"Wide Open Space" is a song by Chester rock band Mansun, released as a single on 25 November 1996. The song was the lead track of Four EP. The single's success led to alternate versions appearing on four of the next five Mansun singles. These versions were one live, one acoustic, and two remixes, the first and most popular by Perfecto and a NRG version by The Trouser Enthusiasts. A completely different version credited to longtime engineer Mike Hunter was included as a hidden bonus track on their compilation Kleptomania. The song also appears on The Sound of Gran Turismo, a soundtrack album based on Gran Turismo.
"Wide Open Space" was not the group's most successful single in terms of sales or UK chart position – reaching number 15 in the UK Singles Chart – but it propelled the group's career and is their most well known song. It was also the only single that gained significant exposure in the US, and reached number 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1997. Paul Draper later wrote that he was the sole writer and performer of the song. In the liner notes of Legacy: Best Of, Draper explained having recorded the entire song sans the vocals six months before he wrote the lyrics.
Roger, roger. Calling, calling, roger, roger, can you read me?
78-78-9, 78-78-9, do you read me? Roger, major!
This is Modern Talking spaceship 1998,
We need authorization to land.
Major, major? Landing co-ordinations.
We are now ten seconds from touchdown.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Engage go for landing.
Keepin' the chance of rain calling cloudy skies,
but we're gonna see if we can make the sun shine anyway.
Right here on a station that pays,
if you want the hits, the whole hits,
and nothing but the hits... on your FM dial, keep it right here,
baby.
Modern Talking! 'Cheri Cheri Lady'!
And it goes down... like that. Come on!
CHERI CHERI LADY
The lady of my life is out o' really feeling.
The real deal, giving you nothing but sex-appeal.
You steal my mind, I love the way you do me,
break it down to the sound of 'Brother Louie'.
...Brother Louie!..
BROTHER LOUIE
Check it out, check it out, here we go, let me say it.
Tax on wax make the brothers wanna play it.
To the front, to the front, to the back, to the back,
To the hip, to the hop, to the rhyme, to the rap.
Every single line out o'da time you admire,
Stays in your brain like earth, within a fire.
I take you higher, fairly you desire,
I'm not a liar, I roll like a tyre!
YOU CAN WIN IF YOU WANT
98.7 on your FM dial! You're listening to Modern Talking,
and this is 'Doctor For My Heart'!
DOCTOR FOR MY HEART
Watch out - (it's) 5:30 in the morning,
Get out of bed and then I join in.
Straight to the bathroom to wash my face,
To my surprise - there's no toothpaste.
GERONIMO'S CADILLAC
SWEET LITTLE SHEILA
Move with the air with the sounds that you like to hear,
Modern Talking back for 1998!
We're doin' it live on your 98.7 station.
Pump up the sound, pump up the bass,
in your face, as we move the whole place.
Pump up the sound, pump up the bass,
in your face, as we move the whole place.
Modern Talking's in the house.
Modern Talking's in the house.
Modern Talking's in the house.
Everybody, wave your hands in the air, come on!
ATLANTIS IS CALLING
Here we go, y'all! Everybody in the whole house,
I wanna see your hands in the air,
wave 'em like you just don't care!
IN 100 YEARS
Well, a-hip, a-hop, a-hippi to the hippi,
The hip hip the hop and you don't stop, and rock them
To the bang-bang-boogie, say up join the boogie
To the rythm of the boogie the beat.
Now what you hear is a modern sound, and we're rockin' to the beat.
Now all you gotta do is pump the sound, and move your funky feet!
JET AIRLINER
Jam it on the station that plays! You know how it goes,
baby, the all day, everyday,
we're jammin' it live right here in the studio with Modern Talking.
'98 remix, 'You're My Heart, You're My Soul' and all of that,
baby, and much much more on your FM dial.
LOCOMOTION TANGO
Kick it!
This is XL Singleton signing off,
saying thank you to all 'n' yours 'n' yours 'n' yours
for tuning into the Modern Talking talk hour.
Yes! Keeping it real for 1998, and so on,
98.7 on your FM dial, baby, you're my heart.
YOU'RE MY HEART, YOU'RE MY SOUL