This is The Story of Pop: 1998, our weekly look back at all of the biggest movers and shakers in the UK singles chart from 25 years ago. And here comes yet another big hit from 1998…
- Artist: Vengaboys
- Song: Up and Down
- Released: 16/11/1998
- Writers / Producers: Wessel van Diepen / Dennis van den Driesschen
- Highest UK Chart Position: #4
- Weeks on Chart: 17
The end of the year was, for some reason in the late 90s, a bit of a green time for new pop acts to be launched. We saw it on the entries for Steps and Five we covered earlier in the series, and also with Atomic Kitten on The Story of Pop: 1999. All released their debut singles in either November or December of their year of launch. And so too, did an unlikely Eurodance pop outfit, who, for the next year, would go onto become one of the biggest. Although you wouldn’t have thought that from their first release.
Partly because the Vengaboys started off as something very different to what they actually became. We’ve recounted the story of their origins before on our entry for their chart topping “Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!” for The Story of Pop: 1999, but we’ll briefly surmise for anyone who missed it.
What started as two Dutch DJs and producers known as DJ Danski and Delmundo, having plyed their trade around Europe’s many holiday night spots and illegal beach parties, and a couple of low key singles released in Benelux only, then led to them forming a group, initially with Kim Sasabone as a vocalist before Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Roy den Burger and Robin Pors joined.
“Up and Down” is an interesting record to discuss; not least because it sounds relatively little like what else followed from the Vengaboys. It is basically a largely instrumental dance track, save for Kim chanting “Up and down / Up and down” ad infinitum for almost four minutes.
But it’s infectious energy and relentless synth riffs (and sampled “WOO!” from a Loletta Holloway track) were not lost on the pure pop audience that they ultimately crossed over to. In fact, it was only when they appeared on Top of the Pops after the single hurtled out of nowhere and straight into the chart at #4, did it appear there was more to them than met the eye.
And whilst it was really 1999 when they became such a massive hit, and whilst, like “5,6,7,8”, it’s not the song people immediately associate them with, “Up and Down” was ultimately what started the ball rolling for Vengaboys and allowed them to enjoy the incredible success they did in the next 12 months that followed.
Don’t forget to follow our brand new playlist on Spotify – updated weekly so you never miss a song from the story of pop in 1998. And you can leave your memories of the songs below in the comments, Tweet us or message us on Instagram, using the hashtag #StoryofPop1998.
The Niche Reference 