"Alive and Kicking" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in September 1985 by Virgin Records as the lead single from their seventh album, Once Upon a Time (1985). The song reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada; it peaked within the top five of several European countries, including Italy, where it reached number one.
Contents
Chart performance
Following on from the success of previous non-album single, "Don't You (Forget About Me)", "Alive and Kicking" was released as a single, reaching number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Top Rock Tracks chart (now called the Mainstream Rock chart). The song also reached number four in Canada. In Europe, the song topped the charts in Italy for one week, reached number two in Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands, and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. In 1992, when re-released as a double A-side with "Love Song" to promote the band's compilation album Glittering Prize 81/92, it managed to reach a new peak of number six. Elsewhere, "Alive and Kicking" reached number five in New Zealand, number 16 in South Africa, and just missed the top 20 in Australia, peaking at number 21.
Music video
The music video for "Alive and Kicking" was filmed near the town of Hunter, at North–South Lake in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. A portion of the video was filmed on the overlook at the site of the old Catskill Mountain House (previously demolished). It was directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński, who directed the video for "All the Things She Said", the third single from the same album.
Track listings
7-inch single
"Alive and Kicking" (single version) (4:47)
"Alive and Kicking" (instrumental version) (6:01)
12-inch single
"Alive and Kicking" (5:26)
"Alive and Kicking" (instrumental version) (6:01)
Second 12-inch single
"Alive and Kicking" (5:26)
"Alive and Kicking" (instrumental version) (6:01)
"Up on the Catwalk" (live) (5:37)
Personnel
Produced by Jimmy Iovine and Bob Clearmountain
Engineered by Moira Marquis and Mark McKenna
Engineering assisted by Martin White
Words and music by Simple Minds (Kerr, Burchill, MacNeil)
"Up on the Catwalk" recorded live at Barrowlands, Glasgow, 5 January 1985
Backing vocals by Robin Clark
Appearances in media
In 1992, "Alive & Kicking" provided the soundtrack for a famous promo, entitled "A whole new ball game" for BSkyB's launch of the FA Premier League.
East Side Beat version
In 1992, Italian dance music group East Side Beat covered "Alive and Kicking". It was produced by Phil Kelsey and released in December by FFRR as a single from their only album, East Side Beat (1992). The song became a top-20 hit in Belgium and the Netherlands. In the UK, it reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. There are five remixes in total. Two versions are found on the 7-inch single and an additional three are on the CD single.