Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)

"Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)", initially released as "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)",^[4][5] is a 1984 song by Trinidadian-British singer Billy Ocean. Co-written and produced by Keith Diamond, it climbed to number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Black Singles chart,^[6] and number six on the UK Singles Chart.^[7] The song won Ocean the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, making him the first British artist to win in that category.

"Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)"
1984 UK vinyl rerelease picture sleeve (also released that year as "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)"
Single by Billy Ocean
from the album Suddenly
B-side	"European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" "Caribbean Queen (Instrumental)" (US alternative)
Released	July 18, 1984
Recorded	1983
Genre	Post-disco[1] funk-pop[2] electro-funk[3]
Length	7:52 (album version) 4:06 (edit) 3:42 (single version) 8:14 (extended mix)
Label	Jive
Songwriter(s)	Billy Ocean Keith Diamond
Producer(s)	Keith Diamond
Billy Ocean singles chronology
"European Queen" (1984) "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" (1984) "Loverboy" (1984)

The song is written and recorded in the key of D minor.^{[citation needed]} The saxophone solo is played by Vernon Jeffrey Smith.^[8]

History

The song was initially released in the UK as "European Queen" in May 1984,^{[citation needed]} but it did not achieve success.^[4] As suggested by people at the record company, it was re-recorded for different parts of the world—resulting in the versions "Caribbean Queen" and "African Queen".^[5]

In the US, the song was released under the title "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)". It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 85 on the chart dated 11 August 1984. Ten weeks later, it hit number one and stayed at the top of the chart for two consecutive weeks. The song charted for 26 weeks. This version then also achieved success in Europe:

The song was released in Europe as "European Queen" and nobody was interested in it. When we changed the name to "Caribbean Queen" and released it in the U. S., it took off and started snowballing and they started playing it in Europe. I guess it had more appeal as "Caribbean Queen" because Europe conjures up a vision of rain and snow and cold, but Caribbean sounds like sunshine and blue skies. It's much more exotic.

— Billy Ocean^[4]

Charts

"Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[10] 8 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 1 France (SNEP)[12] 23 Guatemala (UPI)[13] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[7] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[6] 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[6] 7 US Billboard Hot Black Singles[6] 1 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[6] 1 US Cash Box[16] 2 Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Chart (1984) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[17] 76 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 30 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 51 US Cash Box[20] 22 "African Queen" Weekly chart performance for "African Queen" Chart (1984) Peak position South Africa (Springbok Radio)[21] 7

"European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[22] 20 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 21 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 15 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 21 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 82 West Germany (GfK)[28] 2 Year-end charts 1984 year-end chart performance for "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Chart (1984) Rank Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 98 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 100 1985 year-end chart performance for "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" Chart (1985) Rank West Germany (Official German Charts)[31] 51

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[32]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[33]	Gold	400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[34]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984
• List of number-one dance singles of 1984 (U.S.)
• List of number-one singles of 1984 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles from the 1980s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1984 (U.S.)

References

1. Promis, Jose F. "Billy Ocean – Greatest Hits [Jive]". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
2. Breihan, Tom (9 September 2020). "The Number Ones: Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)"". Stereogum. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
3. Molanphy, Chris (16 September 2024). "What's 1984 Got to Do with It Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
4. "Sizzling Billy Ocean Has 'Caribbean Queen' to Thank for Crowning". Chicago Tribune. 17 February 1985. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
5. Campbell, Mary (22 February 1985). "Amazed by Popularity – Billy Ocean's New Album Gave Him Strong Beginning". TV Plus (Schenectady Gazette Supplement). p. 23. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
6. "Suddenly – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
8. "V. JEFFREY SMITH (TORS-Producer/Sound Engineer)..." The Outlet Radio Show. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
9. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. 22 December 1984. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510.
10. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9576." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9566." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
12. "Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
13. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 19 November 1984. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Caribbean Queen". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
15. "Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
16. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending NOVEMBER 10, 1984". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.
17. "National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. 31 December 1984. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Imgur.
18. "Top 100 Singles of 1984". RPM. Vol. 41, no. 17. 5 January 1985. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
19. "Top 100 Hits for 1984". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
20. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012.
21. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (O)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
22. "Billy Ocean – European Queen (No More Love On The Run)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
23. "Billy Ocean – European Queen (No More Love On The Run)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
25. "Billy Ocean – European Queen (No More Love On The Run)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
26. "Billy Ocean – European Queen (No More Love On The Run)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Ocean – European Queen (No More Love On The Run)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
29. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
30. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
31. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1985". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
32. "Canadian single certifications – Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen". Music Canada.
33. "British single certifications – Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
34. "American single certifications – Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" at 45cat.com