The Riddle (Nik Kershaw song)

"The Riddle" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released in 1984 as the lead single from his second studio album of the same name. Kershaw described the lyrical content as being nondescript to fill as a "guide vocal" for the production. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in countries like Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. An accompanying music video was made for the song and features references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).

"The Riddle"
Cover of the 12-inch single
Single by Nik Kershaw
from the album The Riddle
Released5 November 1984 (1984-11-05)
Recorded1984
Genre
Length3:52
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Nik Kershaw
Producer(s)Peter Collins
Nik Kershaw singles chronology
"Human Racing"
(1984)		 "The Riddle"
(1984)		 "Wide Boy"
(1985)
Music video
"The Riddle" on YouTube

The song was covered by many artists, including Gigi D'Agostino (1999) and Jack Holiday and Mike Candys (2012).

Lyrics

The "riddling" lyrics caused speculation among listeners as to their meaning; Kershaw states that there is in fact no intended meaning at all, the words simply being a "guide vocal" thrown together to fit the music. Kershaw has stated: "In short, 'The Riddle' is nonsense, rubbish, bollocks, the confused ramblings of an 80s popstar."[1]

Music video

The music video to "The Riddle" depicts Kershaw walking through a house shaped like a question mark, making his way through certain obstacles and looking through drawers while singing. The video depicts many references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) with an appearance of a young girl exiting the room through a small door, two portly gentlemen who resemble Tweedledum and Tweedledee and an observation made by Kershaw to Through the Looking-Glass (1871).

At the beginning of the music video, Kershaw is seen trying to get through a door with a screwdriver. The video ends with the camera moving up away from Kershaw to reveal that the question mark is lying in an alleyway, at which point, a man in a green costume seen earlier in the video comes and picks it up. The green man is the Riddler, a villain from the Batman comics.

Two versions of the video exist, with minor differences.

Track listing

7" Single (WEA NIK 6)[2]
A: "The Riddle" – 3:52
B: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02

12" Single (WEA NIKT 6)[3]
A: "The Riddle" (Extended Riddle) – 5:08
B: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02

Cassette Single (WEA NIKC 6)[4]
A1: "The Riddle" – 3:52
A2: "Interview"
A3: "Progress" (Live) – 3:02
B1: "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Extended Mix)
B2: "Wouldn't It Be Good" (Extended Mix)

Credits

"The Riddle"[2]
Produced by Peter Collins

"Progress"
Recorded Live at Hammersmith Odeon.
Mixed by Simon Boswell

"The Riddle (Extended Riddle)"
Produced by Peter Collins
The extended mix is named "Special Extended Mix" on the cover and "Extended Riddle" on the label.

Charts

Gigi D'Agostino version
"The Riddle"
Single by Gigi D'Agostino
from the album L'Amour Toujours
B-side"Remix"
ReleasedDecember 1999
Recorded1999
GenreItalo dance
Length4:45
LabelZYX
Songwriter(s)Nik Kershaw
Producer(s)Gigi D'Agostino
Gigi D'Agostino singles chronology
"Another Way"
(1999)		 "The Riddle"
(1999)		 "La Passion"
(2000)
Music video
"The Riddle" on YouTube

"The Riddle" was covered as a dance song by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino, featuring uncredited vocals by British singer Adam Austin. This version was released on D'Agostino's second studio album, L'Amour Toujours (1999). The same lyrics are used as in Kershaw's song, but the order is changed and the tempo is faster.

Music video

The music video, which was made by Andreas Hykade, features La Linea-styled animation like the "Bla Bla Bla" music video (both of which feature the same humanoid character), taking place entirely with white lines on a light green background and features the aforementioned character fighting a dragon on a mountainous terrain.

Weekly charts
2000 weekly chart performance for "The Riddle"
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27] 14
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[28] 8
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[29] 12[lower-alpha 1]
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)[30] 15
France (SNEP)[31] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[32] 4
Hungary (MAHASZ)[33] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 8
2002 weekly chart performance for "The Riddle"
Chart (2002) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] 4
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[36] 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[37] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[38] 4

Year-end charts
2000 year-end chart performance for "The Riddle"
Chart (2000) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[39] 26
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[40] 53
Germany (Official German Charts)[41] 23
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 67
2002 year-end chart performance for "The Riddle"
Chart (2002) Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[43] 47
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[44] 61
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[45] 52

