Wikipedia

French Kissin (song)

"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.

"French Kissin"
Single by Debbie Harry
from the album Rockbird
B-side"Rockbird"
ReleasedNovember 3, 1986 (1986-11-03)
Length5:14
Label
Songwriter(s)Chuck Lorre
Producer(s)Seth Justman
Debbie Harry singles chronology
"Feel the Spin"
(1985) 		"French Kissin"
(1986) 		"Free to Fall"
(1987)
Music video
"French Kissin" on YouTube
Audio sample
"French Kissin"

Song information

edit

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

edit

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

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. November 1, 1986. p. 26.
  2. ^ https://www.simplyeighties.com/debbie-harry-french-kissin-in-the-usa.php [bare URL]
  3. ^ French Kissin (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Geffen Records. 1986. 7-28546.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ French Kissin in the USA (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 3066.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ Chuck Lorre. "Vanity Card #243". Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  6. ^ French Kissin (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Geffen Records. 1986. 0-20575.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ French Kissin in the USA (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 12 3066.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ French Kissin in the USA (Australasian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. X 14456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ French Kissin in the USA (Australasian cassette single sleeve). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. C 14456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 134. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "Debbie Harry – French Kissin" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0790." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 2. January 17, 1987. p. 13. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  15. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – French Kissin' in the USA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Debbie Harry" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  17. ^ "Debbie Harry – French Kissin" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  18. ^ "Debbie Harry – French Kissin". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  19. ^ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts H". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  20. ^ "Debbie Harry: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  21. ^ "Debbie Harry Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  22. ^ "Debbie Harry Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  23. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending January 17, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Debbie Harry – French Kissin" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  25. ^ "Top 100 Singles (January to December 1986)" (PDF). Music Week. January 24, 1987. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report. No. 701. December 28, 1987 – via Imgur.
  27. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1987". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_Kissin_(song)&oldid=1258514470"