Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith; 18 November 1960) is an English pop singer, author, DJ and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with her debut single "Kids in America", which reached number two in the UK. In 1983, she received the Brit Award for Best British Female. In 1986, she had a UK number two hit with her version of the Supremes' song "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which also went on to be a major US hit, topping the charts there in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, she had 25 singles reach the Top 50 of the UK singles chart. Her other hits include "Chequered Love" (1981), "You Came" (1988) and "Never Trust a Stranger" (1988). In 2003, she collaborated with Nena on the song "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", which topped the Dutch charts.

Worldwide, she has sold over 10 million albums and 20 million singles. Starting in 1998, while still active in music, she has branched into an alternative career as a landscape gardener.

Early life

The eldest child of 1950s rock 'n' roller Marty Wilde (birth name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, who had been a member of the singing and dancing group the Vernons Girls, Kim Smith was born in the West London suburb of Chiswick and attended Oakfield Preparatory School, in the Southeast London area of Dulwich. When she was nine, the family moved to Hertfordshire, where she was educated at Tewin and later Presdales School in Ware. In 1980, at age 20, she completed a foundation course at St Albans College of Art & Design. Kim Wilde, was signed to RAK Records by Mickie Most.

Kim Wilde (album)

Kim Wilde is the eponymous debut studio album by British singer Kim Wilde, released in June 29, 1981 via RAK label.

Overview

The songs on the album were all written by Kim's father and successful 50s rock and roll singer Marty Wilde and by her younger brother Ricky Wilde and most of the music was played by the then current line-up of the symphonic rock band The Enid. Production duties were fulfilled by Ricky Wilde. The cover portraits were taken by renowned British photographer Gered Mankowitz.

Musically, the album was mainly new wave and rock-oriented, but it also featured a reggae track ("Everything We Know") and a brass section appeared on "2-6-5-8-0". Lyrically, Marty Wilde included love songs and also a song ("Water on Glass") about tinnitus (a medical condition that causes ringing in the ears), a song about the deterioration of inner cities ("Our Town") and a song about a theory that sound is alive ("Tuning in Tuning On").

The album entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 10, moving into the Top 3 the next week; the album was certified Gold by the BPI for sales exceeding 100,000 copies. During promotion, Kim's band consisted of Ricky Wilde, James Stevenson and later boyfriend Calvin Hayes, who also appeared on the sleeve of the album. Kim later commented that, at that time in the industry, it was passé for a female to attempt to launch a serious career in pop music on her own, and that the backing band had been shown on the sleeve to give credibility to the album. Still, she was accused of trying to copy the allure of US band Blondie. The album was released in North America on 6 April 1982, reaching No. 86 in the US and No. 42 in Canada.

Who Do You Think You Are (Kim Wilde song)

"Who Do You Think You Are" is the third single from Love Is, the 1992 album by Kim Wilde.

The previous single, "Heart Over Mind" had only been released in the UK, making this the second international single. The lyrics were written by Wilde and apparently are about herself (but rumours have said it's about Madonna).

The song was remixed from its original album form for its release, and several longer remixes were found on the 12" and CD-single formats. A remix of "Try Again" from the Love Is album was used as the B-side in the UK, while other countries used "I've Found a Reason", an exclusive non-album track, previously used as the B-side to "Heart Over Mind". A remix of "Heart Over Mind" also appeared on the UK CD-single.

Track listing

7": MCA / KIM 17 (UK)

CD: MCA / KIMTD 17 (UK)