It is basically impossible to go through a week of human existence without hearing those opening horn blasts. You know the ones. That bright, punchy, "I used to think maybe you loved me" energy that feels like a concentrated dose of Vitamin D. Most people think of Katrina and the Waves Walking on Sunshine as just another 80s one-hit wonder, a relic of big hair and MTV's golden age.
But honestly? That’s not even half the story.
The song is a financial juggernaut. It’s a masterclass in songwriting that almost didn’t happen. And it was recorded in a "horrible" damp basement under a railway arch. If you’ve ever wondered why this specific track outlived almost every other synth-heavy pop song from 1985, you’ve gotta look at the grit behind the glitter.
The $1,200 Gamble in a Waterloo Basement
Success wasn't handed to Katrina Leskanich and her bandmates. Far from it. Before they were world-famous, they were a scrappy outfit called The Waves, fronted by an American "military brat" (Katrina) and a former Soft Boys guitarist named Kimberley Rew.
They were insecure. They were pessimistic. They definitely didn't have the "mystique" of the New Romantic bands dominating the UK charts at the time.
In 1983, they put up $1,200 of their own money—basically their life savings at the time—to record an album at Alaska Studios. If you're picturing a high-end recording suite, stop. It was a leaky, noisy room located under a railway arch at Waterloo Station in London. Producer Pat Collier remembers it as a "very horrible" place.
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They recorded the original version of Katrina and the Waves Walking on Sunshine there, live as a band. No polish. Just raw energy. But here’s the kicker: nobody in the UK wanted it. They shopped the album everywhere, and every major label passed.
Eventually, a tiny Canadian indie label called Attic Records signed them. The song became a hit in Canada first, which is a weird bit of trivia most people forget. It took another two years, a re-recording with a heavier drum intro and those iconic horns, and a deal with Capitol Records for the rest of the world to finally catch on.
Why Walking on Sunshine Still Matters (and Makes Millions)
Most 80s hits have a shelf life. They sound dated the moment the next decade hits. But this track is an "evergreen."
In 2015, BMG Rights Management bought the song's publishing rights for a cool £10 million. Think about that. Ten million pounds for a song written by a guy sitting in a tiny rented room in Cambridge.
The song earns between $150,000 and $200,000 per year just from commercials and licensing. It’s been in everything. American Psycho, High Fidelity, The Secret of My Success, even Glee. It’s the "crown jewel" of music catalogs because its mood is universal. Advertisers love it because it’s a shortcut to making an audience feel happy.
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The Songwriting Secret
Kimberley Rew, the man who wrote it, says he wasn't trying to write a hit. He just naturally wrote "happy" songs. He describes the track as "simple fun." But technically, it’s a powerhouse.
- It’s got a Motown-influenced beat.
- The "Ow!" at the start is pure rock and roll.
- The lyrics are about the universal anxiety of waiting for a letter (or a text, in today's world) and the relief when you realize you're loved.
It’s simple, but doing "simple" well is the hardest thing in music.
The Cold Reality of the Music Video
Watch the video again. Katrina is bouncing around London, looking like she's having the time of her life.
It was actually freezing.
They shot it on a shoestring budget on a grey, miserable London day. If you look closely at the outdoor scenes, you can actually see steam coming out of Katrina’s mouth. The director kept yelling at them to "look warm."
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Katrina herself admitted years later that by the end of the song, she's just shaking her head and making faces because she hadn't bothered to memorize the lyrics for the outro. They didn't think the video mattered. They thought they were just making a little clip for a song that might get played once or twice.
What Really Happened to the Band?
People call them one-hit wonders, but that’s factually wrong. In 1997, over a decade after their big hit, Katrina and the Waves won the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK with "Love Shine a Light." It was a massive deal—the last time the UK actually won the thing.
But fame is a pressure cooker.
By 1998, internal friction tore them apart. Katrina left to pursue a solo career, and legal battles followed over who could use the band's name. They officially dissolved in 1999. There were even weird headlines later on, like in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit and the band’s name suddenly felt very awkward. They even had to ask politicians like Michele Bachmann to stop using the song on the campaign trail.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you're a fan of the track or a musician looking for that "lightning in a bottle," here is what you can actually take away from the story of Katrina and the Waves Walking on Sunshine:
- Listen to the 1983 original: Hunt down the Canadian Attic Records version. It’s thinner and faster, but you can hear the "DNA" of the hit before the big-budget production was added.
- Study the "Sync" potential: If you're a creator, notice how this song uses a 1-second hook (the horns) to immediately establish a mood. That is why it’s worth $10 million in licensing.
- Check out Kimberley Rew’s solo work: The man is a songwriting genius beyond just this one track. His work with The Soft Boys is essential listening for anyone into psychedelic rock.
- The "Vibe" is more important than the "Gear": Remember that one of the greatest pop songs of all time was recorded in a damp basement for basically nothing. You don't need a million-dollar studio; you need a melody that people can't stop humming.
The song is going to outlive all of us. As Katrina herself said in a 2020 interview, she knows she'll always be the "Walking on Sunshine" girl, and honestly? She's fine with that. It’s a pretty good legacy to have.