Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In

Infobox Single
from Album = The Age of Aquarius
Name = Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In


Artist = The Fifth Dimension
Released = May 1969
Genre = Pop music
Length = 4:49
Producer = Bones Howe
Label = Soul City Records
Last single = California Soul
(1969)
Next single = Wedding Bell Blues
(1969)

"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In", sometimes incorrectly known as "The Age of Aquarius" or "Let the Sunshine In", is a medley of two songs from the musical "Hair" ("Aquarius" and "The Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In)") written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot, and released as a single in 1969 by The Fifth Dimension. The single held the number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and was certified Platinum. [ [http://allmusic.com/html/info_pages/bb_admatch_close.htm AllMusic.com] "The Age of Aquarius" page Accessed: November 26, 2006]

The song listed at #57 on "Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time." [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-60.shtml]

History

The recording won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Group at the Grammy Awards of 1970, after it was released on the album "The Age of Aquarius".

The song was based on the astrological belief that the world would be entering the Age of Aquarius, an age of love, light and humanity, unlike the then current Age of Pisces. This change was presumed to occur at the end of the 20th century.

"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" was ranked thirty-third on the 2004 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs.

Track listing

Chart positions

listen
filename=Aquarius.ogg
title="Aquarius"
description=A chorus from the Original Broadway Cast
format=Ogglisten
filename=The Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In).ogg
title="The Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine In"
description=The last verse of "The Flesh Failures" and first chorus of "Let the Sunshine In" from the Original Broadway Cast
format=Ogg

Cover versions and samplings

Infobox Single
from Album = Good Vibrations
Name = Aquarius


Artist = Party Animals
Released = 27 July 1996
Genre = Happy Hardcore, Gabber
Length =
Producer =
Label =
Last single =
Next single =
* Helena Paparizou , Greek female singer, covered "Aquarius/Let the sunshine in" at her performance at the Mad Video Music Awards 2007.
* "Pop-gabber Dutch band, the Party Animals covered "Aquarius" on their debut album "Good Vibrations" in 1996. The single was certified Platinum [ [http://www.nvpi.nl/nvpi/pagina.asp?pagkey=60461 NVPI.nl] Certification page. Accessed: November 26, 2006] and peaked at the number one position for three weeks. [Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, "500 Nr. 1 Hits uit de Top 40", page 330, ISBN 9023009444 (Book in Dutch)] .
* "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is performed with dancing at the conclusion of the 2005 movie "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" after the lead character's first sexual encounter.
* British comedian Vic Reeves also sang it.
* "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is also used in commercials for the Kia Rondo.
* The "Aquarius" song is used in commercials for the Aquarius sports drink.
* William Shatner sang a version of "Aquarius" in a commercial for Priceline.com.
* Société Bic (brand name, Bic) also used the song in the 2007 advertising campaign for the debut of their "Soleil Triple Blade Razors" in America.
* This song is sampled in the Mos Def song "Sunshine" on the album "The New Danger".
* The "Let the Sunshine In" portion of the medley was covered by the band Army of Lovers on their 2000 album "Le Grand Docu-Soap."
* The 1999 remake of The Out of Towners used "Aquarius" when Steve Martin's character has a psychedelic scene after ingesting a hallucinogenic.
* In the (2001) Disney Movie "", "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" plays during the end of the movie, moving into the credits with the chorus let the sunshine in.
* Bob Rivers recorded a parody entitled "I Think It's Time to Clean My Aquarium".
* Milk & Sugar, a German dance music production duo, have recorded a chart-topping remake of the "Let the Sunshine In" portion.
* Hans Zimmer created a version of the song for the opening sequence of Bird on a Wire (film).
* The U.K. electronic/ambient artist Boards of Canada samples portions of the movie soundtrack version for their own track of the same name as featured on their album "Music Has The Right To Children".
* In 2008, Mike Doughty used the "Let the Sunshine In" portion in the chorus of his song "Fort Hood" on the album "Golden Delicious".
* The Dresden Dolls have been known to perform covers of The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In).
* Andy Williams has also recorded the song, as highlighted in his 'Best of . . .' album
* The "Let the Sunshine In" portion of the song was used as one of the official theme songs for the 2008 general election campaign of Barack Obama.
* Daniel Johnston performed a live on-air semi-cover (involving him adding his own vocals over the original track) on WFMU on February 4th, 1990 .

References

ee also

* Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1969 (USA)