Constant Craving

{{expand section|the song's background and meaning|date=July 2018}}

English rock band the Rolling Stones used a refrain very similar to that of "Constant Craving" in their 1997 single "Anybody Seen My Baby?" They later gave writing credits on that song to k.d. lang and Mink, shared with the original authors Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.Richards, Keith. Life. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2010. p. 457.

John T. Davis from Austin American Statesman complimented "Constant Craving" as "a song graced by a compelling melody and a vocal brimming with yearning."Davis, John T. (23 April 1992). "lang album is transitional". Austin American Statesman. Larry Flick from Billboard stated, "There is no denying the rootsy, down-home quality of this wonderfully produced tune. Lang's distinctive voice is woven into spiraling multitracked harmonies, wafting over a base of acoustic guitar strumming and subtle {{sic|accordian}} and xylophone interludes."{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Single Reviews |magazine= Billboard |date= 2 May 1992 |page= 84 |access-date= 24 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-05-02.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} Steve Morse from Boston Globe named it the best song of the album, declaring it as "a romantic number that's also the only rhythmic tune of the bunch."Morse, Steve (15 March 1992). "Etheridge rocks; k.d. lang flounders". Boston Globe. Clark and DeVaney from Cash Box named it Pick of the Week and a "standout" of the album.{{cite magazine|first1= Randy |last1= Clark |first2= Bryan |last2= DeVaney |title= Music Reviews: Albums - Pick Of The Week |magazine= Cash Box |date= 11 April 1992 |page= 5 |access-date= 1 November 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1992/CB-1992-04-11.pdf}} A reviewer from Daily Mirror described it as "haunting".Daily Mirror. 15 March 1993. p. 9. Rufer and Fell from the Gavin Report commented, "k.d.'s forsaken country for a straight pop format that will finally win her the mass audience she's deserved. This track showcases her wonderful voice in solo and multi-part harmonies."{{cite magazine|first1= Diane |last1= Rufer |first2= Ron |last2= Fell |title= A/C: Reviews |magazine= Gavin Report |date= 17 April 1992 |page= 36 |access-date= 17 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/92/Gavin-1992-04-17.pdf}}

Pan-European magazine Music & Media described it as "a Brecht/Weil on the prairie type of song—is likely to be lang's first hit in the UK and in Ireland".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-03-06.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=10|issue=10|date=6 March 1993|page=11|access-date=24 October 2021}} On the album review, a Music & Media editor wrote, "Tales from the new west. La lang has changed her position on horseback for a more comfortable seat on the coach. In mind, she's singing in some Paris café in the decadent '20s."{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |volume= 10 |issue= 20 |date= 16 May 1992 |page= 11 |access-date= 22 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-05-16.pdf}} John Milward from Rolling Stone felt the song is "more elusive", "but there's no denying the lift of its propulsive rhythms and joyful harmonies."Milward, John (30 April 1992). "Recordings". Rolling Stone. David Bauder from The Salt Lake Tribune praised "Constant Craving" as one of lang's best songs, remarking that it "concludes that a sense of longing is an inevitable part of life."Bauder, David (30 April 1992). "Ingenue' K.D. Lang Carries Torch -- But Not For Country". The Salt Lake Tribune.

Mark Deming from AllMusic felt that the "emotional core" of songs like "Constant Craving", "was obvious even when their surfaces were evasive."{{cite web|first= Mark |last= Deming |title= k.d. lang – Ingénue |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= 4 November 2020 |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/ingénue-mw0000275695}} In 2019, Billboard included it in its list of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/lesbian-love-best-songs-playlist-7972931/|title=30 Lesbian Love Songs: Women Singing About Women (Updated 2019)|magazine=Billboard|last=Russell|first=Erica|date=February 13, 2019|access-date=January 20, 2023}} In 2008, the Daily Vault's Jason Warburg viewed it as a "dynamite single", that "manages to meld the spiritual with the physical while conveying a feverish desire for both kinds of fulfillment." He also remarked its "upbeat", "expansive and full of simmering appeal".{{cite web|first= Jason |last= Warburg |title= Ingenue – k.d. lang |publisher= The Daily Vault |date= 13 February 2008 |access-date= 20 November 2020 |url= http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=5292}}

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by American filmmaker and photographer Mark Romanek and filmed in black-and-white. It presents a fanciful recreation of the premiere of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot in Paris, 1953. Here, she is depicted singing backstage while the actors perform. The director says the song's lyrics of desperation and waiting fit well with the themes of Beckett's play.Director's commentary on The Work of Director Mark Romanek DVD. VH1 added the video to its playlist in mid-April 1992.{{cite magazine|title=The Clip List|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=16|page=36|date=18 April 1992}} The clip won Best Female Video at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/gxoine/tbt-1993-vmas|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909020542/https://www.mtv.com/news/gxoine/tbt-1993-vmas|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 September 2022|title=Here's What the VMAs Looked Like the Year Ariana Grande Was Born (Spoiler: They Were Really Weird)|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|publisher=MTV|date=21 August 2014|access-date=8 September 2022}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• US 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=7-18942}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=4-18942}}

