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I Was Made for Lovin' You

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Not to be confused with I Was Made to Love You or I Was Made for Loving You (Tori Kelly song).
"I Was Made for Lovin' You"
Single by Kiss
from the album Dynasty
B-side"Hard Times"
ReleasedMay 1979 (1979-05)
StudioElectric Lady Studios, Record Plant Studios, New York City
Genre
Length4:01 (7-inch/video)
7:54 (12-inch)
4:30 (album)
4:18 (Killers version)
LabelCasablanca
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Vini Poncia
Kiss singles chronology
"You Still Matter to Me"
(1978) 		"I Was Made for Lovin' You"
(1979) 		"Sure Know Something"
(1979)
Music video
"I Was Made for Lovin' You" on YouTube

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1979 album, Dynasty. It was released as the A-side of their first single from the album, with "Hard Times" as the B-side.

History

The song was one of the band's few singles to chart in the UK in the 1970s, though peaking only at No. 50, where a 7 min 54 sec version was released on 12" single in addition to the shorter 7" version. The song has become a permanent staple in Kiss's live performances.[3] The band's performance of the song at their 30th anniversary show in Melbourne, Australia, was accompanied by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, who wore Kiss-style makeup with their tuxedos.[4] At first Desmond Child said, "Paul wanted to write a good disco song and I decided to help him with that. Paul started to write lyrics and chords then I played the song on the guitar and said 'OK, we'll do something to improve this and make it really a good song.'"

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" draws heavily from the disco style that was popular in late-1970s United States. According to legend, the members of the band were in conflict with their producers, who wanted the band to shift to a more commercial sound. In response, the band argued that lucrative disco songs could be written by anyone in a short time frame. The story goes that the song's demo was completed in mere hours after the bet.

While the story is unproven, Paul Stanley, who co-wrote the song with Desmond Child and Vini Poncia, has stated that it was a conscious effort on his part to prove how easy it was to write and record a hit disco song.[5] Child confirms that he and Stanley wrote the verses together in an hour at SIR Studios, while the "Motown-influenced" chorus was penned by Stanley and Poncia after Child had left the studio.[6] Gene Simmons revealed in a 2018 interview that he always disliked the song because of his vocal part.[7]

Although Peter Criss appears in the video and on the album cover, he did not actually play on the track. As with most of the Dynasty album, session drummer Anton Fig took his place, as Poncia had deemed Criss unfit to play. There is a bootleg audio recording of the writing sessions for the song in which Stanley mentions Criss's name a couple of times, indicating he was present during the arranging of the song.[5] Stanley plays the rhythm guitar and bass guitar while Frehley provided the guitar solo. "The Return of KISS" was how Dynasty was billed in commercials and advertisements for the album.

Release

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" was Kiss's first songwriting collaboration with Desmond Child, who also wrote songs for the albums Animalize, Asylum, Crazy Nights, Smashes, Thrashes & Hits, and Hot in the Shade.[8] While not as drastic as the 1979 "Radio Single Mix", the length of the song is edited by some eleven seconds down to 4 minutes and 16 seconds. Like the 1979 edit, the beginning measures of the song are reduced from four to two and the harmonizing following the guitar solo is halved.

The music video of "I Was Made for Lovin' You" was filmed on June 20, 1979, in the Savannah Civic Center in Savannah, Georgia, and was directed by John Goodhue.[9] After the show was canceled,[10] it was decided to use the already completed stage to film two videos. A promotional video was shot featuring the song performed on the Dynasty stage set, consisting simply of the band performing the song. The music video on YouTube has more than 450 million views.[11] It was not included in the "Kissology" DVD series.

The B-side of the single is the album track "Hard Times", which was written by Ace Frehley.[12]

Reception

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" was the band's second Gold single, selling over 1 million copies. The single was certified Gold in the U.S. on August 16, 1979,[13] and in Canada on August 1, 1979.[14]

The single reached No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard singles chart and No. 1 in the Canadian RPM National singles chart (the band's second chart-topping single in that country, following "Shout It Out Loud"). It further became a hit in Australia reaching No. 2 on the ARIA charts in 1979. It also charted in Western Europe: it became a top 20 hit in Sweden, a top 10 hit in Norway, and made it to the number 2 position in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In the Netherlands it was a No. 1. In the UK it stalled at number 50.

