Constant Craving
| "Constant Craving" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
| "Constant Craving" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Don't Tell Me Why" |
| "Constant Craving" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "What Goes Around Comes Around" |
"Constant Craving" is a song written by k.d. lang and Ben Mink, and performed by k.d. lang on her album Ingénue.[2] The song first made the charts in 1992, and won her the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1993[3] and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The track also appears on the 2008 compilation album, Northern Songs: Canada's Best and Brightest, which highlights some of Canada's best musicians from a variety of genres.
"Constant Craving" peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached #2 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.[4] In the UK, the song was initially a modest hit when released in 1992, but after being re-released in 1993 in the wake of its American success, it peaked at #15 on the UK Singles Chart in its fourth week.[5]
The music video was filmed in black-and-white. It presents a fanciful recreation of the premiere of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot in Paris, 1953. Here, she is depicted singing backstage while the actors perform. The director, Mark Romanek, says the song's lyrics of desperation and waiting fit well with the themes of Beckett's play.[6] Much to Lang's surprise, the video won Best Female Video at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.
The inspiration for the main chord sequence of the song was the title music for the ERE Informatique game Spidertronic, which Lang had been playing on the Atari ST computer used as a MIDI sequencer in her recording studio around the time of the song's composition. The Rolling Stones used a refrain very similar to that of "Constant Craving" in their 1997 single "Anybody Seen My Baby?." They later gave writing credits on that song to K.D. Lang and Mink, shared with the original authors Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.[citation needed]
Abigail version
12" Vinyl Single released in 1993 by Klone Records
- "Constant Craving" (Vocal Version)
- "Constant Craving" (Instrumental)
- "Don't Tell Me Why" (Vocal Version)
- "Don't Tell Me Why" (Instrumental)
CD Maxi Single released in 1993 by Klone Records
- "Constant Craving" (Radio Version) - 4:06
- "Constant Craving" (Original Mix) - 6:24
- "Constant Craving" (Trade Mix) - 9:34
- "Don't Tell Me Why" - 4:50
12" Vinyl Single released by ZYX Music in 1995 (title was changed to Constant Craving '95)
- "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive Mix) - 8:01
- "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce Mix) - 8:01
- "Constant Craving '95" (Original Mix)
- "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace Mix) - 6:03
CD Maxi Single released in 1995 by ZYX Music
- "Constant Craving '95" (Radio Edit) - 4:04
- "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive Mix) - 8:01
- "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce Mix) - 8:01
- "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace Mix) - 6:03
Cover versions
- Abigail covered the song on her 1994 album, Feel Good.
- Montreal based electropunk band Lesbians on Ecstasy reworked the song as "Kündstant Krøving" on their 2004 album Lesbians on Ecstasy.
- Charlotte Martin has also recorded a cover of the song on her album Reproductions.
- In 2011, the song was featured in the Glee episode "I Kissed a Girl" with vocals by Naya Rivera, Idina Menzel and Chris Colfer.
References
- ^ Flick, Larry (18 May 1996). "Brutally Honest Ngedéocello Says A Mouthful". Billboard. 108 (20). Nielsen Business Media: 26. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Blair Jackson. "Classic Track: “Constant Craving,” k.d. lang" - MixOnline.com - Aug 1, 2013.
- ^ "Past Winners Search | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ Billboard chart info from allmusic.com. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
- ^ UK Singles Chart info from chartstats.com. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
- ^ Director's commentary on The Work of Director Mark Romanek DVD.