Drop the Pilot
{{Short description|1983 single by Joan Armatrading}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Drop the Pilot
| cover = DropthePilot.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Joan Armatrading
| album = The Key
| B-side = "Business Is Business"
| released = 22 January 1983
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:41
| label = A&M
| writer = Joan Armatrading
| producer = Val Garay
| prev_title = No Love
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = Temptation
| next_year = 1985
}}
"Drop the Pilot" is a song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It was the first single to be released from Armatrading's 1983 album, The Key, and was her third and final UK top 40 hit as of {{YEAR}}. It reached number 11 in the UK Singles Chart, and spent a total of ten weeks in the Top 40. The song was a hit in Australia and New Zealand, peaking at number six on both national charts, and in South Africa, where it reached number one. The single was Armatrading's only appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent six weeks, peaking at number 78 on 25 June 1983.
B-side
The original song "Business is Business" is featured as its B-side, a track that remains unreleased on any album.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1983)
!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=19|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
|6 |
| {{single chart|Flanders|35|artist=Joan Armatrading|song=Drop the Pilot|rowheader=true|refname="bel"}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|12|song=Drop the Pilot|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|6|artist=Joan Armatrading|song=Drop the Pilot|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(D).html|accessdate=29 June 2020}}
|1 |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|11|artist=Joan Armatrading|artistid=15860|rowheader=true|refname="UK"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|78|artist=Joan Armatrading|rowheader=true|refname="Billboard"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|33|artist=Joan Armatrading|rowheader=true}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1983)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=Kent Music Report |via=Imgur.com |access-date=22 January 2023}}{{Cite web|title=AMR Top Singles of 1983|url=https://www.top100singles.net/2011/05/amr-top-singles-of-1983.html|access-date=29 June 2020|website=www.top100singles.net}}
|27 |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{Cite web|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1983|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1983.html|access-date=29 June 2020|website=www.rock.co.za}}
|8 |
{{col-end}}
Mandy Moore version
{{Infobox song
| name = Drop the Pilot
| cover = MandyMoore-DropThePilot.jpg
| alt =
| type = Single
| artist = Mandy Moore
| album = Coverage
| released = 28 October 2003
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:43
| label = Epic
| writer = Joan Armatrading
| producer = John Fields
| prev_title = Have a Little Faith in Me
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = Senses Working Overtime
| next_year = 2004
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|EkF0L3fyChM|"Drop the Pilot"}}|header=Audio video}}
}}
"Drop the Pilot" was covered by American singer Mandy Moore for her third studio album, Coverage (2003).{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/mandy-moore/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830185947/http://www.mtv.com/artists/mandy-moore |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 August 2012 |title=Mandy Moore |work=MTV |accessdate=14 January 2014}} Moore's version was released as the second single from her third album on 28 October 2003 through Epic Records. The song was produced by John Fields.
=Music video=
A video was produced as a demo for Kodak's Vision2 500T series motion picture film. It is included on the demo DVD for the Vision2 line of stocks and used as a product example projected from a print at Kodak product screenings. The video was directed by Nick DiBella.{{cite journal|url=http://www.filmrochester.org/onlocation/OnLocationS03.pdf |title=New 35mm Film 'Pops'! |journal=On Location |publisher=Rochester/Finger Lakes Films & Video Office Inc. |date=Spring 2003 |issue=1 |volume=15 |access-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006121815/http://www.filmrochester.org/onlocation/OnLocationS03.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2011}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20201031015329/https://www.joanarmatrading.com/lyrics/d/drop-the-pilot "Drop the Pilot" lyrics from Joan Armatrading's official website]
{{Joan Armatrading}}
{{Mandy Moore singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Joan Armatrading songs