"Wonderful Life" is a song by British singer Black, from his 1987 debut album, Wonderful Life. The song was released twice as a single and was successful the second time, becoming a top-10 hit in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Black, who wrote the song while broke, commented: "I was really being ironic... Most people took it at face value."
Contents
Single release
First released in September 1986 by Ugly Man Records, "Wonderful Life" initially peaked at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart. The label and Vearncombe then decided to re-release the song with a new record company, A&M Records after the success of "Sweetest Smile". Re-issued on 14 August 1987, the single reached a higher peak of number eight on the chart in August 1987.
Critical reception
In a contemporary review in Smash Hits, Vici McDonald called it a "wonderful record – sentimental without being slushy". She went on: "It's heartening to see someone who a) isn't particularly handsome, b) has a spook-name (i.e. Colin Vearncombe), c) has no discernible 'image' and d) writes slightly odd lyrics, get into the charts purely on the strength of their music, which in this case is very strong indeed." The song was described by AllMusic as a "seductive, bittersweet ballad". The Daily Telegraph said: "Its oddly uplifting lyrics... combined with Black's melancholy croon created, as one critic observed, 'luxuriantly melodic pop that sounds something like a male version of Sade'." Lesley O'Toole of Record Mirror praised the song, describing it "a beeeautiful [sic] balmy antidote to today's 99 per cent inconsequential output. A smooth coating of non-drip vocal gloss glides over a melody which seduces you with its eyes shut... Simplicity and perfection itself". Kez Owen of Sounds called it "one of those tunes you hum nigglingly all day without realising".
Music video
The music video, shot in black and white, was filmed around the English seaside resort of Southport, Merseyside, as well as Wallasey near Black's hometown of Liverpool, and features New Brighton Lighthouse and promenade. The video includes the Looping Star rollercoaster, a ride at Pleasureland at the time, as well as The Galleon fairground ride, the shrimping boat, local shops and residents. It was directed by Gerard de Thame, husband of television presenter Rachel de Thame, and won an award at the New York Film Festival in 1988.
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the single's liner notes and AllMusic.
Studios
Recorded at Powerplant Studios (London), Square One Studio (Bury) and Pink Studio (Liverpool).
Personnel
Formats and track listings
7-inch single
"Wonderful Life" – 4:49
"Life Calls" – 3:51
12-inch maxi single
"Wonderful Life" – 4:49
"Life Calls" – 3:51
"Had Enough" – 4:58
"All We Need Is the Money" – 4:23
Mathilde Santing version
Dutch singer Mathilde Santing recorded her own cover version of "Wonderful Life" on her 1999 album To Others to One. It was released as a maxi single and was used in a television advertisement for Interpolis, a Dutch insurance company, in 2005. In addition to the album To Others to One, it is also on the albums 20 jaar hits 1981–2001 (Muziek 20 Daagse 2001) and 100 Love Songs [2008].
Tina Cousins version
British singer Tina Cousins covered "Wonderful" for her second studio album, Mastermind (2005). She recorded it at Charlton Farm Studios in Bath, England. This version, produced by Louie Nicastro and Tom Maddicott, was released in Australia on 30 May 2005 and reached number 17 on the country's ARIA Singles Chart the following month. In the United Kingdom, following a digital release in late November 2005, the cover debuted and peaked at number 58 on the UK Singles Chart on 4 December 2005. The song also charted in Finland, reaching number 17 on the Finnish Singles Chart.
Track listings
UK CD single
"Wonderful Life" (dance radio edit)
"Wonderful Life" (ballad version)
"Wonderful Life" (extended mix)
"Wonderful Life" (Kenny Hayes Sunshine Funk remix)
"Wonderful Life" (Lee S remix)
"Wonderful Life" (Low Frequency Occupation club mix)
UK digital download
"Wonderful Life" (dance radio edit) – 3:53
"Wonderful Life" (extended mix) – 8:18
"Wonderful Life" (Kenny Hayes Sunshine Funk remix) – 6:25
"Wonderful Life" (Lee S remix) – 6:20
"Wonderful Life" (ballad version) – 3:20
"Wonderful Life" (Low Frequency Occupation club mix) – 7:18
Australian and New Zealand maxi-CD single
"Wonderful Life" (dance version) – 3:53
"Wonderful Life" (ballad version) – 3:20
"Wonderful Life" (Low Frequency Occupation radio edit) – 3:50
"Wonderful Life" (Low Frequency Occupation club mix) – 7:18
"Wonderful Life" (Methods of Flow club mix) – 6:12
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the UK CD single liner notes.
Studio
Recorded at Charlton Farm Studios (Bath, Somerset, England)
Personnel
Colin Vearncombe – writing
Louie Nicastro, Tom Maddicott – production
Sil Wilcox – worldwide representation
PixelFrame.com.au – cover design
Other cover versions
Macedonian darkwave band Arhangel covered the song in their native language as "Čudesen svet" on their 1993 album Arhangel II.
Wondere reis (Wonderful Journey), is a 2000 Dutch-language version of the song released in Belgium by a group of celebrity singers for charity under the name "Levenslijn 2000".
A dance version by TJ Davis reached No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 13 on the UK Dance Singles Chart in December 2001.
Swedish band Ace of Base covered the song on their 2002 album Da Capo.
Belgian and Canadian singer Lara Fabian covered the song on her 2004 album A Wonderful Life.
In 2007 Italian musician Zucchero released the EP "Wonderful life", which includes his cover version of the song. A music video for the version was released on 2009.
In 2011 the song featured on the Christmas album Funny Looking Angels by Smith & Burrows, a collaboration between Tom Smith (Editors) and Andy Burrows (We Are Scientists and Razorlight).
In 2016 Belgian singer Kate Ryan covered the song and released it as a non-album single.
Use in the media
The song was used in TV advertisements for Fleury Michon meat products in France in the 2000s, but was not sung by Black.
In 2008/2009 it was used by Emirates to promote air travel to Dubai.
In 2015 a cover by Katie Melua was used for Premier Inn's £25 million TV advertising campaign.
In June 2025, as Israel stepped up its attacks on Iran and Lebanon, a viral video on X offered an unusual contrast. Social media users could see a scene in which artist Ralph Asfour performed Black’s “Wonderful Life” in public from a rooftop in Beirut, while missiles streaked across the night sky behind him.