This must surely be one of the most iconic songs of the 80s, if not the most iconic.
Many people will only know that stadium filling keyboard hook in the intro, which is hands down one of the most euphoric riffs in history!
For those who listen past that, the rest of the song is also epic. The guitar thunders along in the verses, supplemented by some excellent 80s style rock singing. This really is a true ambassador for its time.
The song was originally written to open concerts with; the band didn’t think it would be a hit. However, it certainly was, reaching number one in 25 countries. In the U.K. alone it stayed at the top for 2 weeks…
There’s a particularly epic guitar solo section in the middle, unleashing a flurry of notes in quick succession.
Europe are a Swedish band, and this is by far and away their biggest hit.
The song was inspired by David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”, which accounts for the slightly eerie space-centred synths.
The song was released in 1986, from an album of the same name.