Hooked on Classics
Hooked on Classics, produced by Jeff Jarratt and Don Reedman, is a multi-million selling album recorded by Louis Clark and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, published in 1981 by K-tel and distributed by RCA Records, part of the "Hooked on Classics" series. The opening track was called "Hooked On Classics (Parts 1 & 2)". A unique arrangement of this track, simply called "Hooked on Classics", was released as a single in October 1981, and was the version predominately played by radio. With a listed time of 3'48", it contained the first five pieces of the album cut , skipping the next five (Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5, 1st Movement" through Rossini's "William Tell Overture"), followed by the remaining pieces. Though not listed as such on the single's label or in the Performance Rights Organization's database, it is implied this portion is "Part 1". The B-side of the single, also called "Hooked On Classics" and lasting 2'13", begins with the fifth piece from "Part 1" (Sibelius' "Karelia Suite, Intermezzo"), contains the missing five pieces found on the album cut, and concludes with the remaining pieces through "March of the Toreadors" which fades out, as opposed  to the album cut and "Part 1"'s cold ending of the "1812 Overture". Presumably this is "Part 2". The label of the single incorrectly omits the "1812 Overture" from the list of pieces in the "Part 1" medley. The single peaked at number 2 in the UK and later in the US at number 10 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in February 1982. It was the 56th biggest hit of that year. The song also reached number 10 on the "Cash Box" Top 100. In Canada, the single peaked at number 21, and spent four weeks at that position . "Hooked on Classics" also reached number one on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. In Germany and Austria, the album was released titled "Classic Disco" and reached number one in both countries.