Smokie – Living Next Door to Alice

“Living Next Door to Alice”  – Single by Smokie
B-side “Run to You” (UK) /When My Back was Against the Wall (US & Canada)
Released 12 November 1976
Label RAK (UK) / RSO (US & Canada)
Songwriters Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Charted No.25 in US; No.5 in UK; No.1 in West Germany; No.1 in Austria; No.1 in Belgium; No.1 in Ireland; No.1 in Netherlands; No.3 in Sweden.

Written by the regular team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, the men who wrote hits for Suzie Quatro, Sweet and (the one they don’t talk about) Gary Glitter, “Living Next Door To Alice” was recorded initially by New World in 1972.

In November 1976, it was released by Smokie, a group Chapman and Chinn were producing, for whom it was a massive hit, topping the charts in no fewer than seven countries. Curiously, this was a double A-side, the other side being “Night Moves” by Bob Seger. In 1995, the Dutch project Gompie decided to add an unfortunate refrain to it: “Alice, Alice, who the f–k is Alice?” This version topped the Netherlands chart.

The single peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart and, in March 1977, reached 25 in the United States.

Smokie
Chris Norman – lead vocals, back vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, piano
Alan Silson – lead guitar, back vocals, acoustic guitars, lead vocals (on “What Can I Do”)
Terry Uttley – bass guitar, back vocals
Pete Spencer – drums, percussion, back vocals