Radar Love – Golden Earring | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#13); 1974
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
The saga of Golden Earring dates back to 1961 when two schoolboys in the Netherlands put together a band. Four years later the Golden Earrings – as they were then known – released Please Go and, thanks to airplay on the popular pirate radio station Veronica, reached #10 on the national chart.
That Day made their day in early 1966, reaching #2, and the game was on. Through the glory days of the Beatles and beyond, the Earrings launched hit after hit into the Top 10. 1970 saw a name shortening, and a tour of the States to support the album, Eight Miles High.
In 1972, a tour with the Who opened the UK market for GE with a new album, Moontan. Lead singer Barry Hay came up with the lyrics to Moontan‘s Radar Love after a brainstorming session in which friends tossed out ideas until Barry tossed them out. Radar Love beat out Vanilla Queen as the single of choice, and gave GE its first U.S. and only UK hit.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Golden Earring
Lyrics Written by:
- George Kooymans
- Barry Hay
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).