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Kids in America

{{short description|1981 single by Kim Wilde}}

{{other uses}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Kids in America

| cover = Kid in America.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| caption = European picture sleeve

| type = single

| artist = Kim Wilde

| album = Kim Wilde

| B-side = * "Tuning In, Tuning On" (UK)

  • "You'll Never Be So Wrong" (North America)

| released = {{Start date|1981|1|26|df=y}}

| recorded = 1980

| studio = RAK, London

| genre =

  • Synth-pop{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|date=27 September 2022|title=100 Best Songs of 1982|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-1982-1234592830/kim-wilde-2-1234597804/|access-date=1 October 2022|magazine=Rolling Stone}}{{cite web|first= Tom|last= Owen|title= The top 25 greatest 1980s synthpop songs ever|website= Smooth Radio|date= April 30, 2024|url= https://www.smoothradio.com/features/best-electronic-synthpop-songs/|accessdate= August 27, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://electrozombies.com/magazine/article/35-essential-synth-pop-songs-of-the-history/|title=35 essential Synth Pop songs of the history|first=Thomas|last=Frenken|date=April 3, 2021|website=Electrozombies}}
  • new wave{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Jonathan|date=April 2003|title=Terminus City/No Holds Barred|url=http://www.prickmag.net/review_terminuscity.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041118071510/https://www.prickmag.net/review_terminuscity.html|archive-date=18 November 2004|access-date=23 July 2013|website=Prick}}{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On|website= Stereogum |date= 19 February 2021|url= https://www.stereogum.com/2116617/the-number-ones-kim-wildes-you-keep-me-hangin-on/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= ... she’d helped introduce the world to new wave. In fact, she may have helped popularize the term. On her 1981 debut single "Kids in America", Wilde made an announcement...|accessdate= 6 October 2023}}
  • pop rock{{cite web|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/11-essential-kim-wilde-songs/|title=11 Essential Kim Wilde Songs|last=Scavieli|first=Tony|access-date=2024-01-18}}
  • power pop{{cite web|last=Sendra|first=Tim|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/kim-wilde-mw0000202769|title=Kim Wilde – Kim Wilde|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=21 February 2021}}

| length = 3:27

| label = RAK (UK)

EMI (US)

| writer = * Marty Wilde

| producer = Ricky Wilde

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Chequered Love

| next_year = 1981

| misc = {{Audio sample

| type = single

| file = Kim_Wilde_Kids_in_America_sample.ogg

}}

}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Kids in America 1994

| cover = Kids in America 1994.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Kim Wilde

| album =

| released = {{Start date|1994|5|2|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 3:53 (Cappella Mix)

| label = MCA

| writer = * Ricky Wilde

| producer = Ricky Wilde

| prev_title = In My Life

| prev_year = 1993

| next_title = Breakin' Away

| next_year = 1995

}}

"Kids in America" is a song recorded by English pop singer Kim Wilde. It was released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the United States in spring 1982,{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hK0rPUF85loC&pg=PA264 |title= From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century |last= Mansour |first=David |year= 2005 |publisher= Andrews McMeel Publishing |isbn= 978-0740751189 |page= 264}} later appearing on her self-titled debut studio album. Largely inspired by the synth-pop style of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and Gary Numan, the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and number one in Finland and South Africa, and charted in the top 10 of many European charts as well as Australia and New Zealand. In North America, it became the first top 40 hit, reaching the top 40 in Canada and the United States. It was certified gold in the United Kingdom,{{cite web |url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/bpi-awards/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=23 January 2018 |archive-date=24 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924015932/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/Search.aspx |url-status=dead }} South Africa, Australia and Sweden;{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-09-19.pdf|title=Wild Route to Success Is Different|magazine=Billboard|page=42|first=Peter|last=Jones|date=19 September 1981|via=World radio History|access-date=1 August 2020}} and has sold over three million copies worldwide.{{cite web |date=19 September 1981 |magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AiUEAAAAMBAJ&q=album+sales+kim+wilde&pg=PT40 |title=Wilde Route To Success Is Different|via=Google Books|first=Peter|last=Jones|access-date=27 March 2024}} The song has been covered by many artists from different genres.

