| Best Years of Our Lives | |
| Cover: | Modern Romance Best Years of Our Lives 12-inch Single.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Modern Romance |
| Album: | Trick of the Light, Party Tonight, The Platinum Collection |
| Released: | October 1982 |
| Genre: | Pop, salsa, new wave |
| Length: | 2:35 |
| Label: | WEA |
| Producer: | Tony Visconti |
| Prev Title: | Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White |
| Prev Year: | 1982 |
| Next Title: | High Life |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
"Best Years of Our Lives" is a song recorded by English band Modern Romance. It was released in October 1982 as a 7-inch single and 12-inch single by WEA. A Japanese and German edition was also released.[1] [2] [3]
The 7-inch single was available in two versions:
A limited edition "Xmas Party Mix" remix of the song became available as a 7-inch single over Christmas 1982, which received substantial radio airplay in place of the original version over Christmas 1982.
| Chart (1982–1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 89 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 6 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 11 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 4 |
"Best Years of Our Lives" was the biggest-selling single for Modern Romance. It was the first single to feature Michael J. Mullins as lead vocalist and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart in late 1982. The single can be found on Modern Romance's hit albums Trick of the Light (1983) and Party Tonight (1983). It also made an appearance on their farewell single "Best Mix of Our Lives" (1985) in a medley with four other singles: "High Life", "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm", "Everybody Salsa", and "Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey". It served as a 7-inch single [re-mix] on the B-side of "Best Mix of Our Lives" and as a 12-inch single [re-mix] on the B-side of the 12-inch version of "Best Mix...".
The original B-side, "We've Got Them Running (The Counting Song)", was taken from the Modern Romance debut studio album Adventures in Clubland and features the lead vocals of Geoff Deane. It was written by Modern Romance founder member David Jaymes.[5] The latest appearance of "Best Years..." is on the compilation CD Modern Romance: The Platinum Collection (2006).[6] [7] [8]
As part of a long string of cover version songs, Black Lace released their re-creation in 1989.
| Best Years of Our Lives | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Baha Men |
| Album: | and Move It Like This |
| Released: | 11 June 2001 |
| Genre: | Reggae fusion, pop-rap |
| Length: | 2:58 |
| Label: | S-Curve |
| Prev Title: | You All Dat |
| Prev Year: | 2001 |
| Next Title: | Move It Like This |
| Next Year: | 2002 |
In 2001, the song regained popularity after it was covered by the Bahamian Junkanoo group Baha Men and featured in the 2001 DreamWorks' animated fairy tale comedy film Shrek.[9]
It was the Baha Men's sixth single and reached number 49 on the Australian ARIA Charts and number 70 on the Swiss Music Charts. It also appeared on their album Move It Like This.
The Baha Men cover received generally positive reviews. According to the Baltimore Afro-American, the song was "shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to Who Let the Dogs Out?,"[10] while Terry vanHorn of MTV.com called it a "playful dance song."[11] Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen, also of MTV.com, referred to the song as upbeat.[12]
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 49 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] | 66 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 70 |