Song Instead of a Kiss

"Song Instead of a Kiss" is a ballad by Canadian pop-rock artist Alannah Myles, released as the first single off her second album Rockinghorse. It became her first and only number-one single in Canada, topping the RPM Top Singles chart for four weeks and ending 1992 as Canada's third most-successful single. It also became a top-twenty hit in Finland and Poland but charted weakly in other countries.

"Song Instead of a Kiss"
Single by Alannah Myles
from the album Rockinghorse
ReleasedOctober 18, 1992
GenrePop rock
Length
  • 3:57 (edit)
  • 5:04 (LP version)
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)David Tyson
Alannah Myles singles chronology
"Lover of Mine"
(1990)		 "Song Instead of a Kiss"
(1992)		 "Tumbleweed"
(1992)
Music video
"Song Instead of a Kiss" on YouTube

Background

The song was co-written by Myles, songwriting partner Nancy Simmonds, and noted Canadian poet Robert Priest. The song's lyrics were a poem by Priest that he had sent to Simmonds, a friend of his and through whom he had met Myles. Simmonds and Myles were in Barbados writing Myles' second album, and after days struggling to write, Simmonds showed Myles the poem and, liking it, she immediately sang the melody over it, which Simmonds duly noted with her guitar. Myles had just finished a romantic relationship with Robert Plant and felt the lyrics expressed her feelings and pain about the split.[1]

Atlantic Records were not pleased with the demo they presented them, but Myles and her producer David Tyson decided to carry on working on it nonetheless. Tyson arranged the song, including the notable minute-and-a-half 60-piece orchestrated intro of the song (which was edited out on the single edit), after which Myles cut the final vocals. When they presented the reworked track to Atlantic, they loved it, and, unbeknownst to Myles, sent it to Plant to see if he could duet with her on the song, a move she was furious about.[2] Myles has cited that it is one of her favourite songs from her catalogue.

Release and reception

The song was chosen as the lead single from the Rockinghorse album. While Myles liked the song and found it single-worthy, she was adamant about releasing the uptempo rocker "Our World, Our Times" instead of a ballad as the first single, but was overruled by the record company because they feared the political lyrics of that song would hurt its airplay and chart performance.

The song performed successfully in Myles's native Canada, becoming her first (and so far, only) number-one hit on the pop charts in that country, staying four weeks at number one in November and December 1992. It also topped the Canadian Adult Contemporary charts for one week in November 1992, her second number one on that chart after "Lover of Mine" in 1990. In the United States, however, the record was ignored and did not get much airplay, and wasn't released as a commercial single. Therefore, Myles is seen as a one hit wonder in that country after her number-one hit there with "Black Velvet". In Europe and Australia, the record received airplay but was not a substantial hit, achieving minor chart placings in these regions. In Finland and Poland, however, it reached the top 20.

Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "slow-building power ballad." He added that Myles "offers a strikingly restrained and unaffected vocal, while dramatic synths and acoustic guitars rise and swirl around her. Bodes well for the forthcoming "Rockinghorse" album."[3] Randy Clark from Cashbox called it "another dark and brooding ballad", adding that "this cut is slightly off the rocker without the thumping bass line that pumped her first hit to the top of the charts, this time opting for an acoustically orchestrated backing."[4]

Music video

The stylish music video was directed by Paul Boyd and filmed at Capitol Studios in Hollywood.[5] In it, Myles is seen wearing different veils and shots of her lying in a bed while singing the song, with emphasis on close-ups on her face and her eyes. The setting of the video looks like a padded cell, although it is not explicitly explained.

Awards and accolades

In 1993, the song was nominated for two Juno Awards, for Single of the Year, losing to the Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson duet "Beauty and the Beast", and for Best Producer to David Tyson.[6] The song also received a SOCAN award in Canada, in 1994.[7]

Track listings

7-inch single, cassette single

  1. "Song Instead of a Kiss" (edit) – 4:05
  2. "Rockinghorse" – 3:00

CD single, 12-inch single

  1. "Song Instead of a Kiss" (edit) – 4:05
  2. "Rockinghorse" – 3:00
  3. "Love Is" – 3:39
  4. "Song Instead of a Kiss" (LP version) – 5:04

Promo single

  1. "Song Instead of a Kiss" (edit) – 4:05

Charts

References
  1. "Songwriting 101: A Conversation with Poet, Songwriter, Teacher, Artist Meet Robert Priest". BMI. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. "Song Instead of a Kiss". BMI. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. Flick, Larry (26 September 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 96. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. Clark, Randy (3 October 1992). "Music Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  5. "Song Instead of a Kiss video, with comments by Alannah herself". BMI. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  6. "Juno Awards website". BMI. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  7. "SOCAN Awards list" (PDF). BMI. 5 October 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  8. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015". Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via Imgur.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1868." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  10. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1874." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  11. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  13. "Dutchcharts.nl – Alannah Myles – Song Instead of a Kiss" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  14. "Notowanie nr570" (in Polish). LP3. 15 January 1993. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  15. "UK Singles Chart". BMI. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  16. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56 no. 25. 19 December 2019. p. 8. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  17. "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  18. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  19. "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
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