Too Shy

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1983 single by Kajagoogoo

title: "Too Shy" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1983-songs", "1983-debut-singles", "1992-singles", "emi-america-records-singles", "emi-records-singles", "bellaphon-records-singles", "irish-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "kajagoogoo-songs", "number-one-singles-in-germany", "oricon-international-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "song-recordings-produced-by-colin-thurston", "uk-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "ultratop-50-singles-(flanders)-number-one-singles"] description: "1983 single by Kajagoogoo" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Shy" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1983 single by Kajagoogoo ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameToo Shy
coverKajagoogoo Too Shy.jpg
typesingle
artistKajagoogoo
albumWhite Feathers
B-side
released10 January 1983
genre
length3:45
label
writer
producer
prev_titleFear Machine
prev_year1981
next_titleOoh to Be Ah
next_year1983
misc
::

::callout[type=note] the Kajagoogoo song ::

| name = Too Shy | cover = Kajagoogoo Too Shy.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Kajagoogoo | album = White Feathers | B-side = | released = 10 January 1983 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 3:45 | label = | writer = | producer = | prev_title = Fear Machine | prev_year = 1981 | next_title = Ooh to Be Ah | next_year = 1983 | misc = | name = Too Shy '92 Remix | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Limahl | album = Love Is Blind | B-side = | released = 1992 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 4:12 | label = Bellaphon | writer = | producer = Limahl | prev_title = Maybe This Time | prev_year = 1992 | next_title = Love Is Blind | next_year = 1992

"Too Shy" is a song written and recorded by the British band Kajagoogoo, released in January 1983. The first single from their debut album White Feathers, the song was an immediate hit and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. It was also very successful in other European countries and Japan, spending five weeks at number one in Germany, also reaching number one in Belgium and Ireland, as well as reaching number two in France and Switzerland, and number four in Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. In the UK, it became the 13th best-selling single of 1983.

Assisted by heavy rotation on MTV, the song later became a success in the United States, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Too Shy" is Kajagoogoo's only significant hit in the US, where the band is widely regarded as a one-hit wonder. In the UK, Kajagoogoo had further hits, including two more top 10 singles: "Ooh to Be Ah" and "Big Apple", both in 1983.

Production

"Too Shy" was written by Kajagoogoo and produced by Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes and Colin Thurston, the latter of whom had produced Duran Duran's first two albums. In 2006, "Too Shy" was ranked number 27 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's and number 9 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.

Music video

The music video directed by Simon Milne, cast model Carolyn Espley (later wife of Dennis Miller) as a waitress cleaning up a nightclub at the end of the night. As the band performs the song on the club stage, she has visions of dancers from different eras populating the dance floor.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkpG4XApJ28

Chart performance

The song was an immediate hit, topping the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. It spent five weeks at number one in Germany, and reaching number two in Switzerland, and number four in Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. The song was also a top 10 hit in the United States during the summer of 1983.

The 12" maxi single's B-side, "Take Another View", a non-album track, often performed live, was included on the 2004 re-issue of White Feathers, which contained several bonus tracks, including the instrumental version of "Too Shy", originally featured on the B-sides of both the 7" and 12" singles.

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1983) | Peak position | |---|---| | Australia (Kent Music Report) | 6 | | France (IFOP) | 2 | | Italy (Musica e dischi) | 6 | | Japan (Oricon International Chart) | 1 | | Japan (Oricon Singles Chart) | 23 | | South Africa (Springbok Radio) | 11 | | Spain (AFYVE) | 19 | | US Billboard Hot 100 | 5 | | US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 25 | | US Billboard Top Tracks | 23 | | US Cash Box | 5 | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1983)Position
url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpgtitle=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)59
Canada Top Singles (RPM)72
France (IFOP)7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)37
Netherlands (Single Top 100)26
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)16
US Billboard Hot 10050
US Cash Box42
::

Certifications and sales

Appearances

The extended version of the song, titled "Midnight Mix", can be heard in the Rockstar video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, played on the in-game radio station Wave 103. It also appears as a collectable cassette tape in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. A Simlish version of the song is also featured in The Sims 2 expansion pack, The Sims 2: Open for Business. The song also features in the Black Mirror interactive film Bandersnatch on Netflix. It can also be heard in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer during the engagement party scene.

References

References

  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Kajagoogoo – White Feathers". [[AllMusic]].
  2. Wide, Steve. (September 22, 2020). "A Field Guide to Post-Punk and New Wave". Smith Street Books.
  3. Simpson, Mark. "1983: The Last Great Year of Pop".
  4. Sheffield, Rob. (February 24, 2023). "The 100 Best Songs of 1983, the Year Pop Went Crazy".
  5. Molanphy, Chris. (April 14, 2023). "The British Are Charting Edition". [[Slate (magazine).
  6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Kajagoogoo - ''White Feathers'' (1982) Review".
  7. (19 March 2021). "Official Top 40 Best Selling Singles of 1983". The Official UK Charts Company.
  8. "Rock on the Net: VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's: 1-50". [[VH1]].
  9. (1 April 2009). "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s: Read the List". [[VH1]].
  10. (30 January 2015). "All The Number 1 Singles". [[Official Charts Company]].
  11. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien.
  12. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste".
  13. "Classifiche". [[Musica e dischi]].
  14. "Japan #1 IMPORT DISKS by Oricon Hot Singles".
  15. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (K)". South African Rock Encyclopedia.
  16. Salaverri, Fernando. (September 2005). "Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002". Fundación Autor-SGAE.
  17. "White Feathers – Awards". [[AllMusic]].
  18. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 16, 1983".
  19. "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". [[Kent Music Report]].
  20. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien.
  21. "Jaaroverzichten 1983". [[Ultratop]]. Hung Medien.
  22. (24 December 1983). "The Top Singles of 1983". [[Library and Archives Canada]].
  23. "TOP – 1983".
  24. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983". [[Dutch Top 40]].
  25. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983". [[Single Top 100]]. Hung Medien.
  26. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983". Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien.
  27. "Top 100 Hits for 1983".
  28. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1983".
  29. "EA and Depeche Mode Collaborate on Signature Song for The Sims 2 Open for Business". [[Electronic Arts]].
  30. Bowman, Sabienna. (29 December 2018). "Here's Every '80s Song From 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' So You Can Marvel at the Details".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1983-songs1983-debut-singles1992-singlesemi-america-records-singlesemi-records-singlesbellaphon-records-singlesirish-singles-chart-number-one-singleskajagoogoo-songsnumber-one-singles-in-germanyoricon-international-singles-chart-number-one-singlessong-recordings-produced-by-colin-thurstonuk-singles-chart-number-one-singlesultratop-50-singles-(flanders)-number-one-singles