"Never Gonna Give You Up" is a famous song by English singer Rick Astley. It was his very first single, released on July 27, 1987. The song was written and produced by a team called Stock Aitken Waterman. It was also the first song from Astley's first album, Whenever You Need Somebody.

This song became a huge hit all over the world. It was number one in the United Kingdom for five weeks in 1987. It was even the best-selling song in the UK that year! "Never Gonna Give You Up" reached the top of the music charts in 25 different countries. This included the United States and Germany. The song also won the Best British Single award at the 1988 BRIT Awards. Many people think of this song as Rick Astley's most famous one. He often plays it at the end of his live concerts.

The music video for the song became very popular starting in 2007. This was because of an Internet meme called "Rickroll". A "Rickroll" happens when someone expects to see something else online but is shown the "Never Gonna Give You Up" music video instead. In 2008, Rick Astley won an MTV Europe Music Award because thousands of people online voted for him. In 2019, Astley made a new version of the song for his album The Best of Me. This version features a new piano arrangement.

Making the Song: Production Details
Music Video: A Global Hit
How the Song Performed on Charts
The Song's Lasting Impact
- The "Rickrolling" Internet Meme
Different Versions of the Song
Other Artists Covering the Song
See also

Making the Song: Production Details

"Never Gonna Give You Up" was recorded at PWL Studios in South London, England. The deep bassline sounds in the song were made using a special musical tool called a Yamaha DX7 digital synthesizer. The drums and the way the music parts were put together (called sequencing) were done with a Linn 9000. Other equipment used included a Roland Juno 106 analog synthesizer. They also used Yamaha Rev5 and Rev7 machines for echo effects.

Mike Stock, one of the song's writers, said that the song "Trapped" by Colonel Abrams was a big inspiration. He wanted Rick Astley's song to sound different from other artists like Kylie Minogue or Bananarama. So, he used the rhythm of the bassline from "Trapped" to create something new for "Never Gonna Give You Up".

The idea for the song's title came from Pete Waterman. Rick Astley had told him how much he cared for his girlfriend at the time. After that, Mike Stock and Matt Aitken created the song's tune, chords, and lyrics. The first mixing of the song was done by Phil Harding. Later, a person named Ian Curnow added the unique string and brass sounds using a Fairlight CMI machine. The final mix was done by PWL remixer Pete Hammond. He made Rick Astley's voice stand out more. This longer mix was then shortened by Stock and Aitken for the radio version.

Music Video: A Global Hit

The music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up" was directed by Simon West. It was filmed in London, mostly around Freston Road. This area is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The video was uploaded to YouTube on October 25, 2009. It has been watched over 1.3 billion times and has more than 15 million likes! It reached 1 billion views on July 28, 2021. That was 34 years and one day after the song was first released. The video still gets over 456,000 views every day and more than 13.6 million views each month.

How the Song Performed on Charts

"Never Gonna Give You Up" became a number one hit in many places. On March 12, 1988, it reached number one on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart. Before that, a DJ named Larry Levan had played it at the Paradise Garage club in 1987. The song topped the charts in 25 countries around the world.

It also became the number one song of the year in the UK and South Africa.

The Song's Lasting Impact

Mike Stock, one of the song's composers, said he wasn't sure why the song became such a huge and long-lasting hit. But he thought its success was due to a mix of the song itself, Rick Astley's singing, and the power of the record company, RCA.

Time Out magazine put "Never Gonna Give You Up" at number 33 on their list of "The 50 best '80s songs" in 2018. They said the song's synthesized strings, strong beat, and Astley's unique voice made it one of the most exciting songs of the 1980s.

There are stories that the song was played to help convince a leader named Manuel Noriega to give up during a conflict in Panama in 1989. Other songs like "I Fought the Law" by the Clash and "Panama" by Van Halen were also reportedly used.

In April 2020, The Guardian newspaper ranked it at number 44 on their list of "The 100 greatest UK No 1s". Classic Pop magazine ranked it number 4 on their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs" in 2021.

The TV show Ted Lasso, which won an Emmy Award, featured the song in an episode called "No Weddings and a Funeral". In one scene, a character named Rebecca Welton starts singing it at her father's funeral. Rick Astley himself said that the actress, Hannah Waddingham, did an amazing job. He said it was very emotional and moving.

In August 2022, an insurance company called CSAA Insurance Group made a commercial with Rick Astley. It showed scenes that looked just like the original "Never Gonna Give You Up" music video.

A song from 2022 by Yung Gravy called "Betty (Get Money)" uses parts of "Never Gonna Give You Up". It includes the synthesizer sound and the chorus. The original writers, Stock Aitken Waterman, are credited for their work. Rick Astley agreed to let them use the music and lyrics. However, he did not allow Yung Gravy to copy his voice directly. Because of this, Astley filed a lawsuit in January 2023. He was unhappy that Yung Gravy used someone else to sound like his voice.

The "Rickrolling" Internet Meme

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is famous for an Internet meme called "rickrolling". This happens when someone clicks on a link, expecting to see something else, but it takes them to the song's music video instead. This meme started with users on a website called 4chan. By May 2007, it became very well-known online. It got even more popular in 2008 when YouTube and other websites used it as an April Fools' Day joke. This made it easy for people to "rickroll" their friends.

Rick Astley himself talked about it in March 2008. He told the Los Angeles Times, "I think it's just one of those odd things where something gets picked up and people run with it." He added, "That's what's brilliant about the Internet."

Rick Astley also appeared in the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He surprised everyone by interrupting a song being performed on a float. He then lip-synched "Never Gonna Give You Up".

There were reports that Rick Astley didn't earn much money from the "rickrolling" trend, even though the video had millions of views. In 2010, it was said he only received about $12 in royalties from YouTube. However, in 2016, Astley said he didn't really check how much he earned from YouTube. He also explained that he had been paid a good amount of money by Virgin for appearing in a commercial and for his performance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

Different Versions of the Song

Over the years, "Never Gonna Give You Up" has been released in different versions.

7" single

"Never Gonna Give You Up" (7" Vocal mix) – 3:32
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Instrumental) – 3:30

12" maxi

"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Cake mix) – 5:46
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Instrumental) – 6:19
"Never Gonna Give You Up" – 3:32
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Escape to New York mix) – 7:01
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Escape from Newton mix) – 6:23

Another 12" maxi

"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Cake mix) – 5:48
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Instrumental) – 6:21
"Never Gonna Give You Up" – 3:32

12" single

"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Escape from Newton mix) – 6:30
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Escape to New York mix) – 7:00

On July 29, 2021, to celebrate the music video reaching 1 billion views on YouTube, Rick Astley released a special limited edition. It was a blue vinyl record, and only 2,500 were signed and sold.

"Never Gonna Give You Up" (7" Vocal mix) – 3:32
"Never Gonna Give You Up" (Pianoforte) – 3:30

Other Artists Covering the Song

In 1997, a French boy band called 2Be3 covered the song. They called their version "Toujours là pour toi". It reached number 4 in France and number 12 in Belgium.
A group of London music producers called the Rickrollerz made a house music version of "Never Gonna Give You Up". In May 2008, their song reached number 22 on the UK Club Charts.
In 2022, the American pop rock band Smash Mouth covered the song. This was after their former lead singer, Steve Harwell, retired.

Never Gonna Give You Up facts for kids

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