Kiss and Not Tell

{{Infobox song

| name = Kiss and Not Tell

| cover = La Roux - Kiss and Not Tell.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = La Roux

| album = Trouble in Paradise

| B-side = Tropical Chancer

| released = {{Start date|2014|10|20|df=yes}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Electro{{cite web |last=Staples |first=Derek |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/07/album-review-la-roux-trouble-in-paradise/ |title=La Roux – Trouble in Paradise |work=Consequence of Sound |date=21 July 2014 |accessdate=10 July 2017}}

| length = {{duration|m=3|s=53}}

| label = Polydor

| writer = {{hlist|Elly Jackson|Ian Sherwin|Ben Langmaid|Darren Berry}}

| producer = {{hlist|Ian Sherwin|Elly Jackson}}

| prev_title = Uptight Downtown

| prev_year = 2014

| next_title = The Best of It

| next_year = 2018

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|D8axiZqKkcw|"Kiss and Not Tell"}}}}

}}

"Kiss and Not Tell" is a song by English singer Elly Jackson, known professionally as La Roux, from her second studio album, Trouble in Paradise (2014). It was written and produced by Jackson and Ian Sherwin, with additional writing from Ben Langmaid and Darren Berry. The song was released as the album's second and final single on 20 October 2014. La Roux performed the track on Live with Kelly and Michael on 10 July 2014, as well as throughout the Trouble in Paradise tour. "Kiss and Not Tell" was La Roux's first single to fail to enter the UK Singles Chart, instead reaching number 53 on the UK Physical Singles Chart.

Background

Elly Jackson has revealed that the song's lyrics are about a "feeling of when you're in a relationship and you both know the problems you might come up against maybe five years or 10 years into the relationship, but you choose to ignore them. [...] It's about all those secrets that you have that you both know about".{{cite web |last=Ugwu |first=Reggie |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/reggieugwu/la-roux-trouble-in-paradise |title=6 True Stories That Inspired La Roux's New Album |publisher=BuzzFeed |date=9 July 2014 |accessdate=5 September 2014}}

Jackson premiered "Kiss and Not Tell" at a concert in Brighton on 28 March 2013, along with three other songs that would eventually make it onto Trouble in Paradise: "Uptight Downtown", "Sexotheque" and "Tropical Chancer".{{cite web |url=https://www.popjustice.com/briefing/la-rouxs-in-full-on-get-on-with-it-mode-and-about-time-too-to-be-honest/112377/ |title=La Roux's in full-on Get On With It mode, and about time too to be honest |publisher=Popjustice |date=29 March 2013 |accessdate=20 July 2014}}{{cite web |last=Williott |first=Carl |url=http://www.idolator.com/7449983/la-roux-new-music-tropical-chancer-live-video |title=Remember La Roux? They're Back!: Watch Elly Jackson Perform 4 New Songs |publisher=Idolator |date=2 April 2013 |accessdate=20 July 2014}} She announced "Kiss and Not Tell" as the next single on her Instagram page on 2 September 2014, simultaneously revealing the cover art.{{cite web |author=La Roux |author-link=La Roux |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/sc8SkfQ8J-/ |title=LA ROUX on Instagram: "Next Single || #KissAndNotTell" |date=2 September 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017 |via=Instagram}} The single was released on 20 October exclusively as a seven-inch vinyl single with "Tropical Chancer" as its B-side. A remix of the song was uploaded onto YouTube on 17 November, however, without crediting a specific author or stating the name of the remix.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BgeEldXeZI |title=La Roux – Kiss And Not Tell (Remix) |publisher=YouTube |date=17 November 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017}}

Critical reception

The song was met with positive reviews from music critics. Heather Phares picked it as one of the standout tracks in her AllMusic review.{{cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/trouble-in-paradise-mw0002673140 |title=Trouble in Paradise – La Roux |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=23 July 2014}} Billboard{{'}}s Jason Lipshutz called the song an "effervescent treat".{{cite magazine |last=Lipshutz |first=Jason |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6175635/la-roux-trouble-in-paradise-album-review |title=La Roux Finds Peace on 'Trouble In Paradise': Track-By-Track Review |magazine=Billboard |date=22 July 2014 |accessdate=24 July 2014}}

