Square Rooms
Encyclopedia
"Square Rooms" is a Europop
song recorded by American singer, actor and producer Al Corley
. It was the first single
from his album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera
to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer
and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France
, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor. It was produced and composed by the German
musician Harold Faltermeyer
, who had previously arranged "Self Control
", a worldwide pop and dance-floor smash for Laura Branigan
in 1984 which featured a similar vocal hook. Faltermeyer would achieve his greatest personal success later the same year, composing, performing and producing the score to Beverly Hills Cop
, a 1984 film directed by Martin Brest
, including its hit instrumental theme, "Axel F
".
Dance/Disco chart the week of June 22, 1985.
A French cover
was recorded by France Lise under the title "On vit à deux".
Europop
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s...
song recorded by American singer, actor and producer Al Corley
Al Corley
Al Corley is an American actor, singer and producer. In the late 1970s, he worked as a doorman at Studio 54. He would later appear in a VH1 Behind the Music special on Studio 54 to recount his experiences....
. It was the first 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 his album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
Background and writing
After two seasons playing one of the first gay leading characters an American TV series, DynastyDynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer is a German musician, keyboardist, composer and record producer.He is recognized as one of the composers/producers who best captured the zeitgeist of 1980s synth-pop in film scores...
and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor. It was produced and composed by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
musician Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer is a German musician, keyboardist, composer and record producer.He is recognized as one of the composers/producers who best captured the zeitgeist of 1980s synth-pop in film scores...
, who had previously arranged "Self Control
Self Control (song)
"Self Control" is the name of an international hit song recorded in 1984 by Laura Branigan, as well as the album on which it appears. The song was recorded that same year with the same English lyrics by Italian singer Raf, who co-wrote the song with Giancarlo Bigazzi and Steve Piccolo. Branigan's...
", a worldwide pop and dance-floor smash for Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan
Laura Ann Branigan was an American singer-songwriter and actress of Italian and Irish ancestry. She is best known in the United States for her 1982 Platinum-certified hit "Gloria" and in Europe for the number-one single "Self Control"...
in 1984 which featured a similar vocal hook. Faltermeyer would achieve his greatest personal success later the same year, composing, performing and producing the score to Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop is a 1984 American comedy-action film directed by Martin Brest and starring Eddie Murphy, Lisa Eilbacher, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, and Ronny Cox...
, a 1984 film directed by Martin Brest
Martin Brest
Martin Brest is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer.-Education:He was born in a Jewish family in the Bronx, New York....
, including its hit instrumental theme, "Axel F
Axel F
"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley , in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop...
".
Chart performances
"Square Rooms" was released first in Switzerland, where it was a hit, peaking at number six on October 21, 1984, and staying in the top 30 for ten weeks. The single debuted at number 47 in the French Singles Chart on January 5, 1985. It climbed quickly and was number one for five nonconsecutive weeks, from March 9 to April 13, 1985. After its peak, it lingered on the charts until its 27th week, on July 20, 1985. The song also achieved success in Italy (number 12), Germany (number 13) and Austria where it reached number 15 in April 1985. "Square Rooms" was released last in Corley's native U.S., where the single was only a minor pop hit, reaching number 80 on the Hot 100 on June 1, 1985. American dancefloors were more receptive than its airwaves; Corley reached number 26 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Dance/Disco chart the week of June 22, 1985.
A French cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
was recorded by France Lise under the title "On vit à deux".
Formats and track listings
- 7" single
- "Square Rooms" — 3:40
- "Don't Play With Me" — 4:20
- 12" maxi
- "Square Rooms" (long version) — 8:02
- "Square Rooms" (single version) — 3:40
- "Don't Play With Me" — 4:20
- The 12-inch (long) version includes an entire additional verse prior to the first chorus. This verse is excised in both the single and album versions of the song.
Peak positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Singles Chart | 6 |
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 15 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 13 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 13 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 80 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Play Chart | 26 |