China in Your Hand
{{Short description|1987 single by T'Pau}}
{{use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = China in Your Hand
| cover = T'pauchinainyourhandsingle.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = T'Pau
| album = Bridge of Spies
| B-side = No Sense of Pride
| released = 12 October 1987{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/1307-1189-1|title=BPI}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Pop
| length = 5:06 (album version)
4:07 (single edit)
| label =
- Siren
- Virgin
| writer =
- Carol Decker
- Ron Rogers
| producer =
- Ron Rogers
- Tim Burgess (single edit)
- Roy Thomas Baker (12″/album version)
| prev_title = Heart and Soul
| prev_year = 1987
| next_title = Bridge of Spies
| next_year = 1988
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|T4sV3lqzKqQ|"China in Your Hand"}}}}
}}
"China in Your Hand" is a song by English pop group T'Pau from their debut studio album, Bridge of Spies (1987). A re-recorded version was released as a single in October 1987, spending five weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart. "China in Your Hand" was the 600th single to top the UK chart. The song also reached number one in Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. In 2015, the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 11th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV,{{cite news | url= http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/25/the-nations-favourite-80s-number-one-12-more-classic-80s-chart-toppers-which-didnt-make-the-cut-5312786/ | title= The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut | work=Metro | first=Caroline | last=Westbrook | date=25 July 2015 | access-date=27 July 2015}} and in 2017 was chosen by The Daily Telegraph as one of the 21 best power ballads.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/21-best-power-ballads/china-in-your-hand/|title=The 21 best power ballads|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}}
Background
The song's lyrics refer to the novel Frankenstein and its author Mary Shelley. This is more readily heard on the longer album version of the song, as the re-recorded single edit omits most of the more obvious references to the book. The song's title was more unclear however and when quizzed, co-writer Ron Rogers was unsure of its source material. Lyric writer Carol Decker explained that it is the effect that if you hold a china cup to a light, you can see your hand through it – therefore "china in your hand" means something that is transparent.Top 10 of 1987, Channel 4 documentary In a segment on the BBC1's The One Show on 6 March 2014, Carol Decker explained that she had been holding a china tea cup belonging to Ronnie Rogers' mother in her hand while washing up and had felt a lump in the bottom. She held the cup to the light and saw an image of a young woman in the base of the cup. Decker had the cup with her and showed the viewers the image.
The song is in the key of B-Flat major on the original album version, but the radio edit version is slightly sped up to reduce its length, resulting in the tuning being midway between B-Flat and B Major.
Other versions
In 2011, contestant Amelia Lily performed the song on series 8 of UK's The X Factor. Judge Gary Barlow said it was "nice to hear the song being sung in tune for once", in mockery of Decker, who reacted to the comment via Twitter.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.ie/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a353103/tpaus-carol-decker-calls-gary-barlow-a-tt-over-x-factor-comments.html |title=T'Pau's Carol Decker calls Gary Barlow a t**t over 'X Factor' comments |publisher=Digital Spy |date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515075952/http://www.digitalspy.ie/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a353103/tpaus-carol-decker-calls-gary-barlow-a-tt-over-x-factor-comments.html|archive-date=15 May 2012}} Barlow later apologised.{{Cite web|title='X Factor' Gary Barlow apologises to T'Pau's Carol Decker|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a353139/x-factor-gary-barlow-apologises-to-tpaus-carol-decker/|access-date=8 March 2021|website=Digital Spy|date=27 November 2011 }}
British synthwave band Gunship released a cover for the song on December 2024, featuring Tim Cappello. {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5V_ag9iRL0|title=GUNSHIP - China In Your Hand (Feat. Tim Cappello) [Official Lyric Video]|date=6 December 2024|access-date=9 February 2025|website=YouTube}}
Track listings
- 7-inch single
:A. "China in Your Hand" (Carol Decker, Ron Rogers) – 4:07 (Sax solo by Gary Barnacle: guitarist Dean Howard)
:B. "No Sense of Pride" (T'Pau) – 3:25
- 12-inch single
:A1. "China in Your Hand" (album version) (5:06)
:B1. "China in Your Hand" (single edit) – 4:07
:B2. "No Sense of Pride" – 3:25
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "China in Your Hand" ! scope="col"| Chart (1987–1988) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St. Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|edition=illustrated|page=312|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
| 53 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Austria|5|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|20|chartid=0953|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine |title=European Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Music & Media |volume=5 |issue=3 |date=9 January 1988 |page=18 |oclc=29800226}}
| 2 |
| scope="row"| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|section=T'Pau|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf|title=Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|language=fi|edition=2nd|location=Helsinki|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|year=2021|page=262|isbn=978-952-7460-01-6}}
| 4 |
| {{single chart|France|44|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 10){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2538929?lang=en|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 10|newspaper=DV|language=is|date=15 January 1988|page=38|issn=1021-8254|via=Timarit.is}}
| 1 |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|1|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|1|artist=T Pau|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|1|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=31 December 2017}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|8|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|1|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| scope="row"| South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web |url=http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html |title=SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts T |website=The South African Rock Encyclopedia |access-date=28 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520040003/http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html |archive-date=20 May 2018}}
| 12 |
| {{single chart|Sweden|5|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|1|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=TPau|artistid=24396|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
| {{single chart|West Germany|2|artist=T'Pau|song=China in Your Hand|songid=1712|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2023}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 1987 year-end chart performance for "China in Your Hand" ! scope="col"| Chart (1987) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| UK Singles (Gallup){{cite magazine |title=Gallup Year End Charts 1987 – Singles |magazine=Record Mirror |date=23 January 1988 |page=36 |issn=0144-5804}}
| 5 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "China in Your Hand"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=T'Pau|title=China in Your Hand|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|access-date=16 July 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|artist=T'Pau|title=China in Your Hand|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|access-date=16 July 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=T'Pau|title=China in Your Hand|award=Gold|id=1307-1189-1|type=single|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|access-date=16 July 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs master|95751|China in Your Hand|type=single}}
{{T'Pau}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Virgin Records singles
Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Iceland
Category:Number-one singles in Norway
Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland
Category:Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker
Category:Songs about Frankenstein's monster
Category:Songs written by Carol Decker
Category:Songs written by Ron Rogers