"Heartache"
Single by Pepsi & Shirlie
from the album All Right Now
B-side"Surrender"
Released5 January 1987 (1987-01-05)
Length3:38
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
  • Tambi Fernando
  • Iris Fernando
  • Wayne Brown
Producer(s)
Pepsi & Shirlie singles chronology
"Heartache"
(1987)		 "Goodbye Stranger"
(1987)
Audio
"Heartache" on YouTube

"Heartache" is a song by English pop music duo Pepsi & Shirlie, written by Tambi Fernando, Iris Fernando, and Wayne Brown and produced by Tambi and Phil Fearon. It was released on 5 January 1987 as the lead single from the duo's debut album, All Right Now, which was released that October. Backed with the B-side "Surrender", the single became a chart hit worldwide, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart, entering the top 10 in seven other countries, and reaching number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video was directed by Andy Earl.

Background and release

Pepsi & Shirlie were originally backup singers for English pop music duo Wham!, performing on songs such as "Young Guns (Go for It)".[1] After Wham! split up, Pepsi & Shirley formed their own group and began recording together.[2] "Heartache" was written by Tambi Fernando, Iris Fernando, and Wayne Brown, while the production was helmed by Tambi and Phil Fearon.[3] It was released as the duo's debut single in the United Kingdom on 5 January 1987, backed with the B-side "Surrender" on the 7-inch vinyl release.[4][5] Several 12-inch vinyl formats were also issued worldwide, with most including an extended version of "Heartache" mixed by Stock Aitken Waterman and Pete Hammond.[3] A music video was made to promote the single, directed by Andy Earl.[6] The song later appeared as the opening track on Pepsi & Shirlie's debut album, All Right Now, which was released on 26 October 1987.[7][8]

Critical reception

Jerry Smith of the Music Week magazine described "Heartache" a "weak, lightweight dance track" but deemed that its famous producer and mixers were likely to add some weight.[9] In a review published in Smash Hits, Dave Rimmer considered that "it's clear the girls can actually sing but the song, sadly, is as boring as the title".[10] Retrospectively, in 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked "Heartache" number 32 in their list of "Top 40 Stock/Aitken/Waterman songs".[11]

Chart performance

On 17 January 1987, "Heartache" debuted at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart. Over the next three weeks, the song rose to number 22, jumped to number seven, then peaked at number two on 1 and 8 February 1987.[12] During both weeks, ex-Wham! member George Michael prevented his former backup singers from reaching the top spot with "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".[13] After peaking, the single spent seven weeks within the UK top 75, totalling 12 weeks on the chart altogether; it is Pepsi & Shirlie's highest- and longest-charting UK single.[12] It finished 1987 as the UK's 24th-best-selling hit and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipping over 250,000 copies.[14][15] The song was also a top-three success in Ireland, peaking at number three and charting for six weeks.[16]

On the combined Pan-European Hot 100 Singles chart, "Heartache" achieved a peak of number four in its seventh week and remained on the chart for a total of 15 weeks;[17][18] Music & Media magazine ranking it as Europe's 34th-most-successful song of 1987.[19] It also spent ten weeks on the European Airplay Top 50,[20] including a peak at number six for consecutive three weeks.[21][22][23] It peaked at number two in three nations: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.[24][25] In Norway, "Heartache" reached number six for three weeks, while in West Germany, it spent four weeks at number eight.[26][27] Elsewhere it Europe, the song charted at number 16 in Italy, number 17 in Austria, and number 31 in France.[28][29][30] In New Zealand, "Heartache" became a top-10 hit, reaching number nine in July and August 1987, while in Australia, it stalled at number 49 on the Kent Music Report.[31][32] In the United States, the song peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 while its remix reached number two on the Billboard Dance Club Play ranking and number seven on the Billboard 12-inch Singles Sales chart.[33][34][35]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Where Are They Now? Pepsi & Shirlie".
  2. ↑ "Wham!'s Pepsi & Shirlie Claim George Michael Has Been Sending Them Messages of Support for Their Autobiography". Today Online. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Heartache (UK & Australian 12-inch single sleeve). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. POSPX 837, 885 470-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ "New Single". Music Week. 3 January 1987. p. 24.
  5. 1 2 Heartache (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. POSP 837.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. 1 2 Heartache (UK CDV single liner notes). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1988. 080 006-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ "All Right Now: Pepsi & Shirlie". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "New Albums". Music Week. 24 October 1987. p. 26.
  9. ↑ Smith, Jerry (24 January 1987). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 39. Retrieved 8 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  10. ↑ Rimmer, Dave (31 December 1986 – 13 January 1987). "Singles reviewed by Dave Rimmer" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 8, no. 27. p. 44. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 21 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
  11. ↑ "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs". Classic Pop. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 "Pepsi and Shirlie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Nobes, Mark. "Whatever Happened to Pepsi and Shirlie". Simply Eighties. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles". Record Mirror. 23 January 1988. p. 36.
  15. 1 2 "British single certifications – Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  16. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Pepsi and Shirlie". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  17. 1 2 "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 10. 14 March 1987. p. 18.
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 18. 9 May 1987. p. 10-11. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via World Radio History. Note: "Heartache" is at number 56, with 15 weeks indicated. The next week, it did not appear on the chart.
  19. 1 2 "European Charts of the Year 1987: Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1986. p. 34.
  20. ↑ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 13. 4 April 1987. p. 4. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via World Radio History. Note: "Heartache" is at number 28, with 10 weeks indicated. The next week, it did not appear on the chart.
  21. ↑ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 8. 28 February 1987. p. 4. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via World Radio History.
  22. ↑ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 9. 7 March 1987. p. 4. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via World Radio History.
  23. 1 2 "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 10. 14 March 1987. p. 4. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 29 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  24. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  25. 1 2 "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  26. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache". VG-lista. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  28. 1 2 "Hits of the World: Italy". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 25. 20 June 1987. p. 60A.
  29. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  30. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  31. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  32. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  33. 1 2 "Pepsi Shirlie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  34. 1 2 "Pepsi Shirlie Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  35. 1 2 "Pepsi Shirlie Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  36. ↑ ハートエイク [Heartache] (Japanese 12-inch single sleeve). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. 13MM 7048.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  37. ↑ Heartache (UK 12-inch remix single sleeve). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. POSPA 837, 885 542-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ↑ Heartache (Japanese CDV single liner notes). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. W18X 22003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. ↑ Heartache (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. 885 929-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ↑ Heartache (Canadian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Pepsi & Shirlie. Polydor Records. 1987. PDSX 2310.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  41. ↑ "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  42. ↑ "Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  43. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1987" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  44. ↑ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  45. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  46. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987" (in German). Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  47. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1987" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
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