Kissin' Time (song)
Encyclopedia
"Kissin' Time" is a song by the American
singer Bobby Rydell
, released in 1959. It was his first released single, and also his first Top-20 hit. The song was written by Bernie Lowe
and Kal Mann
.
and Kal Mann
, founders of Rydell's label, wrote "Kissin' Time". It quickly became a number 11 hit in the United States
and made Rydell(then a 17-year-old teenager) a "teen idol". The success was followed by a tour through Australia
with The Everly Brothers
, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Marv Johnson
, The Champs
and The Crickets
. Rydell recorded a new version of "Kissin' Time" to fit Australia ("they're kissin' in Sydney. Perth and Brisbane too..."). The song was covered by the hard rock
band Kiss
in 1974.
Kiss version=
In 1974, hard rock
band Kiss
released their eponymous debut album. The album struggled to stay on the charts and the band was in need of a single that would help the album climb the charts. Neil Bogart
, founder of the band's record company Casablanca Records
, knew that a catchy single could save the album and ordered the band to record "Kissin' Time", hoping it would achieve the same success like it did with Rydell. It first had to be drastically reworked because of the lines like "They're smoochin' all over, even in St. Lou." A song with lyrics like the original ones wouldn't fit Kiss' leather-clad style. Kenny Kerner, one of the album producers, said about the reworking of the song: "We sat there, we all had pads and pencils, and we just went around the board. And we went, 'Alright, well... they're Kissin' in'... and somebody would go, 'Detroit'! And we'd go, 'Alright, they're kissin' in Detroit.' And that's how it went. We re-wrote the song in like twenty minutes." The band wasn't thrilled with the decision of the record company about recording the song and the later inclusion of the song to the album in July 1974 but were pressured into doing it.
"Kissin' Time" was released three months after the initial release of the album but wasn't included on the album until July 1974. Sung by Gene Simmons
, Paul Stanley
and Peter Criss
, the song didn't reach anywhere near the success of the original reaching only number 83 on the US Pop Charts and 79 on US Cashbox. Despite the low appearance of the song on charts, Kiss climbed to a relatively high number 87 on charts.
where they, to the surprise of the fans, performed it along never before played "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em". The song wasn't played ever since.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell is an American professional singer, mainly of rock and roll music. In the early 1960s he was considered a so-called "teen idol"...
, released in 1959. It was his first released single, and also his first Top-20 hit. The song was written by Bernie Lowe
Bernie Lowe
Bernie Lowe was an American songwriter / record producer / arranger / pianist and bandleader.Born Bernard Lowenthal in Philadelphia, Lowe started Teen Records and in 1955 was working with Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. He asked Freddie Bell to rewrite the lyrics of "Hound Dog" to appeal to a...
and Kal Mann
Kal Mann
Kal Mann was an American lyricist. He is best known for penning the words to Elvis Presley's "Teddy Bear", plus "Butterfly", a hit for both Charlie Gracie and Andy Williams.-Biography:...
.
Background
Bernie LoweBernie Lowe
Bernie Lowe was an American songwriter / record producer / arranger / pianist and bandleader.Born Bernard Lowenthal in Philadelphia, Lowe started Teen Records and in 1955 was working with Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. He asked Freddie Bell to rewrite the lyrics of "Hound Dog" to appeal to a...
and Kal Mann
Kal Mann
Kal Mann was an American lyricist. He is best known for penning the words to Elvis Presley's "Teddy Bear", plus "Butterfly", a hit for both Charlie Gracie and Andy Williams.-Biography:...
, founders of Rydell's label, wrote "Kissin' Time". It quickly became a number 11 hit in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and made Rydell(then a 17-year-old teenager) a "teen idol". The success was followed by a tour through Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson was an American R&B and soul singer, most notable for performing on the first record to be issued from what became Motown.-Biography:...
, The Champs
The Champs
The Champs were an American rock and roll band, most famous for their Latin-tinged instrumental "Tequila". Formed by studio executives at Gene Autry's Challenge Records to record a B-Side for the Dave Burgess single, the intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-Side, "Train to...
and The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
. Rydell recorded a new version of "Kissin' Time" to fit Australia ("they're kissin' in Sydney. Perth and Brisbane too..."). The song was covered by the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
in 1974.
Kiss version=
In 1974, hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
released their eponymous debut album. The album struggled to stay on the charts and the band was in need of a single that would help the album climb the charts. Neil Bogart
Neil Bogart
Neil Bogart was an American record executive. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Casablanca Records, with Peter Guber....
, founder of the band's record company Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
, knew that a catchy single could save the album and ordered the band to record "Kissin' Time", hoping it would achieve the same success like it did with Rydell. It first had to be drastically reworked because of the lines like "They're smoochin' all over, even in St. Lou." A song with lyrics like the original ones wouldn't fit Kiss' leather-clad style. Kenny Kerner, one of the album producers, said about the reworking of the song: "We sat there, we all had pads and pencils, and we just went around the board. And we went, 'Alright, well... they're Kissin' in'... and somebody would go, 'Detroit'! And we'd go, 'Alright, they're kissin' in Detroit.' And that's how it went. We re-wrote the song in like twenty minutes." The band wasn't thrilled with the decision of the record company about recording the song and the later inclusion of the song to the album in July 1974 but were pressured into doing it.
"Kissin' Time" was released three months after the initial release of the album but wasn't included on the album until July 1974. Sung by Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
, Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
and Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
, the song didn't reach anywhere near the success of the original reaching only number 83 on the US Pop Charts and 79 on US Cashbox. Despite the low appearance of the song on charts, Kiss climbed to a relatively high number 87 on charts.
Live performances
"Kissin' Time" was performed for a short period while the single and promotion were active, and then the band dropped the song until 2006 Rising Sun TourRising Sun Tour
The Rising Sun Tour was a series of shows by Kiss. It was the band's first trip to Japan since the 2004 Rock the Nation Tour. Before touring in Japan, Kiss performed at Las Vegas' VH1 Rock Honors. After the series of Japan shows Kiss played two casino shows in California...
where they, to the surprise of the fans, performed it along never before played "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em". The song wasn't played ever since.
Appearances
"Kissin' Time" has appeared on following Kiss albums:- Kiss - studio version
- The OriginalsThe Originals (album)This pack was a re-release of the first three Kiss albums: Kiss, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill. It was packaged with a 16-page history booklet, a color Kiss Army sticker and a sheet of six trading cards....
- studio version - Kiss Chronicles: 3 Classic AlbumsKiss Chronicles: 3 Classic AlbumsThis repackaging of the first three Kiss albums is essentially identical to The Originals , except in CD format and with different packaging.-Track listing:Disc 01 - Kiss...
- studio version
Track listing
- A-side - "Kissin' Time"
- B-side - "Nothin' to LoseNothin' to Lose (Kiss song)"Nothin' to Lose" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on their self-titled debut album in 1974. It is the first single the band had ever released and the first single off the album, with "Love Theme from KISS" as the B-side...
"
Personnel
- Paul StanleyPaul StanleyStanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, co-lead vocals - Gene SimmonsGene SimmonsGene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, co-lead vocals - Peter CrissPeter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
- drums, co-lead vocals - Ace FrehleyAce FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
Charts
| Chart (1974) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Pop Singles | 83 |