Billboard Magazine described "I Was Made for Lovin' You" as a "catchy song" which is more melodic than previous Kiss efforts and that incorporates some disco influence and "heavy guitars."[15]

Some Kiss fans dismissed it as a sell-out, with Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke writing, "The Kiss army is going to mutiny when they hear 'I Was Made for Lovin’ You,' the disco-infected leadoff track on the Masked Marvels’ latest album. They'll demand to know why their heroes, after years of rallying the troops into battle against disco and other threatening schlock, have turned tail and joined forces with uptown popsters like producer Vini Poncia (whose soft-rock credentials include LPs by Ringo Starr and Melissa Manchester) and singer/tunesmith Desmond Child (who cowrote the offending song with Kiss’ Paul Stanley)."[16] Lance Tawzer, curator of a museum exhibit chronicling the infamous Disco Demolition Night riot of 1979, suggested this song may have helped inspire that event, telling the Chicago Tribune, "That's Kiss' disco song, 'I Was Made for Lovin' You... That's the moment when they jumped that shark."[17]

Despite the backlash, the song has become a concert staple over the years, with a different arrangement that de-emphasizes the song's disco elements. Gene Simmons[18] has stated that "I Was Made for Lovin' You" is his least favorite Kiss song, and Ace Frehley[19][20] and Peter Criss[20] have also indicated that they dislike the song.

Chart performance

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[47] Gold 75,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[48] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[49] Platinum 50,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[50]
Digital single 		Gold 100,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[51] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[53] Gold 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Scooter version

"I Was Made for Lovin' You"
Single by Scooter
from the album No Time to Chill
A-side"We Are the Greatest"
Released21 September 1998 (Germany)
RecordedLoop D.C. Studio 1, Hamburg, 1998
Length3:28
LabelClub Tools
Songwriter(s)Paul Stanley
Desmond Child
Vini Poncia
Scooter singles chronology
"How Much Is the Fish?"
(1998) 		"I Was Made for Lovin' You" / "We Are the Greatest"
(1998) 		"Call Me Mañana"
(1999)

A cover version of the song by German group Scooter. This cover was released as a double a-side with "We Are the Greatest" on 21 September 1998.

Track listing

  • CD single
  1. "We Are the Greatest" (3:27)
  2. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" (3:32)
  3. "We Are the Greatest" (Extended) (4:35)
  4. "Greatest Beats" (3:05)
  • 12-inch maxi-single
  1. "We Are the Greatest" (Extended) (4:35)
  2. "We Are the Greatest" (3:27)
  3. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" (3:32)


Chart performance

Chart (1998–1999) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[54]
Double A-side with "We Are the Greatest" 		36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[55]
Double A-side with "We Are the Greatest" 		50
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[56]
Double A-side with "We Are the Greatest" 		98
Germany (GfK)[57]
Double A-side with "We Are the Greatest" 		26
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[58]
Double A-side with "We Are the Greatest" 		45

Other notable versions

American boy band Menudo covered the song in Spanish as "Fui Hecho Para Amarte" on their Xanadu album during 1981, the cover was also appeared on their first film, 1981's Menudo: La Pelicula.[59]

Paulina Rubio

Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio recorded the song with producer Brian Rawling for her sixth studio album, Border Girl, in 2002 at Soundtrack Studios in New York.

Rubio's version received positive reviews from critics. While reviewing Border Girl, Jose F. Promis of AllMusic selected the song as highlights, describing "almost unbelievably" as emblematic original version.[60] MTV Asia declared "Gene Simmons and company would have died to have a groupie like her,"[61] while Rolling Stone saying, Rubio's version "replacing that song's roller coaster vocal howls with Rubio's sensuous purr and a dumbed-down dance beat."[62]

Rubio's first performed the song on the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica. As well, performed the song on her Amor, Luz y Sonido Tour in 2007.[63]

Oliver Heldens, VINAI & Le Pedre

Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens reworked the song with vocals provided by Nile Rodgers and British vocal group House Gospel Choir (HGC).[64]

