news
discography
songs
tours
videos
people
family tree
timeline
press releases
reviews
faq
mailing list
fanzines
site map
links
about
contact

king is white and in the crowd


composers
Words And Music: Simple Minds


publisher
© EMI Music Publishing


background
First demoed at Rockfield in January 1982 (after it emerged during rehersals), King Is White And In The Crowd was the second idea for New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) to be completed. The band first unveiled it as new song during the second leg of the Sons And Fascination tour.

The lyrics were inspired by a TV broadcast of the assassination of Sadat: "There was a thing of beauty in that tragedy. It was a coincidence that it concerned Sadat, it didn't make any difference. I saw it on TV: Sadat was inspecting a parade, some soldiers walk past and suddenly they shoot him like an animal. And the next thing you saw was a close-up of his wife." - Jim.

"We talked about Martin Fry and ABC and debated the value of writing such traditionalist love songs. Kerr explained how the line in King Is White - 'she puts on the film of him' - had been inspired by a film on TV showing her husband's assassination on TV. "There's more to life than another broken heart," says Kerr" - Adam Sweeting.




lyrics
Talking by the pool of light, language from America.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.
They are not a melting pot, say no, say no tapestry.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.

She takes his hand and she says you'll stay.
She's lost in the crowd.
King.

Wire them up, fire them up,
The life and times, the art and talk.
Wire them up, fire them up,
The life and times, the art and talk.

Lovers run camp Africa, bars in town are civilised.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.
Panorama, city life.
Youth's dance proud from the waist down.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.

Shot from where the action is, a rhapsody in black and blue.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.
Love lies under western eyes, powerful yet transient.
She puts on the film of him, king is white and in the crowd.



discography
Album Version (7:00)
Producer: Pete Walsh
Arrangement: Pete Walsh
Engineer: Pete Walsh

New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) LP New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) MC New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) US Promo LP New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) US Limited Edition LP New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) US CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) US Longbox CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Canadian Limited Edition LP New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Yugoslavian LP New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) LP (Virgin Budget Reissue) New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) MC (Virgin Budget Reissue) New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Remaster Promo CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Remaster Limited Edition CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Remaster CD New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) SACD

Session (5:18)
Producer: John Williams
Engineer: Mike Robinson
Recorded: 11th Feb 82
Broadcast: 23rd Feb 82

Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) 7" single Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Limited Edition 7" picture disc Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Limited Edition 7" single Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) 12" single Themes Volume Two Theme Seven: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) CD Theme Seven: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) MC Themes 5-8 Promo CDR Themes Volume One - Five

Live Version (19th Jun 1991) (4:20)
Recorded: Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, USA
Mixed by Simple Minds

Themes 21-24 Promo CDR Themes Volume One - Five Themes Volume Five

Live Version (13th Aug 1991) (4:20)
Recorded: Barrowlands, Glasgow, UK
Producer: Stephen Lipson
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth

Real Live 91 Fanclub CD Silver Box Promo CDR #4 Silver Box

DVD-Audio Extended Mix (7:28)
Producer: Pete Walsh
DVD-Audio Producer: Ronald Prent

New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) DVD-Audio




live history
Sons And Fascination Tour: 1982
New Gold Tour: 1982-1983