#96: Never Ending Story by Limahl

City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKGM
Peak Month: June 1985
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #3
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #17
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #17
Peak Position on Norway Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Spain Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Sweden’s Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Austria Singles chart ~ #2
Peak Position on Italy Singles chart ~ #2
Peak Position on South Africa Singles  chart ~ #2
Peak Position on West Germany Singles chart ~ #2
YouTube: “Never Ending Story”
Lyrics: “Never Ending Story”

Christopher Hamill was born in 1958 in the suburbs of Manchester, England. He was an actor touring with the Palace Theatre Repertory Company. This included a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In 1981 Hamill appeared in a minor role in the police-crime TV show The Gentle Touch. As well, Hamill was one of the actors in the “Stand and Deliver” music video with Adam and the Ants. He got a job as a waiter at the Embassy Club in London. In 1982 he joined the band Kajagoogoo. Chris Hamill adopted his stage name Limahl (an anagram of his surname) at the time he was recruited by the existing members of Kajagoogoo, who were then performing under the name Art Nouveau.

Limahl front right in Kajagoogoo photo (1983)

In 1983 Kajagoogoo released their debut single “Too Shy”. The single was a number-one hit in Belgium, Ireland, Japan, the UK and West Germany, and a Top Ten hit in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. “Ooh to Be Ah” (a Top Ten hit in Ireland, Israel and the UK), and “Hang On Now” (a Top 20 hit in Finland, Ireland and the UK). Limahl provided lead vocals on these hit records.

As success came, tensions began to rise in the band, and they culminated in Limahl being fired by the other band members in mid-1983, with Nick Beggs then taking over as lead singer. In response, Limahl accused the others of being envious of him and said “I’ve been betrayed!” and “I was sacked for making them a success.” Other bandmates told the press that Limahl had become increasingly difficult to work with.

In 1984, Limahl released his debut solo single titled “Only For Love”. The song topped the pop chart in Poland, climbed to the Top Ten in Austria, Switzerland and West Germany, and peaked at #16 in the UK. A followup single was a minor hit.

However, it was his next release, “Never Ending Story”, which became Limahl’s signature song.

“Never Ending Story” is the theme song for the 1984 fantasy film The NeverEnding Story, directed by Wolfgang Petersen. The film was based on the 1979 novel by Michael Ende.

Bastian Balthazar Bux is a shy boy who lives with his widowed father. One morning, Bastian’s father tells his son of his concern after hearing he daydreams in school and tells Bastian he needs to stop. On his way to school, Bastian is chased by bullies, and escapes by hiding in a bookstore. He meets the owner, Carl Conrad Coreander, and Bastian’s interest in books leads him to ask about the one Mr. Coreander is reading, The Neverending Story, but he advises against reading it. With his curiosity piqued, Bastian secretly takes the book. Arriving at school late, Bastian hides in the building’s attic to read.

In the song “Never Ending Story”, the chorus instructs:
Make believe I’m everywhere,
I’m hidden in the lines
written on the pages 
is the answer to a never-ending story.

The chorus shifts later in the song offering up these lyrics:
Rhymes that keep their secrets
Will unfold behind the clouds
And there upon a rainbow
Is the answer to a never-ending story.

In the movie, the book The Neverending Story, describes the world of Fantasia, a fantasy realm that is slowly being destroyed by a malevolent force called “The Nothing”. Messengers are heading to the Ivory Tower to seek help from The Childlike Empress. To their dismay, they learn that she has fallen ill. The young warrior Atrey is tasked with discovering a cure for her illness in order to save Fantasia.

Giorgio Moroder wrote the music for the song, and Keith Forsey wrote the lyrics. Giorgio Moroder was born in 1940 in Urtijëi, South Tyrol, in the Italian Alps. He learned to play guitar at the age of 15, and was spurred on to consider a musical career upon hearing “Diana” by Paul Anka. In 1958, he began to tour as a professional musician. In 1963 he began to release some singles credited to Giorgio. He variously recorded in Italian, English, Spanish and German. In 1965, he moved to Berlin to work as a sound engineer. In 1968, his recording of “Moody Trudy” was a #7 hit in France. And in 1969, “Look, Look” reached number-one in France and #3 in Switzerland.

In 1972, Moroder wrote “Son of My Father” which Chicory Tip enjoyed a number-one hit with in Argentina, Belgium, Spain, South Africa, and the UK.

In 1976, Moroder’s “I Wanna Funk with You Tonite” reached #4 in the Billboard on the Dance Club Songs chart. In 1977, Giorgio Moroder reached #8 in Austria with “From Here to Eternity”. The single was also a Top 20 hit in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK.

