King Cool Explained

King Cool
Type:	Album
Artist:	Donnie Iris and the Cruisers
Cover:	Kingcool.jpg
Released:	August 1981
Recorded:	Summer 1981 at Jeree Studios in New Brighton, PA
Genre:	Rock
Label:	MCA
Producer:	Mark Avsec
Prev Title:	Back on the Streets
Prev Year:	1980
Next Title:	The High and the Mighty
Next Year:	1982

King Cool is the second album by Donnie Iris, released in 1981.^[1] The album was reissued in remastered form on CD in 2021 by Rock Candy Records with a live bonus track from the 1981 Live EP.^{[2] [3]}

Track listing

Side one

1. "Sweet Merilee" (Avsec, Iris) - 3:37
2. "The Promise" (Lee) - 4:06
3. "Pretender" (Avsec, Iris) - 5:15
4. "Love Is Like a Rock" (Avsec, Iris, Lee, McClain, Valentine) - 3:35
5. "That's the Way Love Ought to Be" (Avsec, Iris) - 4:19

Side two

1. "My Girl" (Avsec, Iris) - 3:59
2. "Broken Promises" (Avsec, Iris) - 4:21
3. "King Cool" (Avsec, Iris) - 4:05
4. "Color Me Blue" (Avsec, Iris) - 5:19
5. "The Last to Know" (Avsec, Iris) - 5:19

2021 remastered CD reissue

1. "Sweet Merilee" - 3:42
2. "The Promise" - 4:08
3. "Pretender" - 5:14
4. "Love Is Like a Rock" - 3:38
5. "That's the Way Love Ought to Be" - 4:23
6. "My Girl" - 4:00
7. "Broken Promises" - 4:19
8. "King Cool" - 4:07
9. "Color Me Blue" - 5:20
10. "The Last to Know" - 5:21
11. "Shock Treatment (Live)" - 4:44^[3]

Personnel

Donnie Iris and the Cruisers

• Donnie Iris - lead and background vocals
• Mark Avsec - piano, organ, synthesizers, glockenspiel, background vocals
• Marty Lee Hoenes - guitars and background vocals
• Albritton McClain - bass guitar and background vocals
• Kevin Valentine - drums and percussion

Additional musicians

• Kenny Blake - saxophone

Production

• Executive Producer: Carl Maduri
• Producer: Mark Avsec
• Engineer: Jerry Reed
• Mixed by Michael Barbiero at Mediasound Studios, New York

Chart positions

Album - Billboard (United States)

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1981	"Sweet Merilee"	Billboard Hot 100	80
		Top Rock Tracks	31
1982	"Love Is Like a Rock"	Billboard Hot 100	37
		Top Rock Tracks	9
	"My Girl"	Billboard Hot 100	25

Notes and References

1. Web site: Parallel Time - The Unofficial Donnie Iris Site. Parallel-time.com. 30 November 2021.
2. Web site: Rock Candy Records. Rockcandyrecords.com. 30 November 2021.
3. Web site: Donnie Iris – King Cool (2021, CD). 30 November 2021. Discogs.com. 25 June 2021 .