35th anniversary of "I Can Hear Music" by José Hoebee

Photo by Govert de Roos and edited by Co Rnz

35 years ago, on March 5th, 1983, "I Can Hear Music" (a single by José Hoebee) entered the Nationale Hitparade (currently known as the Single Top 100) and only spent one week on this Dutch chart. It was a disappointment after the great success of José's previous singles ("I Will Follow Him" and "Secret Love"). However, it remains cult among the fans!!!

Song history

1982 was the peak of José's solo career after the first break-up of Luv'. Thanks to this triumph, the singer won in January 1983 the Hitkrant award for the "most popular Dutch female singer of 1982". 

Her recipe for success was to perform cover versions of American classic hits from the 1950s and 1960s. Indeed, the artist was nicknamed "the cover queen". 

In the summer of 1982, her cover version of Peggy March's pop classic "I Will Follow Him" was a chart-topper in the Netherlands and Belgium (see article posted on July 3rd, 2017). The follow-up single "Secret Love" (a cover version of a Doris Day's song) was also popular on the charts:  #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and #3 on the Flemish BRT Top 30 (see article posted on September 18th, 2017). Shortly afterwards, CNR/Carrere Records released José's first solo album "The Good Times" (see article posted on November 17th, 2017). This LP was produced by Pim Koopman (member of the legendary pop-rock band Kayak and producer of the sister duo Maywood) and was named after the song "The Good Times" (an original song penned by Piet Souer and released as a single - see article posted on December 4th, 2017). 

After a glorious 1982, how would 1983 be? José showed a new haircut at the New Year's reception organized by the TROS broadcaster. She was accompanied by Marga Scheide (who also showed a new hairdo). "De Telegraaf" published an article about this event in its "Privé" section on January 6th, 1983. José told the newspaper that she was allowed to perform again after her lung inflammation due to an artificial snowflake she swallowed during a photo shoot with Harry Slinger (singer of Dutch band Drukwerk). 

De Telegraaf - January 6th, 1983

José was in good condition to put out her next single in February 1983. "I Can Hear Music". This song was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector for American girl group The Ronettes in 1966. Three years later, the track was made famous by the legendary Beach Boys. Their version peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA and reached the Top 10 and the Top 20 in several countries around the world (including Sweden, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Irland, Malaysia, Chile and Australia). 

Beach Boys - I Can Hear Music (1969)

On José's version, Lucy Steymel recorded backing vocals. Renowned photographer Govert de Roos took a beautiful picture of the singer for the front cover of the single. 

Photos edited by Co Rnz

Tracklisting 

Front cover

• A side: I Can Hear Music (J. Barry / E. Greenwich / P. Spector) - 3:11
• B side: A Reason For Fallin' In Love (P. Koopman) - 2:41

Credits

José: lead vocals, backing vocals

Lucy Steymel and Pim Koopman: backing vocals

All instruments played by Pim Koopman 

Recorded at D.M.C studios, Baarn, Holland

Engineered by John Smit and John Sonneveld

Produced by Pim Koopman for Purple Eye Productions B.V.

Marketed and distributed by  B.V. Grammofoonplatenmaatschappij CNR

Management: Interlinde Management

Photography by Govert de Roos

Make-up: Frans Sam

Styling: Stinx - Hilversum - Amsterdam

YouTube

José performed "I Can Hear Music" on two major TV shows in the Netherlands:  "AVRO's TopPop" and "Nederland Muziekland" (on Veronica).

AVRO's TopPop - broadcast date: March 5th, 1983

Nederland Muziekland

Chart performance

On Febuary 12th, 1983 "I Can Hear Music" entered the Tipparade (a list of singles that didn't chart on the main hit parade) and later peaked at #11. It failed to break into the Dutch Top 40 but on March 5th, 1983 it reached #48 on the Nationale Hitparade (currently Single Top 100). Moreover, the single peaked at #13 on the BRT Top 30 and #15 on the Ultratop in Flanders (Belgium). 

To know more about José's first solo releases, please visit Karin's Facebook Page about "The Good Times" era (1982-1983): https://www.facebook.com/TheGoodTimesAlbum/

Site about Pim Koopman's music: http://www.pimkoopman.com/

Thanks Co Rnz and Jos Theuns for making this article possible!!!

Source: Wikipedia, Discogs.com, Dutchcharts, Facebook