Music video

The music video for "Kiss and Not Tell" was directed by Alexander Brown{{cite web |last=Walker |first=John |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1923783/la-roux-kiss-and-not-tell-video/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140911110828/http://www.mtv.com/news/1923783/la-roux-kiss-and-not-tell-video/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2014 |title=We Called La Roux's Faux Phone-Sex Hotline |publisher=MTV News |date=8 September 2014 |accessdate=10 September 2014}} and premiered on 7 September 2014. Designed as a 1980s TV advert for phone sex hotline, it pictures Jackson as a recipient for the calls.{{cite web |last=Rettig |first=James |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1703572/la-roux-kiss-and-not-tell-video/video/ |title=La Roux – "Kiss And Not Tell" Video |publisher=Stereogum |date=8 September 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017}}{{cite web |last=Davidson |first=Amy |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/music-videos/a595188/la-roux-channels-adult-chat-line-in-new-kiss-and-not-tell-video/ |title=La Roux channels adult chat line in new 'Kiss And Not Tell' video |work=Digital Spy |date=8 September 2014 |accessdate=19 April 2019}} Upon dialing, the phone number advertised in the video directed to the pre-recorded voice message from Jackson: "You're through to the 'Kiss and Not Tell' hotline. Press 1 to get down. Press 2 to leave a cheeky message. Be careful what you say – these recordings can and will be shared". The hotline was also advertised on promotional stickers distributed in London's Soho area in autumn 2014.{{cite tweet |last=Zaremba |first=Mat |user=MatZaremba |number=511260230609817600 |title=Love the promo campaign for @larouxofficial new single! Call 01557280014 for #KissandNotTell hotline now! It's free! |date=14 September 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/tN5GGtw8MF/ |title=LA ROUX on Instagram: "@richardchapman good find ☎️" |date=21 September 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017 |via=Instagram}}

Track listing

7-inch single{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/La-Roux-Kiss-And-Not-Tell/release/6198616 |title=La Roux – Kiss And Not Tell (Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs |accessdate=9 July 2017}}

:A. "Kiss and Not Tell" – 3:51

:B. "Tropical Chancer" – 3:29

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Trouble in Paradise.{{cite AV media notes |title=Trouble in Paradise |type=liner notes |others=La Roux |publisher=Polydor Records |year=2014 |id=2094302}}

Ian Sherwin – production, engineering, bass guitar, drum programming, mixing
Elly Jackson – production, vocals, guitar, synth bass, keyboards, percussion, mixing
Ben Langmaid – engineering
Darren Berry – drum machine
Chilly Gonzales – piano, Hammond organ
Alan Moulder – mixing
John Catlin – mixing assistance
Caesar Edmunds – mixing assistance
John Dent – mastering

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+Weekly chart performance for "Kiss and Not Tell" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Flanders Tip\|26\|artist=La Roux\|song=Kiss and Not Tell\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=9 July 2017}}
scope="row"\| UK Physical Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite web \|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20141102/1/ \|title=Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100 \|publisher=Official Charts Company \|date=2 November 2014 \|accessdate=9 July 2017}} \| 53

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Kiss and Not Tell"

! scope="col"| Chart (2014)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Flanders Tip|26|artist=La Roux|song=Kiss and Not Tell|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2017}}

scope="row"| UK Physical Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20141102/1/ |title=Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100 |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=2 November 2014 |accessdate=9 July 2017}}

| 53

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+Release dates for "Kiss and Not Tell" ! scope="col"\| Region ! scope="col"\| Date ! scope="col"\| Format ! scope="col"\| Label ! scope="col"\| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\| United Kingdom \| 20 October 2014 \| 7-inch single \| Polydor \| align="center"\| {{cite web \|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Not-Tell-7-VINYL/dp/B00NN2EMEW \|title=Kiss And Not Tell [7" VINYL]: La Roux \|publisher=Amazon \|accessdate=19 April 2019}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release dates for "Kiss and Not Tell"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format

! scope="col"| Label

! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"| United Kingdom

| 20 October 2014

| 7-inch single

| Polydor

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Not-Tell-7-VINYL/dp/B00NN2EMEW |title=Kiss And Not Tell [7" VINYL]: La Roux |publisher=Amazon |accessdate=19 April 2019}}

References

Category:Songs about kissing

Category:2014 singles

Category:2014 songs

Category:La Roux songs

Category:Polydor Records singles