Almost Unreal

It’s all just a bunch of “Hocus Pocus”, well, it was almost…but it’s still Almost Unreal…

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“It’s a crazy world out there…”

Let’s get the movie out of the way first so we can focus on the music.

To put it bluntly: the film was dreadful. It’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t even settle for on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s a real shame, too; in the right hands, that story had potential. While Bob Hoskins is a brilliant actor, this certainly wasn’t his finest hour.

Moving on…quickly…

‘Almost Unreal‘ was originally intended for the Disney cult classic ‘Hocus Pocus‘. For those living under a rock, it’s a fantastic Halloween staple starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters.

As we know, the Disney deal fell through. ‘Almost Unreal‘ was declined—likely because Midler performed her own musical number—and even En Vogue lost out on a spot.

Wonder what would have happened HAD it been the soundtrack to Hocus Pocus?

Interestingly, the soundtrack also featured ‘2 Cinnamon Street‘, an alternative version of the ‘TOURISM‘ track with Marie on lead vocals. It’s a lovely version, though the ‘TOURISM‘ version remains the superior cut.

The music video drew heavily from the movie’s aesthetic, featuring a “de-evolution” narrative and a glowing, heavily pregnant Marie. It was a staple on music channels at the time. Could we see a remaster for ROX40?

For UK Roxers, this release was particularly notable as it gave us our first taste of ‘Fingertips ’93‘ as a b-side, alongside the amazing ‘The Heart Shaped Sea‘.

On the live front, the track enjoyed a healthy life, appearing on the Crash! Boom! Bang! World Tour (1994/95) before making a triumphant return in 2014 for the XXX Tour.

Whatever you think of the film, ‘Almost Unreal‘ was undeniably another massive Roxette hit!

Currently on Streaming

01 Almost Unreal (T&A Demo – Feb, 1993)
02 Sweet Emotions (T&A Demo – Feb 26, 1993)
03 Almost Unreal (LP Version)
04 Almost Unreal (Adult Contemporary Mix)

05 Sweet Emotions (T&A Demo – Feb 26, 1993) – In Conversation with Sven Lindström