You Little Thief
{{Short description|1985 single by Feargal Sharkey}}
{{Infobox song
| name = You Little Thief
| cover = FeargalSharkeySingleYouLittleThief.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Feargal Sharkey
| album = Feargal Sharkey
| B-side = The Living Actor
| released = {{start date|1985|12|23|df=y}}{{cite magazine |last=Smith |first=Robin |date=21 December 1985 |title=Index: Fearg Single |magazine=Record Mirror |page=3 |issn=0144-5804}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:31
| label = Virgin
| writer = Benmont Tench
| producer = David A. Stewart
| prev_title = A Good Heart
| prev_year = 1985
| next_title = Someone to Somebody
| next_year = 1986
}}
"You Little Thief" is a song by Northern Irish singer Feargal Sharkey, released in December 1985 as the second single from his self-titled debut album. It was written by Benmont Tench and produced by David A. Stewart. The song reached {{abbr|No.|Number}} 5 in the United Kingdom and was a hit in several other countries, including Australia, Belgium, and Ireland.
A music video was filmed to promote the single. The B-side, "The Living Actor", was exclusive to the single. It was written by Anthony Moore and Sharkey, and produced by Sharkey. The extended version of "You Little Thief" was created by Sharkey.
Critical reception
On its release, Dave Henderson of Sounds was critical of the song, writing, "More hits for men with quiffs. Sure, it's crap, with a dreadful melody line and rhythm lifted from many a moon ago, but, what's new?"{{cite magazine |last=Henderson |first=Dave |date=4 January 1986 |title=Singles |magazine=Sounds |page=18}} Armond White at Spin said "the line 'There's no feeling at all' is belted so powerfully that shtick replaces irony" and called it "oily drivel".{{cite magazine| magazine= Spin | title=Spins|author=Armond White| date=April 1986|issue=12|page=41}}
Formats
{{tracklist
| headline = 7-inch single
| extra_column = Written by
| title1 = You Little Thief
| extra1 = Benmont Tench
| length1 = 4:31
| title2 = The Living Actor
| extra2 = Anthony Moore, Feargal Sharkey
| length2 = 3:06
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = 12-inch single
| extra_column = Written by
| title1 = You Little Thief
| note1 = extended version
| extra1 = Tench
| length1 = 5:02
| title2 = The Living Actor
| extra2 = Moore, Sharkey
| length2 = 3:06
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = 12-inch single (alternate release)
| extra_column = Written by
| title1 = You Little Thief
| note1 = extended version
| extra1 = Tench
| length1 = 5:02
| title2 = You Little Thief
| extra2 = Tench
| length2 = 4:31
| title3 = The Living Actor
| extra3 = Moore, Sharkey
| length3 = 3:06
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = 12-inch single (special remix)
| extra_column = Written by
| title1 = You Little Thief
| note1 = extended version
| extra1 = Tench
| length1 = 6:13
| title2 = You Little Thief
| note2 = 7-inch version
| extra2 = Tench
| length2 = 4:31
| title3 = The Living Actor
| extra3 = Moore, Sharkey
| length3 = 3:06
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = CD single
| extra_column = Written by
| title1 = You Little Thief
| note1 = 12-inch version
| extra1 = Tench
| length1 = 5:02
| title2 = Listen to Your Father
| note2 = 12-inch version
| extra2 = Carl Smyth
| length2 = 5:02
| title3 = More Love
| extra3 = Tench
| length3 = 4:24
}}
Personnel
- Feargal Sharkey – lead vocals, producer of "The Living Actor", arranger
- David A. Stewart – producer and arranger on "You Little Thief", arranger on "The Living Actor"
- Shelly Yakus – mixing on "You Little Thief"
- David Rose – guitar on "The Living Actor"
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1986) !Peak |
| scope="row|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=270}}
|4 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|9|artist=Feargal Sharkey|song=You Little Thief|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| scope="row"|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine|title=European Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=3|issue=8|page=13|date=1 March 1986}}
|18 |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=You Little Thief|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|13|year=1986|week=10|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|10|artist=Feargal Sharkey|song=You Little Thief|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|38|artist=Feargal Sharkey|song=You Little Thief|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|27|artist=Feargal Sharkey|song=You Little Thief|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|UK|5|date=19860118|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
| {{single chart|West Germany|30|artist=Feargal Sharkey|song=You Little Thief|songid=1398|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2022}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1986) !Position |
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 650 – 29 December 1986 > National Top 100 Singles for 1986|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur|access-date=16 December 2019}}
|41 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Feargal Sharkey}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Feargal Sharkey songs