:A. "Constant Craving" (album version) – 4:38

:B. "Season of Hollow Soul" (album version) – 4:56

• UK 12-inch and CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0100T, 9362-404550-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0100CD, 9362-40455-2}}

1. "Constant Craving" (edit)
2. "Barefoot" (rhythmic version)
3. "Season of Hollow Soul"

{{col-2}}

• UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0100, 5439-18884-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0100C, 5439-18884-4}}

1. "Constant Craving" (edit)
2. "Barefoot" (rhythmic version)

• European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1992|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0087CD, 9362-40432-2}}

1. "Constant Craving" (radio edit) – 3:45
2. "Constant Craving" (album version) – 4:38
3. "Tears of Love's Recall" – 3:48

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1993|type=UK 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W 0157, 5439-18589-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1993|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0157C, 5439-1859-4}}

1. "Constant Craving" (edit) – 3:45
2. "Miss Chatelaine" (live) – 4:28

• UK CD1 and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1993|type=UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0157 CD, 9362-40773-2}}

1. "Constant Craving" (edit) – 3:45
2. "Wash Me Clean" (live) – 3:28
3. "The Mind of Love" (live) – 3:17

{{col-2}}

• UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Constant Craving|others=k.d. lang|year=1993|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records|id=W0157 CDX, 9362-40774-2}}

1. "Constant Craving" (live) – 4:18
2. "Miss Chatelaine" (live) – 4:28
3. "Big Boned Gal" (live) – 3:47
4. "Outside Myself" (live) – 5:03

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Constant Craving

| cover =

| alt =

| caption = Abigail's Constant Craving

| type = single

| artist = Abigail

| album = Feel Good

| B-side = Don't Tell Me Why

| released = 1993

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hi-NRG{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Brutally Honest Ngedéocello Says A Mouthful |page= 26 |date= 18 May 1996 |magazine= Billboard |volume= 108 |issue= 20 |issn= 0006-2510 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uA0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22abigail%22&pg=PA26}}

| length = 4:06 (radio version)

| label = Klone Records

| writer =

• k.d. lang
• Ben Mink

| producer =

| prev_title = Could It Be Magic

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = Losing My Religion

| next_year = 1993

}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Constant Craving

| cover =

| alt =

| caption = Abigail's Constant Craving 95'

| type = single

| artist = Abigail

| album = Feel Good

| B-side = What Goes Around Comes Around

| released = 1993, 1995

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hi-NRG

| length = 4:04 (radio edit)

| label = ZYX Music

| writer =

• k.d. lang
• Ben Mink

| producer =

| prev_title = Don't You Wanna Know?

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = Night Moves

| next_year = 1993

}}

• Abigail covered the song on her 1994 album, Feel Good.
• Montreal based electropunk band Lesbians on Ecstasy reworked the song as "Kündstant Krøving" on their 2004 album Lesbians on Ecstasy.
• Charlotte Martin has also recorded a cover of the song on her album Reproductions.
• In 2011, the song was featured in the Glee episode "I Kissed a Girl" with vocals by Naya Rivera, Idina Menzel and Chris Colfer.
• Her Chariot Awaits (see Ailyn) covered the song on their 2020 self-titled album

• 12-inch vinyl single (Klone Records – 1993)

1. "Constant Craving" (Vocal Version)
2. "Constant Craving" (Instrumental)
3. "Don't Tell Me Why" (Vocal Version)
4. "Don't Tell Me Why" (Instrumental)

• CD maxi-single (Klone Records – 1993)

1. "Constant Craving" (Radio Version) – 4:06
2. "Constant Craving" (Original Mix) – 6:24
3. "Constant Craving" (Trade Mix) – 9:34
4. "Don't Tell Me Why" – 4:50

• 12-inch vinyl single (ZYX Music – 1995)

(title was changed to Constant Craving '95)

1. "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive Mix) – 8:01
2. "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce Mix) – 8:01
3. "Constant Craving '95" (Original Mix)
4. "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace Mix) – 6:03

• CD maxi-single (ZYX Music – 1995)

1. "Constant Craving '95" (Radio Edit) – 4:04
2. "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive Mix) – 8:01
3. "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce Mix) – 8:01
4. "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace Mix) – 6:03

{{Reflist}}

{{K.D. Lang}}

{{Navboxes

|title = Awards for "Constant Craving"

|titlestyle = background: lightblue

|list =

{{MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video}}

}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1992 singles

Category:1992 songs

Category:1993 singles

Category:1995 singles

Category:Abigail (singer) songs

Category:Black-and-white music videos

Category:Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Category:K.d. lang songs

Category:MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video

Category:Music videos directed by Mark Romanek

Category:Sire Records singles

Category:Songs written by Ben Mink

Category:Songs written by k.d. lang

Category:Warner Records singles

Category:ZYX Music singles