"Almost Unreal" is a song by Swedish pop music duoRoxette, released on 10 May 1993 byEMI Records as thelead single fromthe soundtrack of the 1993live action filmSuper Mario Bros., which starredBob Hoskins,John Leguizamo,Dennis Hopper, andSamantha Mathis. The song became a top-20 hit in numerous territories, including Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK. It would also be the duo's final top ten hit in the latter two countries, excluding a re-release of "It Must Have Been Love" two months later. The song proved to be unsuccessful in North America, peaking at numbers 94 and 88 on the USBillboard Hot 100 andCash Box Top 100, although it performed better in Canada, where it peaked within the top 30. It appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their next studio album,Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994), mistitled "It's Almost Unreal". The accompanying music video for "Almost Unreal" was directed by Michael Geoghegan.

"Almost Unreal"
Single byRoxette
from the albumSuper Mario Bros.
B-side	"Fingertips '93"
Released	10 May 1993 (1993-05-10)
Recorded	March 1993
Studio	Mayfair (London, England) Polar (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:59
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Per Gessle
Producer(s)	Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"Fingertips '93" (1993) "Almost Unreal" (1993) "Sleeping in My Car" (1994)
Music video
"Almost Unreal" onYouTube

Per Gessle wrote "Almost Unreal" afterWalt Disney Pictures contacted him about composing the theme song toBette Midler's upcoming filmHocus Pocus. The song's backing track had already been completed atLondon'sMayfair Studios in March 1993 when Disney informed Gessle that US girlbandEn Vogue had been invited to record the film's theme song. "Almost Unreal" was then transferred to another Disney project,the live action adaptation of theNintendo game seriesSuper Mario Bros., which was released under theHollywood Pictures banner. Although hesitant about the project, the duo decided to allow the company to use the song inthe film, as they were both fans ofBob Hoskins andDennis Hopper. The group re-recorded the lyrics to omit most references toHocus Pocus, although the title would still remain in the song's chorus, with the lyric "I love when you do that hocus pocus to me".Marie Fredriksson's vocals were recorded atPolar Studios inStockholm in March 1993, when she was nine months pregnant.^[1][2]

According toUltimate Guitar, "Almost Unreal" is a mid-tempopop rock song composed in the key ofE major, and is written incommon time with a moderate tempo of 92beats per minute. Theintro is composed of two repetitions of an E–B–Asus₂ sequence, followed by a further two lines composed ofC♯m–B–Asus₂. Eachverse is composed of variations of a B–G♯m₇–E–C♯m–E–A–G♯sus₄–G♯ sequence, while thechorus is composed of two repetitions of E–B–A, followed by a C♯m–B–A–F♯ sequence.^[3]

Larry Flick fromBillboard complimented the song as a "familiar power popballad" and said that "ABBA-esque harmonies at the chorus give the track a cute vibe, while hard drums and nimble guitar riffs lend an bright rock-ish glow."^[4] Alan Jones fromMusic Week wrote, "Roxette have produced a string of catchy pop smashes, so this frankly rather dreary song from the forthcomingSuper Mario Brothers is a bit of a disappointment. What could be anthemic with a little work just sounds pompous."^[5] Mike Schiller fromPopMatters called the song "awful"; and wrote, "...not only does it sound like corporate pandering, but it's probably the most forced smash-hit wannabe Roxette ever created."^[6]

Roxette themselves later dismissed both the song and the associated film, calling the latter a "flop" and "ridiculous". In theliner notes of the duo's first greatest hits compilation,Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, Fredriksson referred to the track as "not one of our most inspired moments", while Gessle said, "I still like the song, in a way... but if you wanted to make a parody of Roxette, it would probably sound something like this."^[1][2]

The music video for "Almost Unreal" was directed by Irish director Michael Geoghegan, and stars the British actorNick Pickard as a young man playing a video game in which he's watching parts of the film, as well as both band members performing the song, ending with him being de-evolved into areptile like in the film.^[7]

All music and lyrics were written byPer Gessle.

• 7-inch single and cassette (Australia 8806494 · Europe 8806492 · North America 4KM-44942 · UK EM268)

1. "Almost Unreal" – 3:59
2. "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10

• UK exclusive 12-inch picture disc (12EMPD268)

1. "Almost Unreal" – 3:59
2. "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10
3. "Fingertips '93" – 3:42

• CD single (Europe 8806762 · UK CDEM268)

1. "Almost Unreal" – 3:59
2. "The Heart Shaped Sea" – 4:10
3. "Fingertips '93" – 3:42
4. "Almost Unreal" (AC mix) – 3:56

Credits are adapted from the liner notes ofThe Ballad Hits.^[8]

Studios

• Recorded in March 1993 atMayfair Studios (London, England) andPolar Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
• Mixed at Mayfair Studios

Musicians

• Marie Fredriksson – lead and backing vocals
• Per Gessle – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, mixing
• Per "Pelle" Alsing – drums
• Vicki Benckert – backing vocals
• Anders Herrlin – bass guitar,engineering,programming
• Jonas Isacsson – electric guitars
• Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming,production, mixing
• Staffan Öfwerman – backing vocals
• Alar Suurna – mixing, engineering