Certifications
Certifications for "The Riddle"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[46] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[47] Silver 125,000*
Germany (BVMI)[48] Gold 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Jack Holiday and Mike Candys version
"The Riddle Anthem"
Single by Jack Holiday and Mike Candys
Released19 November 2012 (2012-11-19)
GenreElectronic
Length3:13
Songwriter(s)Nik Kershaw
Producer(s)
  • Mike Candys
  • Jack Holiday
Jack Holiday singles chronology
"Children 2012"
(2012)		 "The Riddle Anthem"
(2012)		 "The Riddle Anthem (Rework)"
(2018)
Mike Candys singles chronology
"Sunshine (Fly So High)"
(2012)		 "The Riddle Anthem"
(2012)		 "Bring Back the Love"
(2013)
Music video
"The Riddle Anthem" on YouTube

"The Riddle" was covered as a dance song by Swiss DJs Mike Candys and Jack Holiday. It was retitled "The Riddle Anthem" and released in November 2012.

Charts
Chart performance for "The Riddle"
Chart (2012–2013) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[49] 29
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[50] 31
France (SNEP)[51] 43
Germany (Official German Charts)[52] 44
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[53] 26

Other cover versions

In 1999, Lightforce released an instrumental dance cover of the song titled "Take Your Time (The-Riddle '99)".

In 2009, the Italian group Prezioso & Marvin (actually the brothers DJ Giorgio Prezioso and Andrea Prezioso, and vocalist Alessandro Moschini known as Marvin) released it as a single from a similarly titled The Riddle EP. The single on Bang Record also featured vocals by Marvin (real name Alessandro Moschini) and was credited as Prezioso & Marvin. An official music video was also released.[54]

In 2013, the French harpist Cécile Corbel included the song on her fourth studio album, SongBook vol.4 – Roses and gave the melody a Celtic coloration.

Notes
  1. "The Riddle" reached number 12 when RPM ceased publication in November 2000.

References
  1. Kershaw, Nik. "The Official Nik Kershaw FAQ file". The Official Nik Kershaw Website. Archived from the original on 7 February 2003. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  2. Discogs: Nik Kershaw - The Riddle 7".
  3. Discogs: Nik Kershaw - The Riddle 12".
  4. Discogs: Nik Kershaw - The Riddle Cassette Single.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 165. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0524." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  8. "European Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 38/39. 17 December 1984. p. 14. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  9. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle" (in French). Les classement single.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Riddle". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  12. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 1 June 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Nik Kershaw" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Nik Kershaw" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  14. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle". Top 40 Singles.
  16. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle". VG-lista.
  17. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 7. 18 February 1985. p. 7. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  18. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts K". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  19. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle". Singles Top 100.
  20. "Nik Kershaw – The Riddle". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. "Nik Kershaw: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  22. "Bubbling Under – The Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 16. 20 April 1985. p. 72. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  23. "Offiziellecharts.de – Nik Kershaw – The Riddle" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  24. "Top 100 Singles (January 3–December 29, 1984)" (PDF). Music Week. 26 January 1985. p. 37. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  25. "National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. No. 599. 30 December 1985 – via Imgur.
  26. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  27. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  28. "Gigi D'Agostino Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  29. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7096." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  30. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 25. 17 June 2000. p. 11. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  31. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in French). Les classement single.
  32. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  33. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 45. 5 November 2000. p. 13. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  34. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle". Swiss Singles Chart.
  35. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  36. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in French). Ultratip.
  37. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Gigi D Agostino" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  38. "Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  39. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2000". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  40. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000 p.9" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  41. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  43. "Jaaroverzichten 2002 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  44. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  45. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  46. "Austrian single certifications – Gigi D´Agostino – The Riddle" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  47. "French single certifications – Gigi D'Agostino – The Riddle" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  48. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Gigi D'Agostino; 'The Riddle')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  49. "Jack Holiday & Mike Candys – The Riddle Anthem" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  50. "Jack Holiday & Mike Candys – The Riddle Anthem" (in French). Ultratip.
  51. "Jack Holiday & Mike Candys – The Riddle Anthem" (in French). Les classement single.
  52. "Jack Holiday & Mike Candys – The Riddle Anthem" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  53. "Jack Holiday & Mike Candys – The Riddle Anthem". Swiss Singles Chart.
  54. YouTube: Prezioso & Marvin - The Riddle (THE Official Video)
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