This is a song Australian and British audiences will fondly remember and it will evoke memories of ‘that wedding’ in 1987. Of course, it was a fictional wedding which took place on the Australian TV soap opera Neighbours but it captured the hearts and minds of people in both countries. In the UK alone, an estimated 20 million people tuned in to watch the episode where Scott and Charlene got married. The song “Suddenly” was chosen as the wedding theme and playing during the ceremony on the show.
The song was recorded by Australian singer Angry Anderson who, until 1987, had been the frontman and lead singer of one of Sydney’s leading rock bands, Rose Tattoo. “Suddenly” was a song that the group had recorded as part of the group’s final album before their disbanding in 1987. Kylie Minogue, who played Charlene in Neighbours, chose this song to play over at her fictional wedding ceremony. And as a result, the song was released as a single and reached number 1 in Australia and number 3 on the UK charts.
The song itself is a very good and memorable power ballad. It has a catchy and emotive chorus which is emphasised by Anderson’s strong rock voice. Singing a ballad was something that Angry Anderson had never done and it was seen to be a risk as it could have alienated his traditional rock audience. However, I think he pulls it off and there’s no wonder that this song is still his biggest hit.
I’ve chosen to feature this song today, not just because it is a wonderful power ballad, but because I want to show it to my American readers. I believe that Suddenly would have charted on the Billboard charts if it had had the same exposure back in the 1980s. I hope you all enjoy this timeless classic.
