Temptation (Heaven 17 song)
Encyclopedia
"Temptation" is a single by Sheffield
band Heaven 17
, originally released in April 1983, peaking at number 2 in the UK charts. This was the second single to be taken from their second album The Luxury Gap
, after November 1982's "Let Me Go".
The guest vocals are provided by Carol Kenyon
, who continued to work with the band on the Pleasure One
and Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho
albums. The song also featured an orchestra, arranged and conducted by John Wesley Barker, which was also heard for the single "Come Live With Me" and in various tracks on the parent album.
Heaven 17 were featured on Top of the Pops
' 1000th edition in 1983, performing this track.
In 1992, the song was remixed and re-released by the Brothers in Rhythm
, whose new mix charted at number 4 in the UK Top 40, and hitting number 1 in the UK dance charts.
In 2008 the song was re-recorded for Heaven 17's album Naked as Advertised
with vocalist Billie Godfrey
performing guest vocals. On 19 October 2010, Heaven 17 performed the song on the Later..Live with Jools Holland
show on BBC2 in the United Kingdom.
The single was rated at number 273 on Manchester's All Time Favourite Top 500 Dance Tunes (compiled December 1995).
featured the band dressed in black, in drab, grey surroundings in a style of German expressionism and had segments of (what looks like) an abstract office interview of some kind between vocalists Glenn Gregory and a Carol Kenyon lookalike interspersed throughout. Kenyon herself does not feature in the video.
in 2006 for the album Thornography
.
At the NME Awards
2007, Jarvis Cocker
and Beth Ditto
performed "Temptation", and released it as a charity single.
Heaven 17 did a collaboration cover with La Roux at Maida Vale on 26 January 2010 for BBC6 Music. Further to this, Glenn Gregory was invited on stage to perform this song again with La Roux during their set at Glastonbury on 25 June 2010.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
band Heaven 17
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
, originally released in April 1983, peaking at number 2 in the UK charts. This was the second single to be taken from their second album The Luxury Gap
The Luxury Gap
The Luxury Gap is the second album by the English synthpop band Heaven 17. Released in 1983, it is the band's biggest selling album, peaking at number 4 in the UK charts and was certified Platinum by the BPI in 1984....
, after November 1982's "Let Me Go".
The guest vocals are provided by Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon , is a British singer. She was born c. 1959.Although primarily known as a session vocalist on many albums and singles by a variety of prominent artists, as well as in many concerts, Kenyon has also released several singles as a solo artist...
, who continued to work with the band on the Pleasure One
Pleasure One
Pleasure One is the fourth album by the British synthpop group Heaven 17, released in 1986 by Virgin Records.-Track listing:All tracks written by Gregory/Marsh/Ware.#"Contenders" – 5:24#"Trouble" – 4:14#"Somebody" – 4:30#"If I Were You" – 3:34...
and Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho
Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho
Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho is the fifth album by the English synthpop group Heaven 17, released in 1988 by Virgin Records.-Track listing:All tracks written by Gregory/Marsh/Ware.#"Big Square People" – 4:29#"Don't Stop For No One" – 3:50...
albums. The song also featured an orchestra, arranged and conducted by John Wesley Barker, which was also heard for the single "Come Live With Me" and in various tracks on the parent album.
Heaven 17 were featured on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
' 1000th edition in 1983, performing this track.
In 1992, the song was remixed and re-released by the Brothers in Rhythm
Brothers in Rhythm
Brothers In Rhythm is a house music duo consisting of producers / remixers and DJs Steve Anderson and Dave Seaman. As a duo and individually, they have remixed and/or produced tracks by Lulu, M People, Secret Life, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, Garbage,...
, whose new mix charted at number 4 in the UK Top 40, and hitting number 1 in the UK dance charts.
In 2008 the song was re-recorded for Heaven 17's album Naked as Advertised
Naked as Advertised
Naked as Advertised is the eighth full-length studio album released by the British Synthpop group Heaven 17, released in 2008. It is a new nine track album containing new versions of some of their biggest hits as well covers and two reworkings of early Human League songs...
with vocalist Billie Godfrey
Billie Godfrey
Billie Godfrey is an English singer. She is the current principal female vocalist of the veteran British synthpop group, Heaven 17.-Background:...
performing guest vocals. On 19 October 2010, Heaven 17 performed the song on the Later..Live with Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
show on BBC2 in the United Kingdom.
The single was rated at number 273 on Manchester's All Time Favourite Top 500 Dance Tunes (compiled December 1995).
Video
The original Heaven 17 video, directed by Steve BarronSteve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
featured the band dressed in black, in drab, grey surroundings in a style of German expressionism and had segments of (what looks like) an abstract office interview of some kind between vocalists Glenn Gregory and a Carol Kenyon lookalike interspersed throughout. Kenyon herself does not feature in the video.
Original version
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
2 |
| 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... |
27 |
| French Singles Chart | 20 |
| German Singles Chart | 11 |
| GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... Dutch Charts |
25 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
3 |
| US Billboard Club Play Singles Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
34 |
Brothers in Rhythm Remix
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
9 |
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
| 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... |
16 |
| German Singles Chart | 42 |
| GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... Dutch Charts |
18 |
Cover versions
The song was covered by Cradle of FilthCradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
in 2006 for the album Thornography
Thornography
Thornography is the seventh full-length studio album by Cradle of Filth released through Roadrunner Records in October, 2006. The album is produced by Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano, engineered and co-produced by Dan Turner and mixed by Andy Sneap, and once again features narration by Doug Bradley...
.
At the NME Awards
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
2007, Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
and Beth Ditto
Beth Ditto
Mary Beth Patterson, known by her stage name Beth Ditto , is an American singer-songwriter, most famous for her work with the indie rock band Gossip.-Personal life:...
performed "Temptation", and released it as a charity single.
Heaven 17 did a collaboration cover with La Roux at Maida Vale on 26 January 2010 for BBC6 Music. Further to this, Glenn Gregory was invited on stage to perform this song again with La Roux during their set at Glastonbury on 25 June 2010.