Background, composition and production

{{more citations needed section|date=March 2018}}

=1980 version=

RAK Records boss Mickie Most heard Wilde singing on a backing track to another song recorded by her brother Ricky Wilde, an aspiring young songwriter and producer who had some fame as a child singer in the style of Donny Osmond in the early 1970s.{{cite episode|title=Kids in America|series=Hitlåtens historia|network=SVT|date=24 January 2012|season=2|number=5}}

Most liked Kim's voice and looks and expressed an interest in working with her. Eager to grab the opportunity, Ricky went home and wrote "Kids in America" that same day with his father Marty. Marty Wilde, also a former singer, had been a teen idol and actor in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

They wrote the song using a WASP synthesizer owned by Ricky. He has said that its main synth line was influenced by that of OMD's "Messages".{{cite tweet|user=Wildericky|number=1031234758561423360|date=19 August 2018|title=Ahh.. just had a lovely chat with @OfficialOMD Andy McCluskey...}} Kim has stated that her brother "kind of nicked" the line.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/wavesradioshow/videos/586825571824002|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515130606/https://www.facebook.com/wavesradioshow/videos/586825571824002|archive-date=15 May 2022|url-status=live|title=Kim Wilde in WAVES|date=12 March 2019|website=WAVES Radioshow|access-date=15 May 2022|via=Facebook}}{{cbignore}} The eighth note synth bassline, which forms the intro, was inspired by Gary Numan (as was the vocal melody in the opening lines).

They went into the studio with everything except the words to the chorus, which Marty Wilde, who was responsible for writing the lyrics to the song, came up with at the last minute. Marty had recently seen a television programme featuring American teenagers and took inspiration from their single-minded and hard attitudes, leading him to the song's story of a tough girl looking out of the window and thinking, "What the damn hell am I doing sitting here."{{cite web|url=https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/how-i-wrote/kim-wilde-kids-in-america|title=How I Wrote Kids in America |last=Slater|first=Aaron|website= Songwriting Magazine|date=26 January 2023|access-date=16 May 2023}}

The line "Whoah-oh!", which is sung after the song's title lyrics, was originally meant to be a guitar lick or a brass stab, but sounded much better sung by the male backing vocals, according to Marty.

After hearing the track for the first time, Most declared it would be a smash hit; but it needed remixing, which he did together with Marty at RAK Studios. The song was shelved for a year{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/30/kim-wilde-how-we-made-kids-in-america|title = Kim Wilde: How we made Kids in America|website = The Guardian|date = 30 January 2017}} before being released as Kim Wilde's first single in January 1981.

=1994 version=

"Kids in America 1994" was released in May 1994 in order to help promote Wilde's compilation album The Remix Collection (1993). Although it was intended to be released in the UK, for unknown reasons these plans were cancelled at the last minute.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} However, the track was released in other countries in several remixed forms using Wilde's original vocals from 1981.

=2006 version=

Among some of her other classic hits, Wilde recorded a new version of the song for her 2006 comeback album Never Say Never, featuring English singer Charlotte Hatherley. This version, like the rest of the album, was produced by German producer Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, with whom she had previously worked in 2002 for German singer Nena's 20th-anniversary album Nena feat. Nena on the track "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", a new version of her 1984 hit single.

Reception

"Kids in America" signalled the start of Wilde's career. It sold so well in its first week, foul play was suspected and it was not included in that week's chart. In its first eight weeks of release, the single sold more than half a million copies in the UK alone. The song peaked at number two in the UK in 1981 and became the 23rd-best-selling single that year.{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-50-best-selling-songs-of-1981__32604/ |title=The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981 |publisher=Official Charts |date=5 March 2021 }} The following year in 1982, it reached No. 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for over a month and ranked as the 91st-most-successful song of 1982 on the Hot 100 year-end chart. Though it only hit No. 25, it received heavy airplay on radio stations and MTV. Elsewhere, the record peaked atop the charts of Finland and South Africa. In Europe and Australia, the song was also a major top-10 hit. After "Kids in America", Wilde's father and brother continued to write songs for her (with the latter also given production credits). In later years, she chiefly co-wrote with her brother.

