Just an Illusion

"Just an Illusion"
Single by Imagination
from the album In the Heat of the Night
Released19 February 1982[1]
Genre
Length
  • 8:12 (12" version)
  • 6:27 (album version)
  • 3:55 (single version)
LabelR&B
Songwriters
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
Italy (FIMI)[8] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 12
Norway (VG-lista)[11] 5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[12] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[13] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 2
US Billboard Hot Black Singles[2] 27
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[2] 15
West Germany (GfK)[17] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (1982) Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] 65
France (IFOP)[19] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 87
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 83
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[22] 9
UK (OCC)[23] 25

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[24] Gold 500,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] 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.[26]

During live telecasts of the PBA Tour on USA Network from 1982 to 1984, the instrumental track was used as background music during the in-between round segments.[27]

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. ^ "SINGOLI – I NUMERI UNO (1959-2006) (parte 3: 1980-1990)". It-charts.150m.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". VG-lista. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  12. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (I)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  13. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  14. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Imagination – Just An Illusion". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Chart on 3/4/1982 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  17. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts (West Germany)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1982" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  19. ^ "TOP – 1982". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  20. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  21. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  22. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1982". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  23. ^ "The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1982". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  24. ^ "French single certifications – Imagination – Just an Illusion" (in French). InfoDisc. Select IMAGINATION and click OK. 
  25. ^ "British single certifications – Imagination – Just an Illusion". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Just an Illusion Imagination in the "Search:" field.
  26. ^ Walters, Barry (21 April 2005). "Mariah Carey – The Emancipation of Mimi". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  27. ^ "1983 PBA Buffalo Open". youtube.com. Professional Bowlers Association.