Twilight Zone – Golden Earring | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#10) and Mainstream Rock Tracks (#1); 1983
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
In 1965, a Dutch band known as the Golden Earrings recorded Please Go at a session helmed by a record company trainee. Despite the lack of studio experience all around, Please Go went to #10.
From then on the Earrings were consistently in the Netherlands Top 10, and racked up their first #1 in 1968 with Dong-dong-diki digi-dong. Back Home (after which the band became “Golden Earring”) and Radar Love matched Dong’s chart-topping feat in 1970 and 1973, and Radar Love broke them in Britain and the States.
After 13 years of hits, Golden Earring ran out of steam in 1977. By 1982, founding member George Kooymans was ready to go solo, but was persuaded to stay for another album.
He offered up Twilight Zone which GE recorded in a spare bedroom at George’s house on an amateur eight track tape machine. Boosted by MTV play of a video produced by film student Dick Mass, Twilight Zone peaked at #10 in March, 1983.
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:
- Schell Schellekens
Lyrics Written by:
- George Kooymans
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).