany and even Elton John’s duet Flames of paradise with Jennifer Rush, also in Germany. Don’t think I ever heard these songs on the Dutch radio.

I think MTV Europe was still very UK centred at the time, hence them not playing Conquest of paradise which was not big in the UK but indeed huge in the rest of Europe. One of those songs even your parents would hum.

Back to Go West: clever to cover an unknown Village People song and make it their own. But after 30 years they may put it to rest in their live shows imo. I don’t hate it and I know the casual audience likes it, but I hardly play that song anymore.

It hit #3 on the Dutch top 40 btw. They never had a #1 hit over here. Suburbia and What have I done… hit #2, those were the highest charting singles. And their duet with Robbie Williams also hit #2.

Here’s an interesting read about the struggles of pan European charts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_ ... prov=sfti1
I did not know several originated from the Netherlands. And latter Billboard took over which is not even based in Europe. Imo they were never more than a spreadsheet effort, not a “real” chart. Or hit parade as we say in Europe

[telys]

Back to Go West: clever to cover an unknown Village People song and make it their own. But after 30 years they may put it to rest in their live shows imo. I don’t hate it and I know thr casual audience likes it, but I hardly play that song anymore.

Yep, they could make a completely different playlist for concerts. They don't need Go West nor It's A Sin or Always on my mind. Just do a "mid 80's electro"-show or a "post-apocalyptic reconstruction"-mix of it.