The NeverEnding Story (song)

This article is about the title song from the film. For the 2003 single by Within Temptation, see Never Ending Story (Within Temptation song).

"Never Ending Story" is the title song from the English version of the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story. It was produced and composed by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder and performed by English pop singer Limahl. He released two versions of the song, one in English and one in French. The English version featured vocals by Beth Andersen, and the French version, titled L'Histoire Sans Fin,^[5] featured vocals by Ann Calvert. It was a success in many countries, reaching No. 1 in Norway, Spain and Sweden, No. 2 in Austria, West Germany and Italy, No. 4 in the UK, No. 6 in Australia and No. 6 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

"Never Ending Story"
Single by Limahl
from the album Don't Suppose and The NeverEnding Story soundtrack
B-side	"Ivory Tower" or Instrumental version
Released	September 1984[1]
Recorded	January 1984
Genre	Synth-pop[2][3] new wave[4]
Length	3:31
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey
Producer(s)	Giorgio Moroder
Limahl singles chronology
"Too Much Trouble" (1984) "Never Ending Story" (1984) "Tar Beach" (1984)
Music video
"Never Ending Story" on YouTube

Background and writing

The song was composed by Giorgio Moroder with lyrics by Keith Forsey, though it (and other electronic pop elements of the soundtrack) is not present in the German version of the film, which features Klaus Doldinger's score exclusively.

Beth Andersen recorded her words in the USA separately from Limahl's.^[6] Andersen does not appear in the music video; frequent Limahl back-up singer Mandy Newton lip-syncs Andersen's part.

Legacy

In the final episode of the third season of Stranger Things, set in 1985, "Never Ending Story" is sung by Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and his long-distance girlfriend Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) as a way to reconnect after not seeing each other for some time.^[7] Following the season's release on July 4, 2019, interest in "The NeverEnding Story" surged; viewership of the original music video had increased by 800% within a few days according to YouTube, while Spotify reported an 825% increase in stream requests for the song. Limahl expressed gratitude towards Netflix for this; while he had not watched the series, he was told of the song's inclusion by his nephews and watched clips of the duet. Limahl had previously found a similar increase in his past work when the network used his band Kajagoogoo's song "Too Shy" in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.^[8][9] In June 2024, ITV used an arrangement of the song in their opening for coverage of the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.^[10]

Track listings

7" single "Never Ending Story" "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder 12" single "Never Ending Story" (club mix) – 6:09 "Never Ending Story" (instrumental version) – 5:28 12" maxi "Never Ending Story" (12" mix) – 5:17 "Never Ending Story" (7" mix) – 3:30 "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) (instrumental) by Giorgio Moroder – 5:54

iTunes single "Never Ending Story" (12" mix) – 5:20 "Never Ending Story" (Giorgio 7" mix) – 3:31 "Never Ending Story" (Rusty 7" mix) – 3:54 "Never Ending Story" (12" dance mix) – 6:08 "Never Ending Story" (12" dub mix) – 5:27 "Ivory Tower" by Giorgio Moroder – 3:08 "Ivory Tower" (12" mix) by Giorgio Moroder – 5:55

Official mixes

• "Never Ending Story" (7" mix) – 3:28
• "Never Ending Story" (12" mix) – 5:17
• "Never Ending Story" (club mix) – 6:09
• "Never Ending Story" (instrumental version) – 5:28

Personnel

• Limahl – vocals
• Beth Andersen – featuring
• Dee Harris – electric guitar
• Arthur Barrow – synthesizers

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1984–1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 6 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 3 Denmark (IFPI)[14] 3 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[15] 8 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 24 France (SNEP)[17] 7 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 4 Italy (Musica e dischi)[19] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 34 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 28 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 28 Norway (VG-lista)[23] 1 Portugal (AFP)[24] 3 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[25] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[26] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[29] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 17 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[31] 23 US Hot Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[32] 6 US Hot Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[33] 10 West Germany (GfK)[34] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1984) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[35] 49 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[36] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[37] 48 West Germany (Official German Charts)[38] 19 Chart (1985) Position South Africa (Springbok Radio)[39] 20

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[40]	Gold	50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[41]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

• For The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, the song was performed by Joe Milner, heard during the closing credits.
• For The NeverEnding Story III, the song was performed by Real Im-Pact.^[42]
• American pop punk group New Found Glory covered the song on their 2000 EP From the Screen to Your Stereo.
• Swedish power metal group Dragonland included a cover of the song as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their 2002 album Holy War.
• J-pop group E-Girls covered a Japanese version of the song in 2013. It debuted in the second place of the Oricon weekly singles chart.^{[citation needed]}
• Shooter Jennings and Brandi Carlile covered the song on Jennings' 2016 Giorgio Moroder tribute album Countach (For Giorgio).