The Promise You Made

"The Promise You Made" is a song by Peter Kingsbery. Originally written for Kingsbery's band Cock Robin, the song was recorded in 1984 for the group's self-titled debut album. It was released as a single in the USA in November 1985, and in early 1986 in Europe where it became a big hit.

"The Promise You Made"
Single by Cock Robin
from the album Cock Robin
B-side	"Have You Any Sympathy?"
Released	February 14, 1986
Recorded	1984
Genre	Pop rock, new wave[1]
Length	3:54 6:36 (Extended version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Peter Kingsbery
Producer(s)	Steve Hillage
Cock Robin singles chronology
"When Your Heart Is Weak" (1985) "The Promise You Made" (1986) "Thought You Were On My Side" (1986)
Music video
"The Promise You Made" on YouTube

Cock Robin version

Music video

The video opens with an old woman stroking her dog; she then comes upon some passers-by and Peter Kingsbery enters the recording studio. As Kingsbery starts singing, people mill around the entrance to the studio and other members of the band also arrive inside and set up the instruments, with Anna LaCazio joining Kingsbery singing. As a fruit stand is knocked over outside, the last band member goes into the studio. In no time all the instruments are in place. Most of the video is made up of fade-outs, alternating the scenes inside the studio showing the band with images of the members of the public outside the studio entrance. The clip ends with pictures of Kingsbery and Anna LaCazio leaving the studio together.[2]

Track listings

All songs written and composed by Peter Kingsbery.

7" vinyl single

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Promise You Made"	3:52

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Have You Any Sympathy?"	4:10

12" vinyl single

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Promise You Made" (Extended version)	6:36

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Promise You Made"	3:52
2.	"Have You Any Sympathy?"	4:10

Chart performance

Peak positions Chart (1986) Peak position Belgian BRT Top 30 Singles Chart (Flanders)[3] 1 Dutch GfK chart[4] 2 Dutch Top 40[5] 1 French Singles Chart[6] 4 German Singles Chart[7] 6 Irish Singles Chart[8] 11 Italian Singles Chart[9] 18 Swiss Singles Chart[10] 7 UK Singles Chart[11] 28

End of year charts End of year chart (1986) Position Dutch Top 40[12] 8 Certifications Country Certification Date Sales certified The Netherlands (NVPI)[13] Gold 1986 40,000 France (SNEP) Gold 1986 500,000

Chris Roberts version

"Ich will nicht, daß wir uns verlier'n"
Single by Chris Roberts feat. Claudia Roberts
from the album Vergiß Die Liebe Nicht! / Best of Chris Roberts
Released	November 13, 1997
Recorded	December 1996
Genre	Schlager
Length	3:57
Label	Jupiter Records
Songwriter(s)	Peter Kingsbery, Chris Roberts
Producer(s)	Chris Roberts
Chris Roberts feat. Claudia Roberts singles chronology
"Ich vermiss dich" (1986) "Ich will nicht, daß wir uns verlier'n" (1997) "Wenn du fühlst, was ich fühl" (1986)

In 1997, Chris Roberts recorded a German-language version with his wife, Claudia Roberts, titled "Ich will nicht, daß wir uns verlier'n", following their marriage. A version was also recorded in the original English language, but was never published.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ich will nicht, daß wir uns verlier'n"	Peter Kingsbery, Chris Roberts	3:57

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
2.	"Du kannst nicht immer 17 sein"	Chris Roberts	3:15

Kate Ryan cover version

"La Promesse" / "The Promise You Made"
Single by Kate Ryan
from the album Stronger
B-side	"Can You Fix This"
Released	2004
Genre	Trance
Length	3:28
Label	Antler-Subway, EMI
Songwriter(s)	Peter Kingsbery French lyrics by Jo Lemaire
Producer(s)	Phil Wilde & A. J. Duncan
Kate Ryan singles chronology
"Only If I" (2004) "La Promesse" / "The Promise You Made" (2004) "Goodbye" (2004)

