Square Rooms
| "Square Rooms" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Al Corley | ||||
| from the album Square Rooms | ||||
| Released | September 9, 1984 | |||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | 1984 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop, Europop, New Wave | |||
| Length | 3:40 | |||
| Label | Mercury Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Harold Faltermeyer, Al Corley, Peter John Woods | |||
| Producer | Harold Faltermeyer | |||
| Al Corley singles chronology | ||||
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"Square Rooms" is a Europop song recorded by American singer, actor and producer Al Corley. It was the first single from his album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
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[edit] Background and writing
After two seasons playing one of the first gay leading characters an American TV series, Dynasty, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor. It was produced and composed by the German musician Harold Faltermeyer, who had previously arranged "Self Control", a worldwide pop and dance-floor smash for Laura Branigan in 1984 which featured a similar vocal hook. Faltermeyer would achieve his greatest personal success later the same year, composing, performing and producing the score to Beverly Hills Cop, a 1984 film directed by Martin Brest, including its hit instrumental theme, "Axel F".[1]
[edit] Chart performances
"Square Rooms" was released first in Switzerland, where it was a hit, peaking at number six on October 21, 1984, and staying in the top 30 for ten weeks.[2] The single debuted at number 47 in the French Singles Chart on January 5, 1985. It climbed quickly and was number one for five nonconsecutive weeks, from March 9 to April 13, 1985. After its peak, it lingered on the charts until its 27th week, on July 20, 1985.[3] The song also achieved success in Italy (number 12), Germany (number 13) and Austria where it reached number 15 in April 1985.[4] "Square Rooms" was released last in Corley's native U.S., where the single was only a minor pop hit, reaching number 80 on the Hot 100 on June 1, 1985. American dancefloors were more receptive than its airwaves; Corley reached number 26 on the Billboard Dance/Disco chart the week of June 22, 1985.[5]
A French cover was recorded by France Lise under the title "On vit à deux".[6]
[edit] Formats and track listings
- 7" single
- "Square Rooms" — 3:40
- "Don't Play With Me" — 4:20
- 12" maxi
- "Square Rooms" (long version) — 8:02
- "Square Rooms" (single version) — 3:40
- "Don't Play With Me" — 4:20
- The 12-inch (long) version includes an entire additional verse prior to the first chorus. This verse is excised in both the single and album versions of the song.
[edit] Charts
[edit] Peak positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Singles Chart[2] | 6 |
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart[4] | 15 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 13 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart[3] | 1 |
| German Singles Chart[7] | 13 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] | 80 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Play Chart[5] | 26 |
[edit] Chart successions
| Preceded by "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. "Johnny, Johnny" by Jeanne Mas |
French SNEP number one single March 9, 1985 – March 23, 1985 April 6, 1985 – April 13, 1985 |
Succeeded by "Johnny, Johnny" by Jeanne Mas |
[edit] References
- ^ Habib, Elia (2002) (in French). Muz hit.tubes. Alinéa Bis. p. 35. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
- ^ a b "Al Corley — "Square Rooms", Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). hitparade. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Al+Corley&titel=Square+Rooms&cat=s. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
- ^ a b "Al Corley — "Square Rooms", French Singles Chart" (in French). lescharts. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Al+Corley&titel=Square+Rooms&cat=s. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
- ^ a b "Al Corley — "Square Rooms", Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). austriancharts. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Al+Corley&titel=Square+Rooms&cat=s. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Al Corley — Billboard Singles". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-corley-p23252/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ Lemonier, Marc (2008) (in French). Nos années Top, clips et 45 tours: 1984-1991. pp. 31,32. ISBN 225807648X.
- ^ "Chartverfolgung / Al Corley / Single" (in German). musicline. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Al+Corley/single. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