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b Donald A. Guarisco. "I Was Made for Lovin' You review on Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 1 July 2013. "This careful balance of elements made "I Was Made For Lovin’ You" a surprisingly workable cross between hard rock and disco"
  2. ^ Scott Floman. "KISS". Retrieved 1 July 2013. "many older fans were further alienated by "I Was Made For Loving You," a smash disco hit that while catchy and danceable certainly wasn't very KISS-like."
  3. ^ "Kiss Budokan Hall Japan 1988 – I Was Made For Lovin' You". YouTube. 2007-09-14. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  4. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-10-15.[dead YouTube link]
  5. ^ a b Leaf, David and Ken Sharp. KISS: Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography, Warner Books, 2003. ISBN 0-446-53073-5
  6. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (2022). KISS - Den sista dynastin. Alex Bergdahl. ISBN 978-91-987448-0-4. OCLC 1317823645.
  7. ^ Krol, Charlotte (2018-10-18). "Gene Simmons reveals why he hates KISS' classic song 'I Was Made For Lovin' You'". NME. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  8. ^ C.K. Lendt, Kiss and Sell: The Making of a Supergroup (1997), Billboard Books
  9. ^ "Kiss: I Was Made for Lovin' You (1979)", iMDb
  10. ^ Jeff Suhs; Curt Gooch, Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History (2002), Billboard Books
  11. ^ "Kiss - I Was Made For Lovin' You", YouTube, June 13, 2019
  12. ^ Goldmine Records and Prices (2004), Krause Publications.
  13. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
  14. ^ "CRIA certified awards". Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
  15. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. May 26, 1978. p. 87. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  16. ^ "Rolling Stone: (Album Reviews) "Dynasty" by David Fricke". August 23, 1979.
  17. ^ Steve Johnson (June 28, 2017). "Disco Demolition is now a museum show". Chicago Tribune.
  18. ^ Madden, Casey. "Find Out What KISS Song Gene Simmons Hates Playing!". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  19. ^ Gostin, Nicki (2 November 2011). "Ace Frehley 'No Regrets': KISS Member Talks Rocker Lifestyle, Gene Simmons' Crabs In New Memoir". Huffington Post. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  20. ^ a b Epstein, Dan (26 March 2014). "Comparing the Original Kiss Members' Memoirs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  21. ^ Smith, Danyel, ed. (1979). "Billboard 6 October 1979". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  22. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  23. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  24. ^ "I was made for lovin' you in Canadian Disco Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  25. ^ "I was made for lovin' you in Canadian Top Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  26. ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. 1979-07-06. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  27. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – KISS" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  28. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  29. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You". Top 40 Singles.
  30. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You". VG-lista.
  31. ^ Samson, John. "I was made for lovin' you in South African Chart". Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  32. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You". Singles Top 100.
  33. ^ "KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  34. ^ "KISS". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  35. ^ Billboard Singles peaks for Dynasty at AllMusic
  36. ^ "KISS awards on Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  37. ^ "Top 100 1979-08-11". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-03-19.
  38. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – KISS – I Was Made For Lovin' You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  39. ^ "Forum - 1979 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
  40. ^ "Archived copy". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  41. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979". Top40.nl. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  42. ^ "End of Year Charts 1979". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  43. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1979". Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  44. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1979 - hitparade.ch". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  46. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1979". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  47. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Loving You". Music Canada.
  48. ^ "Danish single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Loving You". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  49. ^ "Italian single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Lovin' You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved August 12, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "I Was Made for Lovin' You" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  50. ^ "Japanese digital single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Lovin' You" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved January 25, 2020. Select 2016年11月 on the drop-down menu
  51. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Lovin' You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 24, 2018. Enter I Was Made for Lovin' You in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1980 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  52. ^ "British single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Lovin' You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  53. ^ "American single certifications – Kiss – I Was Made for Loving You". Recording Industry Association of America.
  54. ^ "Scooter – We Are The Greatest" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  55. ^ "Scooter – We Are The Greatest / I Was Made For Lovin' You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  56. ^ "Scooter – We Are The Greatest" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  57. ^ "Scooter – We Are the Greatest / I Was Made for Lovin' You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  58. ^ "Scooter – We Are The Greatest". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  59. ^ Caferri, Agustina. "Aunque no lo creas Menudo hizo un cover de KISS y es sensacional". BuzzFeed.com. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  60. ^ Promis, Jose F.. I Was Made for Lovin' You at AllMusic
  61. ^ Jon, Ng. "Paulina Rubio: Border Girl (Universal)". MTV Asia. Archived from the original on December 18, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2002.
  62. ^ Micallef, Ken (June 25, 2002). "Paulina Rubio: Border Girl : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-06-17. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
  63. ^ "Paulina Rubio: Passion-packed pop". The News-Times. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  64. ^ "Oliver Heldens Collaborates with Nile Rodgers and Gospel Choir on 'I Was Made for Lovin' You'". 6 May 2022.
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