Photo courtesy of © José Hoebee Fan Page (Facebook)
Photo edited by Marco Rens
Forty years ago precisely, on April 2nd, 1984, José Hoebee's single "Time Goes By" became the "Radio en TV-Tip" (record of the week) on the highly influential AVRO/Hilversum 3 broadcaster. Though this record was not as popular as the previous singles, it achieved cult status among fans. Let's celebrate the 40th anniversary of this iconic pop track.
History
After Luv's first break-up in 1981, José enjoyed success by covering American pop classics from the 1950s and 1960s. In 1982, she scored two solo smash hits in the Netherlands and Belgium: "I Will Follow Him" (originally performed by Little Peggy March in 1963), which hit the number-one spot and "Secret Love" (originally performed by Doris Day in 1953) which peaked at #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and #3 on the Belgian BRT Top 30. In late 1983, she covered Leonard Cohen's "So Long Marianne" with Ron Brandsteder, which reached #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and #20 on the Belgian BRT Top 30.
In early 1984, the talented singer, nicknamed "the cover queen", chose to render the pop song "Time Goes By" (originally recorded by Hungarian band Neoton Família (aka Newton Family). The original track won the Grand Prix at the World Popular Song Festival (aka Yamaha Music Festival) in Tokyo, Japan, in 1983.
José's version was produced by Pim Koopman (member of the legendary pop-rock band Kayak and producer for the sister duo Maywood). Pim had already collaborated with José on her first solo album, "The Good Times" (which included "I Will Follow Him" and "Secret Love"). "Time Goes By" was included on José's CD compilation "Alle Hits & Unieke Bonustracks" in 2005.
The Week 19 of 1984 issue of the Dutch teen magazine Anita featured an interview with José who discussed her recent releases, "So Long, Marianne" with Ron Brandsteder and "Time Goes By".
The May 20th, 1984 issue of AVRO Gids mentioned José's Time Goes By. "It took a while, but Pim Koopman found me this track and it was worth recording it. I hope it's going to be a hit," José said.
Screenshots of José on TopPop - photos edited by Marco Rens
Screenshots of José on Nederland Muziekland - photos edited by Marco Rens
"Time Goes By" was covered by other singers.
The version of the legendary Bulgarian born French chanteuse Sylvie Vartan was entitled "Déclare l'amour comme la guerre" (1984).
Finnish singer Eini recorded the track as "Kellot Käy" in 1984.
The Spanish version by Venezuelan singer José Luis Rodríguez was entitled "El tiempo se nos va" (1984).
In 1984, Portuguese singer Clemente put out a cover entitled "Se Um Amor Passa".
In 2002, the Hungarian pop group Neo Tones, whose members are children of Neoton Família, released a Eurodance version of the track entitled "Holnap Hajnalig".
In 2008, Hungarian duo Bereczki Zoltán & Szinetár Dóra covered the song as "Holnap Hajnalig".
In 2013, the former member of Neoton Família, Csepregi Éva, re-recorded the song in a swing version.
Photography
Dutch photographer and Facebook friend Chris van der Vooren took a beautiful picture of the singer for the single's front cover.
Commercial performance
Time Goes By entered the Tipparade at #25 on April 7th, 1984 and later peaked at #4. It stayed four weeks in this list of songs that didn't chart on the Dutch Top 40.
The single also entered the Nationale Hitparade at #46 on April 21st, 1984, reached # 16 on April 28th, 1984 and spent four weeks on this Dutch chart. Click here for information. Time Goes By sold 10.000 copies in the Netherlands.
Tracklisting
Original Dutch cover
A side: Time Goes By - 4:15
Written by Emoke Zakanyi, Emese Hatvani, Gyorgy Jakab and Laszlo Pasztor
B side: Lonely Without You - 2:43
Written by Pim Koopman
Credits:
Vocals by José Hoebee
Produced and arranged by Pim Koopman for Purple Eye Productions B.V.
Photography by Chris van der Vooren
Design: Myosotis - Baarn
Management: Interlinde Management
CNR/Carrere (which released the single in Benelux) licensed it to Rigo Records in Switzerland.
Swiss cover of Time Goes By
TV performances
* March 29th, 1984: AVRO's TopPop (Netherlands)
* April 22nd, 1984: Nederland Muziekland (Veronica, Netherlands)
* May 1st, 1984: Vijf Tegen Vijf (VARA, Netherlands)
Source: Marco Rens, Dutchcharts.nl, YouTube, Luv' Blog Archive, Discogs.com, WhoSampled...