Kiss Me Red

"Kiss Me Red" is a song written by the songwriting duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and first released in 1984 for the soundtrack of the short-lived TV series Dreams, where it was performed on the show by the fictional title band. The song was notably covered by Cheap Trick in 1986 on their ninth album The Doctor, and by ELO Part II in 1990 for their album Electric Light Orchestra Part Two.

Dreams version
"Kiss Me Red"
Song by Dreams
from the album Dreams
Released1984
GenrePop
Length3:39
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly
Producer(s)Bruce Botnick

Background

In 1984, the song was released as the theme song to the short-lived TV series Dreams, a CBS television series that aired in 1984-85 for one season. The show follows the story of a fictional rock band that tries to get a recording contract. "Kiss Me Red" was released as a single in the US and also featured on the series soundtrack album.[1] The six-member fictional band, featuring the American actors John Stamos, Jami Gertz, Albert Macklin and Cain Devore, performed the song during the series as well.

Upon release, Billboard listed "Kiss Me Red" as a recommended pop pick and described it as a "techno-dance song".[2] On the soundtrack album, Dreams also performed the song "Alone", also written by Steinberg and Kelly, which would become a hit in 1987 for the American rock band Heart.[3]

Personnel
Dreams
Additional personnel

Cheap Trick version
"Kiss Me Red"
Single by Cheap Trick
from the album The Doctor
B-side"Name of the Game"
Released1986
GenreRock, power pop
Length3:34
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly
Producer(s)Tony Platt
Cheap Trick singles chronology
"It's Only Love"
(1986)		 "Kiss Me Red"
(1986)		 "The Flame"
(1988)

"Kiss Me Red" was covered by the American rock band Cheap Trick, for their ninth studio album The Doctor and was released as a European single in 1986. The single was released as a 7-inch single in Europe, while a promotional 12-inch single was issued in the US, featuring the song on both sides of the vinyl. The B-side on the 7-inch vinyl was "Name of the Game", which was taken from The Doctor. Originally, Epic Records had Cheap Trick record "Kiss Me Red" as they believed it would be a potential hit single for the band. It was set to be released as the leading US single from The Doctor, but was replaced by "It's Only Love".[4]

Promotion

Unlike "It's Only Love", no music video was filmed to promote the single, but the band did perform the song live on the American TV show The Rock 'n' Roll Evening News, along with the tracks "It's Only Love" and "I Want You to Want Me". Upon release, adverts for The Doctor album highlighted "Kiss Me Red" as a stand-out track.[5][6]

Track listing
7-inch single
  1. "Kiss Me Red" - 3:34
  2. "Name of the Game" - 4:16
12-inch single (US promo)
  1. "Kiss Me Red" - 3:34
  2. "Kiss Me Red" - 3:34

Personnel
Cheap Trick
Additional personnel
  • Tony Platt - producer, mixing
  • Paul Klingberg - mixing

Micro Chips version
"Kiss Me Red"
Song by Micro Chips
from the album Niños Eléctricos
Released1988
GenrePop
Length3:12
LabelMelody / Universal Music México
Songwriter(s)Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly
Producer(s)Ricardo Ochoa

“Kiss Me Red” was covered by the Mexican band Micro Chips in 1988 and was titled “Angello” sang in Spanish, for their debut album “Niños Eléctricos”. Even though the song was not a single, it is the most popular song from the band. The song is not a translation, rather an adaptation and talks about an innocent crush that Toti had for a member of the popular band Menudo, named Angello. Their record was a gold record in Mexico during the late 1980s. This album was re-released in 2014 by Universal Music México on all music platforms, commemorating its 25th Anniversary. The adaptation (lyrics in Spanish) were written by Toti and Javier Willy.

Personnel
Micro Chips
  • Toti Willy - lead vocals
  • Javier Willy - keyboards, vocals
  • Daniel Willy - drums, vocals
  • Tito de Llano - guitar, vocals
  • Jay de la Cueva - bass, vocals
  • Ricardo Villa - guitar, vocals

ELO Part II version
"Kiss Me Red"
Song by ELO Part II
from the album Electric Light Orchestra Part Two
Released1990
GenrePop
Length4:01
LabelScotti Brothers
Songwriter(s)Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly
Producer(s)Jeff Glixman

In 1990, ELO Part II recorded an orchestrated version of the song for their debut studio album Electric Light Orchestra Part Two. It was produced by Jeff Glixman. The song had been performed live by the group, with the song being performed and professionally filmed live in Moscow during 1991.

In a review of the album, Doug Stone of AllMusic commented: "Out of the blue, ELO II even takes a crack at "Kiss Me Red," a roguish non-hit composed by the authors of "Like a Virgin" that Cheap Trick attempted on the wire-crossing Doctor."[7] In his review of the albums reissue, Part Two: Once Upon A Time, Thom Jurek of AllMusic commented: "Cluing you into the desperation here, there's a rather strange, surprise cover here of 'Kiss Me Red'".[8]

Personnel
ELO Part II
Additional personnel
  • Jeff Glixman - producer
  • Don Arden - executive producer
  • Mark Derryberry, Jonathan Miller - engineers
  • Bob Norberg, Kevin Reeves - editing
  • Wally Traugott - mastering
  • Louis Clark - string arrangements

References
  1. "Soundtrack / Dreams – Dreams". charts.org.nz. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  2. "Pop – Recommended". Billboard. October 13, 1984. p. 70 – via Books.google.co.uk.
  3. "Heart: Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  4. Hayes, M.; Sharp, K. (1998). Reputation Is a Fragile Thing. Poptastic. pp. 142, 143. ISBN 978-0-9662081-0-8.
  5. Billboard. 1986-09-13. p. 5. Retrieved 2012-03-11 – via Internet Archive. cheap trick kiss me red.
  6. SPIN. December 2007. p. 78. Retrieved 2012-03-20 – via Internet Archive. cheap trick it's only love.
  7. Stone, Doug. Electric Light Orchestra Part Two at AllMusic
  8. Jurek, Thom. Part Two: Once Upon A Time at AllMusic
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