"Just an Illusion"
Single by Imagination
from the album In the Heat of the Night
Released19 February 1982[1]
GenrePost-disco, R&B, funk
Length
  • 8:12 (12" version)
  • 6:27 (album version)
  • 3:55 (single version)
LabelR&B
Songwriter(s)
Imagination singles chronology
"Flashback"
(1981) 		"Just an Illusion"
(1982) 		"Music and Lights"
(1982)
Audio video
"Just an Illusion" on YouTube

"Just an Illusion" is a song by the British trio Imagination. Co-written by Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Ashley Ingram and Leee John, the song was a major European hit, peaking at number 2 in the group's native UK. In the United States, "Just an Illusion" went to number 27 on the Black chart.[2] The song also peaked at number 15 on the dance charts.[2]

Track listing

7" Single

  1. "Just an Illusion" – 3:55
  2. "Just an Illusion" (Instrumental) – 3:40

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[3] 64
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 9
France (IFOP)[6] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 12
Norway (VG-lista)[10] 5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[11] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[12] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 2
US Billboard Hot Black Singles[2] 27
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[2] 15
West Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (1982) Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 65
France (IFOP)[18] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 87
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 83
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[21] 9

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[22] Gold 500,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Sample

"Get Your Number", co-written by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Johntá Austin and Bryan-Michael Cox and recorded by Carey for her album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005), samples the song.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ Imagination: Scandalous World Tour 83/84, September 1983, retrieved 24 February 2021 – via Flickr
  2. ^ a b c d "In the Heat of the Night – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 148. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Accès direct aux Artistes (I)". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Imagination" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  7. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Just an Illusion". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". VG-lista. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  11. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (I)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  12. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  13. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  14. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Imagination – Just An Illusion" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1982" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  18. ^ "TOP – 1982". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  19. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  21. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1982". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  22. ^ "French single certifications – Imagination – Just an Illusion" (in French). InfoDisc. Select IMAGINATION and click OK. 
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Imagination – Just an Illusion". British Phonographic Industry.
  24. ^ Walters, Barry (21 April 2005). "Mariah Carey – The Emancipation of Mimi". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 January 2014.


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