-->

• "Never Gonna Give You Up" is the internationally successful pop hit released in 1987 by British teen idol Rick Astley. The song received an unlikely renaissance in the late 2000s, as the subject of the meme/gag known as Rick Rolling. The popularity of Rickrolling in turn led to a 2008 cover version by Ashley Tisdale.

• Fast Facts

  1. Hit #1 in the UK and Australia in 1987
  2. Reached #1 in the US, 1988
  3. Astley was 21 when the video was filmedLos Angeles Times: Rick Astley talks about his song's second coming
  4. Written and produced by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete WatermanAllmusic: Rick Astley

• Astley Weighs In

  In March 2008, The Los Angeles Times tracked Astley down to get his take on the Rickrolling phenomenon and the song itself.

  On Rickrolling:

  • "Listen, I just think it’s bizarre and funny. My main consideration is that my daughter doesn’t get embarrassed about it."Los Angeles Times: Rick Astley talks about his song's second coming

  On "Never Gonna Give You Up":

  • "I still think it’s a great pop song, but it’s a pop song; do you know what I mean? It doesn’t have any kind of weight behind it, as such. But maybe that’s the irony of it."Los Angeles Times: Rick Astley talks about his song's second coming

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Rickrolling | Rick Astley

Categories

• View History
• Discuss on the Message Board
• Embed this Page
• Share this page