Track listing

UK / Europe / Australia / Japan 7" single [1981]

  1. "Kids in America" – 3:26
  2. "Tuning In, Tuning On" [Single Version] – 4:30

Germany 12" single [1981]

  1. "Kids in America" – 3:26
  2. "Tuning In, Tuning On" [Single Version] – 4:30

US/Canada 7" single [1982]

  1. "Kids in America" – 3:26
  2. "You'll Never Be So Wrong" – 4:11

Europe CD single / Australia cassette single [1994]

  1. "Kids in America 94" [Cappella Mix] – 3:54
  2. "Kids in America 94" [Extension Mix] – 6:52

Europe CD single / Australia CD single [1994]

  1. "Kids in America 94" [Cappella Mix] – 3:54
  2. "Kids in America 94" [Extension Mix] – 6:56
  3. "Kids in America" [Album Version] – 3:24

Europe 12" single [1994]

  1. "Kids in America 94" [Extension Mix] – 6:49
  2. "Kids in America 94" [House Mix] – 6:49
  3. "Kids in America 94" [Plus Staples] – 5:10

Japan CD single [1994]

  1. "Kids in America 94" [Cappella Mix] – 3:51
  2. "Kids in America 94" [Extension Mix] – 6:52
  3. "Kids in America 94" [House Mix] – 6:52
  4. "Kids in America 94" [Plus Staples] – 5:09

UK promo 12" single [1994]

  1. "Kids in America 94" [Extension Mix] – 6:49
  2. "Kids in America 94" [X Club Dub] – 6:00
  3. "Kids in America 94" [Instrumental] – 6:49
  4. "Kids in America 94" [House Mix] – 6:49
  5. "Kids in America 94" [Plus Staples] 5:09
  6. "Kids in America 94" [X Cut Cut] – 5:35

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (1981–1983)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JiQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Kids+America+Kim+Wilde&pg=PT75 |title=Hits of the World |magazine=Billboard |volume=93 |issue=26 |date=4 July 1981 |page=77 |issn=0006-2510 |via=Google Books}}

| 5

{{single chart|Austria|12|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Flanders|4|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|34|chartid=6547|rowheader=true|access-date=14 September 2020}}
scope="row"| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book | first= Jake | last= Nyman |year= 2005 | title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja | edition= 1st | publisher=Tammi | location= Helsinki| isbn= 951-31-2503-3| language= fi}}

| 1

{{single chart|Ireland2|2|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=14 September 2020}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|6|artist=Kim Wilde|rowheader=true|access-date=20 November 2020}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|8|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|5|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Norway|9|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
scope="row"| South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web |url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(W).html |title=SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts W |website=The South African Rock Encyclopedia |access-date=23 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923133752/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(W).html |archive-date=23 September 2018}}

| 1

{{single chart|Sweden|2|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|5|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=23 July 2013}}
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|2|artist=Kim Wilde|artistid=18818|rowheader=true|access-date=20 November 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|25|artist=Kim Wilde|rowheader=true|access-date=2 July 2017}}
scope="row"|US Cashbox Top 100{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19820828.html|title=Cashbox Top 100 Singles: August 28, 1982|website=Cashbox|access-date=15 July 2021|archive-date=21 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921091019/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19820828.html|url-status=dead}}

| align="center"|20

{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|29|artist=Kim Wilde|rowheader=true|access-date=2 July 2017}}
{{single chart|West Germany|5|songid=737|artist=Kim Wilde|song=Kids in America|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2019}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (1981)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite journal|url=https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1981|journal=Kent Music Report|issue=393|date=4 January 1982|via=Imgur}}

| 10

scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981|title=Jaaroverzichten 1981 – Singles|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=14 September 2020}}

| 14

scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981|language=nl|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=20 November 2020}}

| 29

scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981|publisher=Dutch Charts|language=nl|access-date=28 March 2018}}

| 37

scope="row"| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1981-12-31|title=Top Selling Singles of 1981|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=14 September 2020}}

| 37

scope="row"| South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1981.html|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981|website=The South African Rock Encyclopedia|access-date=28 March 2018}}

| 15

scope="row"| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1981|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1981|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=7 January 2021}}

