Kingston Town (song)
Encyclopedia
"Kingston Town" is a 1970 song by Lord Creator
. It was covered in 1990 by reggae group UB40
and was the second single
from their 1989 album Labour of Love II
, reaching #4 on the UK singles chart
.
In June 2007, the copyright holders of the song, Sparta Florida Music Group, started legal action against Paris Hilton
and Warner Chappell Music
for plagiarism due to alleged similarities between "Kingston Town" and Hilton's song "Stars Are Blind
". It has wrongly been stated that UB40 was the suing party, but that has been denied by the band on their website.
In France, the cover by UB40 peaked at #1 for three weeks from October 20 to November 3, 1990. It remained on the chart for 25 weeks, and was certified Gold disc by SNEP in 1991. Infodisc Website estimates it is the 426th best selling single of all time in France with 581,000 copies sold.
The song was also covered by Jamaican group The Mighty Red.
Lord Creator
Lord Creator is a calypso and soca artist. Alongside Cuban born Rolando Alphonso, Barbadian Jackie Opel and fellow Trinidadians Lynn Taitt and Lord Bryner, Lord Creator was an important and positive 'outside' influence during the early development of the Jamaican music scene.-Career:He started as...
. It was covered in 1990 by reggae group UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
and was the second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their 1989 album Labour of Love II
Labour of Love II
Labour of Love II is the second album of covers by the British reggae group UB40, released in 1989. The album contained two Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 hits - "Here I Am " peaked at #7, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" peaked at #6 - and "Kingston Town" reached #4 on the UK singles chart.- Track...
, reaching #4 on the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
In June 2007, the copyright holders of the song, Sparta Florida Music Group, started legal action against Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and Warner Chappell Music
Warner/Chappell Music
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company, and a division of the Warner Music Group. The company traces its origins back to 1811 and the founding of Chappell & Company, a music publishing company and instrument shop on London’s Bond Street that, in 1929, began a rapid...
for plagiarism due to alleged similarities between "Kingston Town" and Hilton's song "Stars Are Blind
Stars Are Blind
-Release history:-Chart performance:"Stars Are Blind" was one of the highest debuting singles in the U.S. in 2006, entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number eighteen due to strong digital sales. It had previously debuted at number two on the U.S...
". It has wrongly been stated that UB40 was the suing party, but that has been denied by the band on their website.
In France, the cover by UB40 peaked at #1 for three weeks from October 20 to November 3, 1990. It remained on the chart for 25 weeks, and was certified Gold disc by SNEP in 1991. Infodisc Website estimates it is the 426th best selling single of all time in France with 581,000 copies sold.
The song was also covered by Jamaican group The Mighty Red.
5" CD
Virgin / DEPX 35- "Kingston Town" (7" Version) – 3:52
- "Lickwood" – 5:04
- "Kingston Town" (Extended Mix) – 5:16
7" vinyl, 3" CD and Cassette
Virgin / DEP 35 (7"), DEPX 35 (CDS), DEP C35 (CS)- "Kingston Town" – 3:52
- "Lickwood" – 5:04
12" vinyl
Virgin / DEP 35-12- "Kingston Town" (Extended Mix) – 5:16
- "Lickwood" – 5:04
- "Kingston Town" (7" Version) – 3:52
Peak positions
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 17 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 5 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 5 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 8 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 14 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 8 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Top 40 | 12 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Sales certified | Physical sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Gold | 400,000 | 581,000 |