Kids in America

"Kids in America" is a song recorded by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the United States in spring 1982,[3] later appearing on her self-titled debut album. Largely inspired by the synth-pop stylings of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Gary Numan, the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart behind Shakin Stevens' major smash hit "This Ole House" for 2 weeks, number one in Finland and South Africa, and charted in the top 10 of many European charts as well as Australia and New Zealand. In North America, the song reached top 40 in Canada and the United States. It has sold 679,000 copies in France,[4] was certified gold in the United Kingdom,[5] South Africa, Australia and Sweden[6] and has sold over three million copies worldwide.[7] The song has been covered by many artists from different genres.

For other uses, see Kids in America (disambiguation).

"Kids in America"
Artwork for European release
Single by Kim Wilde
from the album Kim Wilde
B-side"Tuning In, Tuning On"
Released26 January 1981
Recorded1980
Genre
Length3:27
LabelRAK
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde singles chronology
"Kids in America"
(1981)		 "Chequered Love"
(1981)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
"Kids in America 1994"
Single by Kim Wilde
Released2 May 1994
Length3:53 (Cappella Mix)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Ricky Wilde, Marty Wilde
Producer(s)Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde singles chronology
"In My Life"
(1993)		 "Kids in America 1994"
(1994)		 "Breakin' Away"
(1995)

Background, composition and production

1980 version

RAK Records boss Mickie Most heard Wilde singing on a backing track to another song recorded by her brother Ricky Wilde, an aspiring young songwriter and producer who had some fame as a child singer in the style of Donny Osmond in the early 1970s.[8]

Most liked Kim's voice and looks and expressed an interest in working with her. Eager to grab the opportunity, Ricky went home and wrote "Kids in America" that same day with his father Marty. Marty Wilde, also a former singer, had been a teen idol and actor in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[8]

They wrote the song using a WASP synthesizer owned by Ricky. He has said that its main synth line was influenced by that of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "Messages".[9] Kim has stated that her brother "kind of nicked" the line.[10] The eighth note synth bassline, which forms the intro, was inspired by Gary Numan (as was the vocal melody in the opening lines).[8]

They went into the studio with everything except the words to the chorus, which Marty Wilde, who was responsible for writing the lyrics to the song, came up with at the last minute. The line "Whoah-oh!", which is sung after the song's title lyrics, was originally meant to be a guitar lick or a brass stab, but sounded much better sung by the male backing vocals, according to Marty.[8]

After hearing the track for the first time, Most declared it would be a smash hit, but it needed remixing, which he did together with Marty at RAK Studios. The song was shelved for a year[11] before being released as Kim Wilde's first single in January 1981.[8]

1994 version

"Kids in America 1994" was released in May 1994 in order to help promote Wilde's compilation album The Remix Collection. Although it was intended to be released in the UK, for unknown reasons these plans were cancelled at the last minute. However, the track was released in other countries in several remixed forms using Wilde's original vocals from 1981. The "radio version" of the track was remixed by Cappella, with James Stevenson on guitar.

2006 version

Among some of her other classic hits, Wilde recorded a new version of the song for her 2006 comeback album Never Say Never, featuring English singer Charlotte Hatherley. This version, like the rest of the album, was produced by German producer Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, with whom she had previously worked in 2002 for German singer Nena's 20th anniversary album Nena feat. Nena on the track "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", a new version of her 1984 hit single. Wilde contributed English verses to the song, which was slightly remixed and released as a single in 2003.

Reception

"Kids in America" was the song that signalled the start of Wilde's career. It sold so well in its first week, foul play was suspected and it wasn't included in that week's chart.[8] In its first eight weeks of release, the single sold more than half a million copies in the UK alone.[8] The song peaked at number two in the UK in 1981. The following year it reached the top 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and ranked as the 91st most successful song of 1982 on the Hot 100 year-end chart. Elsewhere, the record peaked atop the charts of Finland and South Africa. In Europe and Australia, the song was also a major top 10 hit. After "Kids in America", Wilde's father and brother continued to write songs for her (with the latter also given production credits). In later years, she chiefly co-wrote with her brother.

Track listing

7" UK single

  1. Kids in America (3:26)
  2. Tuning in Tuning On (4:30)

7" US/Canada single

  1. Kids in America (3:26)
  2. You'll Never Be So Wrong (4:11)

Charts

References
  1. Briony Edwards. "The story behind the song: Kids In America by Kim Wilde". TeamRock. teamrock.com. Retrieved 16 March 2018. He wanted to combine that synth element with a pop and rock sensibility to make the new sound.
  2. Jonathan Williams. "Terminus City/No Holds Barred". Prick Magazine. Prickmag.net. Archived from the original on 18 November 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2013. Terminus even does a punked out cover of the Kim Wilde new wave hit 'Kids In America' bringing a whole new meaning to the song.
  3. David Mansour (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 264. ISBN 978-0740751189.
  4. Lesueur, InfoDisc, Daniel Lesueur, Dominic Durand. "InfoDisc : Les Meilleurs Ventes de Chansons "Tout Temps" (45 T. / Cd Single / Téléchargement)". www.infodisc.fr.
  5. https://www.bpi.co.uk/bpi-awards/
  6. Jones, Peter (19 September 1981). "Wild Route to Success Is Different" (PDF). Billboard. p. 42. Retrieved 1 August 2020 – via World radio History.
  7. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (19 September 1981). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books.
  8. Hitlåtens historia: Kids in America. SVT. 2011.
  9. @Wildericky (19 August 2018). "Ahh.. just had a lovely chat with @OfficialOMD Andy McCluskey..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "Kim Wilde in WAVES". WAVES Radioshow on Facebook. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/30/kim-wilde-how-we-made-kids-in-america
  12. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 93 no. 26. 4 July 1981. p. 77. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Kim Wilde – Kids in America" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Kim Wilde – Kids in America" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6547." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  16. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Kids in America". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kim Wilde" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  19. "Dutchcharts.nl – Kim Wilde – Kids in America" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  20. "Charts.nz – Kim Wilde – Kids in America". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  21. "Norwegiancharts.com – Kim Wilde – Kids in America". VG-lista. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  22. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts W". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – Kim Wilde – Kids in America". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – Kim Wilde – Kids in America". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  25. "Kim Wilde: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  26. "Kim Wilde Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  27. "Kim Wilde Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kim Wilde – Kids in America". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  29. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report (393). 4 January 1982 – via Imgur.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten 1981 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  31. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  32. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  33. "Top Selling Singles of 1981". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  34. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  35. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1981". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  36. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1982). "The Top 200 Singles: January–December 1981". BPI Year Book 1982 (5th ed.). London: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 46–49. ISBN 0-906154-03-0.
  37. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1981" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  38. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
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