| 18

scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC){{cite book |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Scaping |chapter=The Top 200 Singles: January–December 1981 |title=BPI Year Book 1982 |edition=5th |location=London |publisher=The British Phonographic Industry Ltd |year=1982 |pages=46–49 |isbn=0-906154-03-0}}

| 23

scope="row"| West Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1981|title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1981|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=28 March 2018}}

| 3

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (1982)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1982/hot-100-songs |title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1982 |magazine=Billboard |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=20 November 2020}}

| 91

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|source=infodisc|salesamount=600,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.top-france.fr/html/annuel/1981.htm|title=TOP – 1981|work=40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles|author=SNEP|editor=Fabrice Ferment|access-date=27 March 2024|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101121114/http://www.top-france.fr/html/annuel/1981.htm|archive-date=1 November 2020|via=Top-France.fr|oclc=469523661}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|source=radioscope|certyear=2022|access-date=11 February 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=South Africa|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|relyear=1981|nosales=true|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|relyear=1981|nosales=true|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|id=3616-3303-1|accessdate=27 March 2024}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|type=single|artist=Kim Wilde|title=Kids in America|nocert=true|salesamount=3,000,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

Notable cover versions

  • First recorded in 1994, American punk rock band Fourth Grade Nothing contributed a cover of the song to the soundtrack for the 1996 film Bio-Dome.https://www.discogs.com/master/1680847-Various-Bio-Dome-Music-From-The-MGM-Original-Motion-Picture/
  • The Muffs contributed a cover of the song to the soundtrack for the 1995 film Clueless.{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/clueless-2/ |title=Music Review: Clueless |last=Smith |first=Ethan |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=18 August 1995}}
  • Len contributed a cover of the song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Digimon: The Movie.{{ cite news | url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1431154/len-takes-on-kids-in-america-for-digimon/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220142659/http://www.mtv.com/news/1431154/len-takes-on-kids-in-america-for-digimon/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=20 December 2016 | title=Len Takes on "Kids in America" for "Digimon" |publisher=MTV News|date=26 July 2000 | access-date=14 March 2022}}
  • Foo Fighters covered the song in their EP Songs from the Laundry Room (2015).{{cite web|date=20 April 2015|title=Hear Foo Fighters Cover Kim Wilde's 'Kids in America'|last=Brodsky|first=Rachel|website=Spin|url=https://www.spin.com/2015/04/foo-fighters-cover-kim-wilde-kids-in-america/}} A clip of it plays during the credit roll of the Seattle, Washington episode of Grohl's Sonic Highways documentary TV series.{{cite web |date=7 April 2016 |title=FooFightersLive.com |url=http://www.foofighterslive.com/2014/11/seattle-episode-of-sonic-highways-reveals-new-dave-grohl-demo-snippets/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407080553/http://www.foofighterslive.com/2014/11/seattle-episode-of-sonic-highways-reveals-new-dave-grohl-demo-snippets/ |archive-date=7 April 2016 |access-date=4 May 2019}} In 2021, Wilde admitted to being a huge fan of the recording and said she'd love to collaborate with frontman Dave Grohl on a new version of the track.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-22|title=Kim Wilde would love to team up with Dave Grohl on new version of 'Kids in America'|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/kim-wilde-dave-grohl-kids-in-america-nirvana-foo-fighters-exclusive/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Retro Pop}}
  • Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day did a cover of the song on his cover album No Fun Mondays (2020).{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/billie-joe-armstrong-covers-kim-wildes-kids-in-america-listen/ |title=Billie Joe Armstrong Covers Kim Wilde's "Kids in America"|website=Pitchfork|date=4 May 2020}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{discogs master|49985}}

{{Kim Wilde}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1980 songs

Category:1981 debut singles

Category:1994 singles

Category:Kim Wilde songs

Category:No Secrets (musical group) songs

Category:Foo Fighters songs

Category:Len (band) songs

Category:Number-one singles in Finland

Category:Number-one singles in South Africa

Category:EMI America Records singles

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:RAK Records singles

Category:Songs about the United States

Category:Songs written by Marty Wilde

Category:Songs written by Ricky Wilde

Category:British power pop songs