Originally written by Tommy Boyce and Curtis Lee, the song was first recorded in 1961 by Curtis Lee and reached #46 on the Billboard Hot 100
Fast forward to 15 October 1976, when British rock-and-roll revival band Showaddywaddy recorded their version (produced by Mike Hurst). The track soared to #1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in December, sold over a million copies, and became the band’s biggest hit—and their only UK chart-topper
As a pivotal release, it came just before Bell Records was absorbed into Arista, marking a crucial crescendo in Showaddywaddy’s career
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
Before the release of “Under the Moon of Love,” Showaddywaddy had seen modest success—but the single catapulted them into a golden era of seven consecutive Top 5 hits
It also boosted sales of their Greatest Hits album, released December 1976, which reached #4 on UK charts
Showaddywaddy formed in Leicester in 1973 from the merger of two groups—Choise and The Golden Hammers—creating an eight-member ensemble with dual roles (two singers, two drummers, two guitarists, etc.)
“Under the Moon of Love” was inspired by a tape of old songs collected by a DJ Mick Stacey, which led the band to revive the 1961 track—transforming it into a fresh yet nostalgic hit
It became a platinum-certified classic—selling nearly a million on vinyl by the 2010s, aided by digital downloads
