The NeverEnding Story (song)

This article is about the title song from the film. For the 2003 single by a Dutch band, see Never Ending Story (Within Temptation song).

"NeverEnding Story"
Single by Limahl
from the album Don't Suppose
B-side	"Ivory Tower" or Instrumental version
Released	1984
Format	7" single 12" maxi
Genre	Synthpop, New Wave
Length	3:31
Label	EMI
Writer(s)	Giorgio Moroder Keith Forsey
Producer	Giorgio Moroder
Limahl singles chronology
"Too Much Trouble" (1984) "NeverEnding Story" (1984) "Tar Beach" (1984)
French version

"The NeverEnding Story" (titled "The Never Ending Story (L'histoire sans fin)" in the French version) is the title song from the English version of the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story. The English version was performed by Limahl and Beth Anderson; the French version was performed by Limahl and Ann Calvert.^[1] It was a success in many countries, reaching No. 1 Norway and Sweden, No. 2 in Austria, Germany and Italy, No. 4 in the UK and No. 6 in the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Original version

Background and writing

The song was composed by Giorgio Moroder with lyrics by Keith Forsey, although it (and other electronic pop elements of the soundtrack) is not present in the German version of the film, which features Klaus Doldinger's score exclusively.

Beth Anderson recorded her lyrics in America separately from Limahl's.^[1] Anderson does not appear in the music video; frequent Limahl backup singer Mandy Newton lip syncs Anderson's lyrics.

As a reference to the film and its title, the song has no distinctive beginning, nor an end. While many songs fade out, NeverEnding Story not only fades out, but also fades in, thus making it "never ending".

Cover versions

The American theme song has been covered by The Birthday Massacre, Creamy, Dragonland, Miu Sakamoto, New Found Glory, and blues singer Tom Waits^{[citation needed]}. Italian DJ Mauro Farina a.k.a. DJ Speedo and DJ AC-DC remixed the song at 175 bpm and released it on the 2003 happy hardcore compilation album Speed SFX.^[2] Creamy version was further remixed for the 2005 dance compilation album Dancemania Covers 01.^[3]

For The NeverEnding Story II the song was performed by Joe Milner during the closing credits. This version was a guitar driven song and is now considered to be a rarity. German techno group Scooter covered the song on their 2007 album Jumping All Over the World.

Track listings

7" single

1. "The NeverEnding Story"
2. "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder

7" single

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (club mix) - 6:09
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (instrumental version) - 5:28

12" maxi

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" mix) - 5:17
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (7" mix) - 3:30
3. "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) (instrumental) by Giorgio Moroder - 5:54

iTunes single

1. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" mix) - 5:20
2. "The NeverEnding Story" (Giorgio 7" mix) - 3:31
3. "The NeverEnding Story" (Rusty 7" mix) - 3:54
4. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" dance mix) - 6:08
5. "The NeverEnding Story" (12" dub mix) - 5:27
6. "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder - 3:08
7. "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) by Giorgio Moroder - 5:55

Official Mixes

• "The NeverEnding Story" (7" Mix) - 3:30
• "The NeverEnding Story" (12" Mix) - 5:17
• "The NeverEnding Story" (Club Mix) - 6:09
• "The NeverEnding Story" (Extended Mix) - 8:14
• "The NeverEnding Story" (Instrumental Version) - 5:28

Certifications

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified
UK[4]	Silver	December 1, 1984	200,000

Charts

Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Austrian Singles Chart[5] 2 French SNEP Singles Chart[5] 71 German Singles Chart[6] 2 Irish Singles Chart[7] 4 Italian FIMI Singles Chart[8] 2 Japanese Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 5 Japanese Oricon International Singles Chart 1 New Zealand Singles Chart[9] 28 Norwegian Singles Chart[9] 1 Swedish Singles Chart[5] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[5] 3 UK Singles Chart[10] 4 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 17 U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[11] 6 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[11] 10 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[11] 23

End of year chart (1984) Position Austrian Singles Chart[12] 11

¹ "The NeverEnding Story"/"L'Histoire Sans Fin"

Preceded by "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder	Swedish Singles Chart number-one single 23 November 1984 – 7 December 1984	Succeeded by "Forever Young" by Alphaville
	Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart number-one single 26 November 1984 – 7 January 1985	Succeeded by "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid
Preceded by "Easy Lover" by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins	Japanese Oricon International Weekly Singles Chart number-one single 18 March 1985 – 15 April 1985	Succeeded by "We Are the World" by USA for Africa

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "'NeverEnding Story' Release Info". Limahl.co.uk. http://www.limahl.co.uk/discog/NeverEndingStory.htm. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
2. ^ Discogs, Speed SFX
3. ^ Discogs, Dancemania Covers 01
4. ^ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 3 September 2008)
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "NeverEnding Story", various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
6. ^ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
7. ^ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
8. ^ Italian Singles Chart HitParadeItalia.it (Retrieved 12 September 2008)
9. ^ ^{a b} "Limahl - The Never Ending Story (song)". Norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Limahl&titel=The+Never+Ending+Story&cat=s. Retrieved July 15, 2010. 
10. ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
11. ^ ^{a b c d} Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 1 September 2008)
12. ^ 1984 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 1 September 2008)