Kiss on My List
| "Kiss on My List" | ||||
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| Single by Hall & Oates | ||||
| from the album Voices | ||||
| B-side | "Africa" | |||
| Released | January 24, 1981 | |||
| Format | Vinyl (7", 12") | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:25 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
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| Producer(s) |
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| Certification | Gold (RIAA) | |||
| Hall & Oates singles chronology | ||||
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"Kiss on My List" is a song by the American duo Hall & Oates. It was written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen, and produced by the duo. It was the third single release from their ninth studio album, Voices (1980), and became their second U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (after "Rich Girl" in 1977). It spent three weeks at the top spot.
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 didn't do a second take, instead adding background vocals and instrumentation to the demo and mixing them together. Hall recalled that's why the drums sounded so "dinky."
The song has been widely misinterpreted, with many listeners thinking the lyrics say "Kiss on my lips." 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's on a list of other things that are just as important.
The song was one of the music videos that aired on MTV's first day of broadcast.
While two other songs from the album had returned the duo to chart activity, it was the success of "Kiss on My List" that confirmed the start of the duo's sustained run as one of American pop's top-selling acts, a run that lasted into 1990.
According to Daryl Hall, Eddie Van Halen copied the synth part of this song and used it for the song "Jump" by Van Halen.[1]
Contents
In popular culture
"Kiss on My List" can be heard in the films She's Out of My League and You Again.
The song is a popular track for use during "Kiss cams" at stadiums and arenas.
The song is to be featured in a Soft Rock DLC on the video game, Rocksmith 2014.
Cover versions
In 2010, The Bird and the Bee covered the song as well as referenced it in another song, "Heard It On The Radio", for their tribute album Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates.
In 2014, The Family Crest covered the song for Grey's Anatomy Season 10, Episode 16 as a part of the Grey's Anatomy '80s cover project. The episode aired on March 20, 2014.
Chart performance
Weekly singles charts
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Year-end charts
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See also
References
| Preceded by | Billboard Hot 100 number-one single April 11, 1981 – April 25, 1981 |
Succeeded by "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" by Sheena Easton |
