Kiss on My List explained

Kiss on My List
Cover:KissOnMyListHall&Oates.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Hall & Oates
Album:Voices
B-Side:Africa
Released:November 1980
Recorded:1980
Genre:
Length:4:25 (album version)
3:48 (7" version)
Label:RCA Records
Prev Title:You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:You Make My Dreams
Next Year:1981

"Kiss on My List" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates. It was written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen, and produced by Hall and John Oates. It was the third single release from their ninth studio album, Voices (1980), and became their second US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (after "Rich Girl" in 1977). It spent three weeks at the top spot.

The music video was the 204th that aired on MTV's first day of broadcast. The 45 rpm version of the song appears on the compilation albums Rock 'n Soul Part 1 (1983) and (2008).

Background

The song was written with the intention of Janna Allen, sister of Hall's longtime girlfriend Sara Allen, singing it, as she was interested in starting a music career. Hall cut a demo version as a guide for her, but later when his manager found the tape lying around the studio, he insisted that Hall and Oates cut the song themselves. In fact, the production team liked the demo so much that they did not do a second take, instead adding background vocals and instrumentation to the demo and mixing them together. Hall recalled that is why the drums sounded so "dinky" - the "drums" in fact being the early Roland CR-78 drum machine mixed in with a live drumming overdub.

Hall calls it an anti-love song, with the song title being tongue-in-cheek sarcasm in that the kiss is not that important, in that it is on a list of other things that are just as important.[4]

In an interview with Mix magazine, Daryl Hall said: "Eddie Van Halen told me that he copied the synth part from 'Kiss on My List' and used it in 'Jump.' I don't have a problem with that at all."

Reception

Record World said it has "a bouncy pop sound with heavenly harmonies."[5]

Personnel

Additional musicians

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 13
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 7

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)83
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 7

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Considine. J.D.. Brackett. Nathan. Daryl Hall & John Oates. Brackett. Nathan. Hoard. Christian. November 2, 2004. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. New York. 359.
  2. Rock 'n Soul Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. January 15, 2022. March 22, 2024.
  3. What a Fool Believes Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. July 31, 2021. February 23, 2024.
  4. Web site: 35 Things You Didn't Know About. Recordings. Legacy. 2015-07-28. Legacy Recordings. 2017-06-01.
  5. Record World. January 17, 1981. 1. 2023-02-23. Hits of the Week.
  6. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1981 . . 393 . 7 . . 4 January 1982 . 11 January 2022 .
  7. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 2016-10-19.
  8. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981 . Musicoutfitters.com . 2016-10-19.