(Feels Like) Heaven

"(Feels Like) Heaven" is a song by Scottish new wave band Fiction Factory, which was released in 1983 as the second single from their debut studio album Throw the Warped Wheel Out (1984). The track was a hit in Switzerland, reaching #2 on the singles chart. In the UK, it peaked at #6. Other chart positions include #10 in Germany, #14 in Sweden and #20 in Austria. The song is a regular feature on 1980s and new wave compilation albums.

"(Feels Like) Heaven"
Single by Fiction Factory
from the album Throw the Warped Wheel Out
B-side
  • "Everyone but You"
  • "This Is"
Released31 December 1983 (1983-12-31)
Recorded1983
GenreNew wave
Length3:34
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)
  • Eddie Jordan
  • Kevin Patterson
Producer(s)Peter Wilson
Fiction Factory singles chronology
"Ghost of Love"
(1983)		 "(Feels Like) Heaven"
(1983)		 "All or Nothing"
(1984)

Fiction Factory had no other notable successes beyond "(Feels Like) Heaven", marking the band as a one-hit wonder.[1]

The song was written by Kevin Patterson and Eddie Jordan shortly after they had formed Fiction Factory with Chic Medley. The lyric has been described by the band as "an anti-love song", while recognising that it has come to have a different meaning for different people.[1]

The song was referenced in Ariel Pink's 2017 song "Feels Like Heaven".[2]

Critical reception

On its release, Ian Birch of Smash Hits wrote, "Imagine a smattering of H2O, China Crisis and The Lotus Eaters with a clean-cut production. One to watch in '84."[3] Tony Jasper of Music Week noted the song "has a fetching feel with a good blend of vocals and backing track".[4] Frank Edmonds of the Bury Free Press gave the song an 8 out of 10 rating and described it as a "truly impressive and pleasing little number, with a relaxed, catchy melody".[5] In the US, David Okamoto of The Tampa Tribune described it as "the song Spandau Ballet would kill for" and "one of the prettiest singles of the year".[6]

Track listing

7"

  1. "(Feels Like) Heaven"
  2. "Everyone but You"

12"

  1. "(Feels Like) Heaven"
  2. "Everyone but You"
  3. "This Is"

Charts
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 51
Austrian Singles Chart[8] 20
Dutch Singles Chart[9] 16
German Singles Chart[10] 10
Irish Singles Chart[11] 4
Italian Singles Chart[12] 33
New Zealand Singles Chart[13] 24
Swedish Singles Chart[14] 14
Swiss Singles Charts[15] 2
UK Singles Chart[16] 6

Dario G version

In 2003, the song was recorded by English dance act Dario G, titled "Heaven Is Closer (Feels Like Heaven)". The single reached the UK top 40, peaking at number 39 on the UK Singles Chart.[17] It also charted in several other countries across Europe. This version mainly uses the "heaven is closer" refrain at the end of the original song as its hook.

Other versions
  • In 2008, the song was covered by Sylwania, a German dance project from the label Beatbox-Recordz.
  • In 2008, the song was covered and released as a bonus track on the studio album Werk 80 II by the German heavy metal band Atrocity.
  • In February 2012, the song was covered by Matt Consola featuring Ben Holder & LFB on Swishcraft Records.[18] This release includes remixes by Joel Dickinson, Sean Mac, Christian Poow, SpekrFreks, Chubby Fingers and Swishcraft (AKA Matt Consola & LFB).
  • Slow Moving Millie covered the song on her 2011 studio album Renditions.
  • In 2016, the song was performed live by Manic Street Preachers during their Everything Must Go 20th anniversary tour. A studio recording was included on the compilation album BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 80s, Vol. 2.
  • German musician Roosevelt covered the song on his 2021 album Polydans.

References
  1. Welsh, Andrew (26 July 2011). "Fiction Factory dreaming of heaven at Rewind Festival reunion". Daily Record. Retrieved 2016-01-23.
  2. "Video: Ariel Pink - "Feels Like Heaven"". SPIN. 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  3. Birch, Ian (18 January 1984). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 17.
  4. "Select Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 January 1984. p. 13. Retrieved 15 June 2021 – via World Radio History.
  5. Edmonds, Frank (6 January 1984). "Soundscene". Bury Free Press. p. 10.
  6. Okamoto, David (25 June 1984). "Hot Stuff: Hot Wax". The Tampa Tribune. p. 2-D.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. Steffen Hung. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  9. Steffen Hung. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  10. musicline.de / PhonoNet GmbH. "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Archived from the original on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  11. Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  12. "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: F". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  13. Steffen Hung. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". charts.nz. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  14. Steffen Hung. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  15. Steffen Hung. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  16. "Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven". Official Charts Company. 1984-01-14. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  17. "Heaven Is Closer (Feels Like Heaven) | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  18. Sanger, David E. "Feels Like Heaven", Beatport, February 21, 2012, accessed February 23, 2012. 2012-02-25.
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