A cover version of "The Promise You Made", together with a French-language version, "La Promesse", were released as a 2004 single by Belgian singer Kate Ryan. The French lyrics were written by Jo Lemaire. The single was released in the U.S. on September 13, 2005, where it reached #13 in the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales.[14]

Track listings

CD single

• Belgium: Antler-Subway, EMI / AS 9108, AS 9111 (Promo)
• Spain: Vale Music / VLDP 288-6 (Promo)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"La Promesse"	3:28
2.	"The Promise You Made"	3:28

• Belgium: Antler-Subway, EMI / AS 9112

No.	Title	Length
1.	"La Promesse" (Radio version)	3:28
2.	"The Promise You Made" (Radio version)	3:28
3.	"La Promesse" (Extended)	6:00
4.	"The Promise You Made" (Extended)	6:00
5.	"Can You Fix This"	4:06

• Germany: Sushi Tunes / 0010132MIN

No.	Title	Length
1.	"La Promesse" (Radio version)	3:28
2.	"The Promise You Made" (Radio version)	3:28
3.	"La Promesse" (Alternative Radio Version)	3:28
4.	"The Promise You Made" (Alternative Radio Version)	3:28
5.	"La Promesse" (Extended version)	6:00
6.	"The Promise You Made" (Extended version)	6:00
7.	"Can You Fix This"	4:06
8.	"La Promesse" (Video)	3:28

• U.S.: Water Music Dance / 302 060 569 2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Promise You Made" (Radio Version)	3:26
2.	"The Promise You Made" (Bermudez & Harris Pinky Swear Mix - Radio Edit)	3:32
3.	"The Promise You Made" (Extended Version)	5:59
4.	"The Promise You Made" (Bermudez & Harris Pinky Swear Mix)	9:25
5.	"The Promise You Made" (Guitar Mix)	3:27
6.	"La Promesse" (Radio Edit)	3:26
7.	"La Promesse" (Extended Version)	5:58
8.	"The Promise You Made" (Video)	3:28

12" vinyl single

• Belgium: EMI / 549498 6
• Germany: Sushi Tunes / Sushitunes015 (Promo)

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Promise You Made" (Extended version)	6:00

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"La Promesse" (Extended version)	6:00

Chart performance

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart[15]	21
Belgian (Flanders) Ultratop Singles Chart[16]	8
Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop Singles Chart[17]	35
German Singles Chart[7]	19
Hungarian Airplay Chart[18]	16
Polish Airplay Chart[19]	5
Spanish Singles Chart	12
Swiss Singles Chart[15]	50
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales[14]	13

Other versions

In 2008 Julio Iglesias Jr. sang a Spanish-language version of this song with the name: "Promete decir la verdad".

References

1. "New Wave Hits of the 80s". 1 March 2007.
2. "maxdome - Video on Demand". store.maxdome.de.
3. "www.ultratop.be/nl - Cock Robin - The Promise You Made" (in Dutch). Retrieved December 15, 2013.
4. "dutchcharts.nl - Cock Robin - The Promise You Made" (in Dutch). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
5. "Nederlandse Top 40 - week 12, 1986" (in Dutch). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
6. "lescharts.com - Cock Robin - The Promise You Made". Retrieved June 25, 2009. (in French)
7. "charts-surfer.de search results" (in German). Retrieved July 9, 2008.
8. "irishcharts.ie search results". Retrieved June 25, 2009.
9. "HPI - Settimana del 19/04/86" (in Italian). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
10. "Cock Robin - The Promise You Made - hitparade.ch" (in German). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
11. "The Official Charts Company - Cock Robin - The Promise You Made". Retrieved June 25, 2009.
12. "Single top 100 over 1986" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
13. "Search results" (in Dutch). NVPI. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
14. "allmusic ((( Kate Ryan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Retrieved June 25, 2009.
15. 1987 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
16. "ultratop.be (Flanders) - Kate Ryan - The Promise You Made / La promesse" (in Dutch). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
17. "ultratop.be (Wallonia) - Kate Ryan - The Promise You Made / La promesse" (in French). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
18. "Hungarian Airplay Chart". Mahasz.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
19. "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 38/2004" (in Polish). PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2019.