In a collaboration with Specsavers, Rick Astley recently recorded a fresh version of his iconic song ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ with intentionally altered lyrics and explained why he made those mistakes.
In a video posted on his social media channels, Astley shed light on a significant personal challenge – hearing loss. Also revealing why he recorded the new version of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up,’ he said:
“There are certain things I just can’t hear anymore. So, we’ve had a bit of fun with my lyrics just to raise awareness of it.”
Astley also revealed that he has now turned to hearing aids to assist him, explaining why he possibly has this condition:
“It’s probably a result of playing the drums as a kid and working in the music industry, so [Specsavers has] given me my first hearing aids.”
In collaboration with Specsavers, Astley aims to encourage individuals to seek regular hearing tests and treatments, especially if they notice any changes in their auditory experience. He remarked:
“It’s important to remember that everyone’s hearing is different. Some people lose high notes, others lose low-frequency sounds. I’d encourage anyone to get their hearing tested if they notice any changes, so they don’t lose the sounds or music they love.”
This newly released version, which is part of a campaign to highlight the impact of hearing loss, features lyrics such as ‘Then I’m gonna give you up’ in place of ‘Never gonna give you up.’ Another line humorously swaps ‘Never gonna run around and desert you’ with ‘Then I’m gonna run around with dessert spoons.’
Astley’s Recent Endeavors
More recently, Astley has been actively producing music. In October 2023, he unveiled ‘Are We There Yet?‘ — an album featuring soul-inspired tracks. Following its release, it quickly climbed to the number 2 spot on the UK Albums Chart.
In other news from Astley, the singer recalled an interesting anecdote from his career. As per NME, Ozzy Osbourne once extended an offer to put together a band for Astley. This proposal, however, was swiftly curtailed by Osbourne’s wife, Sharon.
You can listen to ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’s new version below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvmohdd68_4