Meanwhile, Giorgio Moroder discovered Donna Summer in 1974. He co-wrote many of her hit singles. These include “Love To Love You Baby”, “I Feel Love”, “Heaven Knows”, “The Wanderer” and “On The Radio”. He also produced Donna Summer’s recordings of “Bad Girls”, “Hot Stuff”, “MacArthur Park”, “Last Dance”, “Could It Be Magic”, “Dim All The Lights”, and “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” (duet by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand).

In addition, in 1979 he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the film Midnight Express. He composed the music for “Flashdance…What A Feeling”. In 1983 it was an international number-one hit for Irene Cara (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA). It won Best Original Song at both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. At the Grammy Awards, the song earned Irene Cara a win for Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female. In 1986, Giorgio Moroder won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. The song was featured in the Tom Cruise film Top Gun.

Other songs Giorgio Moroder produced include “Beat The Clock” by The Sparks, “Breakdance” by Irene Cara (which he also co-wrote), “Call Me” by Blondie (which he also co-wrote), “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” by David Bowie, and “Love Missile F1-11” by Sigue Segue Sputnik. In 1985, Giorgio Moroder and Phil Oakley teamed up to record “Together In Electric Dreams”. The dance hit peaked at #3 in both Ireland and the UK, and #5 in Australia. Over the decades, Giorgio Moroder has won four Grammy Awards, and received nominations for five other compositions.

Keith Forsey was born in London, England, in 1948. He co-wrote a number of songs with Giorgio Moroder including “Flashdance…What A Feeling” and “Why Me” (both hits for Irene Cara). He co-wrote “The Heat Is On” for Glenn Frey – a number-one hit in Panama, and a Top Ten hit in ten other countries in 1984-85. As well, he co-wrote the Top Ten international hit “Shakedown” for Bob Seger. He also wrote “Don’t You Forget About Me” for Simple Minds which in 1985 reached number-one in Canada, the Netherlands and the USA. It was also an international Top Ten hit in more than a dozen other countries.

“Never Ending Story” peaked at #3 in Montreal, #5 in Philadelphia, and Leavenworth (KS), #6 in Waterloo (IA), #7 in Phoenix, Calgary, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, #8 in Boston, and Lethbridge (AB), #9 in Buffalo, and Providence (RI), #10 in Norfolk (VA), and Dallas, and #11 in Miami and Detroit.

Internationally, “Never Ending Story” topped the pop charts in Norway, Spain, and Sweden. It reached #2 in Austria, Italy, South Africa, and West Germany; #3 in Canada, Denmark, Portugal, and Switzerland; And also a Top Ten hit in Australia, France, Ireland, the UK and USA.

Limahl’s debut album, Don’t Suppose, which included “Never Ending Story”, reached the Top Ten on the album charts in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland.

In 1986, Limahl released his second studio album titled Colour All My Days. The album failed to chart in the UK. The first single, “Love In Your Eyes”, reached No.80 in the UK (his final chart entry there). The single cracked the Top 30 in Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and West Germany.

In 1992, Limahl released his third studio album titled Love Is Blind. It was released in Austria, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. However, the album failed to chart.

In 2003, Kajagoogoo had a reunion with Limahl providing lead vocals on the hit singles he fronted back in ’83. The band had another reunion in 2008.

Since the 2000s, Limahl has released a number of non-album singles. These include “London for Christmas” in 2012, and “One Wish for Christmas” in 2020. He has also released covers of the Blackbyrds “Walking in Rhythm”, and the Elton John-Kiki Dee hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”.

In 2016, Limahl appeared as part of the Billboard Tour playing to audiences in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. He featured as part of the successful Totally 80s Tour of Australia in July 2016, playing to audiences in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide. In July and August 2018, he played his first shows in America as part of the Retro Futura Tour.

April 18, 2025
Ray McGinnis

References:
Silvia Pingitore, “Remember the Never Ending Story in 1984? The Limahl Interview,” Shortlisted, UK.
Felix Rowe, “Limahl interview: Stranger things have happened,” Classic Rock, September 15, 2015.
Roger Ebert, “The Never Ending Story, ” Rogerebert.com, January 1, 1984.
Bill Brewster, “I Feel Love: Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder Created the Template for Dance Music As We Know It,” June 22, 2017.
Colleen Nika, “Meet Giorgio Moroder, the Godfather of Modern Dance Music,” Time, February 12, 2015.
“The Engine Room – Keith Forsey,” Record Collector, May 16, 2024.

CKGM 980-AM Montreal (PQ) Top Ten | June 26, 1985