French Kissin (song) explained

French Kissin
Cover:Debbie Harry - French Kissin' (US).jpg
Type:single
Artist:Debbie Harry
Album:Rockbird
B-Side:Rockbird
Length:5:14
Label:
Producer:Seth Justman
Prev Title:Feel the Spin
Prev Year:1985
Next Title:Free to Fall
Next Year:1987

"French Kissin" (released in certain countries as "French Kissin in the USA") is a song by American singer Debbie Harry from her second solo studio album, Rockbird (1986). It is a cover version of the 1985 song originally recorded by Carol Chapman, written by Chuck Lorre before he started creating sitcoms. Harry's version was released on November 3, 1986, as the lead single from Rockbird and became a top-10 hit in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Song information

In the United Kingdom, the song was released as the album's lead single on November 3, 1986,[1] and became Harry's biggest chart hit, reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart and becoming her only solo top-10 single there. In the United States, the song peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For promotion, Harry did a live performance of "French Kissin" and "In Love with Love" on Saturday Night Live, as well as a handful of television interviews in the UK and US in late 1986. A music video (featuring several women including a few short sequences by actress Katey Sagal) was also made and subsequently played on music video channels. Besides the regular 7-inch and 12-inch formats, the single was also released as a limited-edition 12-inch picture disc in the UK.

Harry also recorded a French-language version of the track which was released as the B-side of other Rockbird singles and was also included on the 1988 Blondie/Debbie Harry remix compilation Once More into the Bleach.

The song was originally released by Carol Chapman in 1985, as the B-side of the single "Bad Dreams in Hollywood", the only release Chapman ever did.[2] Chapman's song was used by two movies: Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989). The song was written by Chuck Lorre.

Track listings

7-inch single[3] [4]

A. "French Kissin" (Chuck Lorre[5]) – 4:09

B. "Rockbird" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) – 3:09

US 12-inch single[6]

A1. "French Kissin" (dance mix) (Lorre) – 7:25

A2. "French Kissin" (edit) (Lorre) – 4:09

B1. "French Kissin" (dub version) (Lorre) – 8:02

B2. "Rockbird" (Harry, Stein) – 3:09

UK and Australasian 12-inch single[7] [8]

A1. "French Kissin in the USA" (dance mix) (Lorre) – 7:25

B1. "French Kissin in the USA" (dub version) (Lorre) – 8:02

B2. "Rockbird" (Harry, Stein) – 3:09

Australasian cassette single[9]

  1. "French Kissin in the USA" (7-inch version) (Lorre)
  2. "French Kissin in the USA" (dance mix) (Lorre)
  3. "French Kissin in the USA" (dub version) (Lorre)
  4. "Rockbird" (Harry, Stein)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[10] 4
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[11] 33
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 29
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[13] 8
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[14] 51

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)! scope="col"
Position
UK Singles (Gallup)[15] 89
Chart (1987)! scope="col"
Position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[16] 29
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 34

Notes and References

  1. New Singles. Music Week. 26. November 1, 1986.
  2. https://www.simplyeighties.com/debbie-harry-french-kissin-in-the-usa.php
  3. French Kissin. Debbie Harry. 1986. US 7-inch single vinyl disc. Geffen Records. 7-28546.
  4. French Kissin in the USA. Debbie Harry. 1986. UK 7-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. CHS 3066.
  5. Web site: Vanity Card #243. Chuck Lorre. May 13, 2008.
  6. French Kissin. Debbie Harry. 1986. US 12-inch single vinyl disc. Geffen Records. 0-20575.
  7. French Kissin in the USA. Debbie Harry. 1986. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. CHS 12 3066.
  8. French Kissin in the USA. Debbie Harry. 1986. Australasian 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. X 14456.
  9. French Kissin in the USA. Debbie Harry. 1986. Australasian cassette single sleeve. Chrysalis Records. C 14456.
  10. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . St Ives, N.S.W. . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 134 . 0-646-11917-6.
  11. European Hot 100 Singles . . 4 . 2 . January 17, 1987 . 13 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  12. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . Finnish . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
  13. Web site: SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts H . The South African Rock Encyclopedia . February 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181121013638/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(H).html . November 21, 2018.
  14. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending January 17, 1987 . . February 18, 2020 . January 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230106145757/https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19870117.html . dead .
  15. Top 100 Singles (January to December 1986) . . January 24, 1987 . 24 . 0265-1548 . World Radio History.
  16. National Top 100 Singles for 1987 . . 701 . December 28, 1987 . Imgur.
  17. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 1987 . . February 18, 2020.