Joe Fagin

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Joe Fagin
Background information
BornJanuary 1940
Liverpool, England
Died5 September 2023(2023-09-05) (aged 83)
GenresPop, rock, soft rock, country rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar

Joe Fagin (January 1940 – 5 September 2023) was an English pop singer-songwriter. He was best known for the 1984 chart hit "Breakin' Away / That's Livin' Alright", and for singing a version of "As Time Goes By" for the 1990s BBC comedy series of the same name starring Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer.

Musical career[edit]

Early years[edit]

In the early 1960s, Fagin was a guitarist with a group called The Strangers, who played gigs at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, sometimes with The Beatles, and at the Star-Club in Hamburg.[1] He then played in France with a band called The Playboys.[1]

By the 1970s, Fagin had returned to England and worked in advertising, writing jingles.[1] He also worked as a session musician.[1]

Chart successes and TV themes[edit]

In 1982, Fagin had his only U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charting single, "Younger Days". It was released there on Millennium Records and peaked at No. 80.[1] He was musical director for Jim Davidson, including his 1983 Falklands tour. In January 1984, the single "Breakin' Away" / "That's Livin' Alright", which were the opening and closing theme songs to the first series of the comedy-drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

In 1985 he was part of The Crowd, which reached number one with the charity single "You'll Never Walk Alone" for the Bradford City stadium fire.[3][4]

"Get it Right" and "Back With the Boys Again", the two songs for the second series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, were also released as a single, reaching number 53 in 1986.[2]

Fagin sang the version of "As Time Goes By" used as the theme of the sitcom of the same name.[1]

Later years[edit]

Fagin released a greatest hits album in 1996,[5] which included a cover of the Beatles song "She's Leaving Home".

"Breakin' Away" / "That's Livin' Alright" was re-released when Auf Wiedersehen, Pet was repeated on Channel 4 in 1996.

A reworked version of "That's Living Alright" was released on 5 June 2006 for the World Cup. However, "That's England Alright" was an unofficial song, since Embrace were chosen to record the official song, "World at Your Feet".[6]

Personal life and death[edit]

Fagin was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool in 1940, and trained as an electrician before beginning his music career.[1] In adulthood, he was a longtime resident of Brixton.[1]

Fagin and his wife, Valerie, had five children. He died on 5 September 2023, at the age of 83.[1][7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Joe Fagin, singer and songwriter who sang the theme to Auf Wiedersehen, Pet – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 192. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 405. CN 5585.
  4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 128. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. ^ "The Best Of Joe Fagin". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  6. ^ "TV theme reworked for World Cup". BBC News. 5 April 2006.
  7. ^ O'Hare, Mia (5 September 2023). "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet legend Joe Fagin dies as co-stars left devastated". The Mirror. Retrieved 6 September 2023.

External links[edit]