Saturday, November 17, 2018

"King for a Day" by Thompson Twins

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  2591
Date:  01/18/1986
Debut:  52
Peak:  8
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  The trio's album Here's to Future Days got kicked off well thanks to the #6 hit "Lay Your Hands on Me." This second single would do nearly as well to become the Thompson Twins' third Top 10. It would also get to #13 at AC and #35 Rock. Despite the double Top 10's, the album would only get to #20 and go gold. This was a drop from their previous #10 platinum album Into the Gap. This single would end up being the trio's last to reach the US Pop Top 10.

ReduxReview:  I like this track and it has a hooky chorus, but I've always been surprised that it made the Top 10. I didn't think it was strong enough to get that far. Perhaps its associated MTV video helped to push it along. These days the song has all but disappeared. I liked the album quite a bit back in the day, but it wasn't loaded with potential singles. This one was the logical choice and it worked out well.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  The album Here's to Future Days was the band's first to featured a cover tune. They decided to do a version of The Beatles' "Revolution." That 1968 track served as the b-side to their #1 hit "Hey Jude," yet plenty of airplay made the song chart on its own and it reached #12. The Thompson Twins' version was not issued as a single in the US, but it was in their UK homeland. It only got to #56 there. Prior to the album being released, the Thompson Twins performed on the US stage of Live Aid. They played their big #3 hit "Hold Me Now" along with "Revolution." For their performance of "Revolution," they were joined on stage by Steve Stevens (who played guitar on the album version of the song), Nile Rodgers (who produced the album), and Madonna (who basically just hung out on stage looking like she was thinking "what they hell am I doing here," shaking a tambourine, and singing a few "alright's.")

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