King of Pain
Encyclopedia
"King of Pain" is a song by The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...

, originally released on their 1983 album Synchronicity.

It was released as a worldwide single by A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...

. It was the second single from Synchronicity in the US and the fourth single in the UK.

Reaching number 3 in the US charts in October 1983, and number 1 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart for five weeks in August 1983, the single is The Police's most successful US single (together with "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is a song by British rock group The Police from their album Ghost in the Machine. It was also a hit single that reached the top of the charts in the United Kingdom in November 1981 and hit number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart that same...

") after "Every Breath You Take
Every Breath You Take
"Every Breath You Take" is a song by The Police on the band's 1983 album Synchronicity, written by Sting and Andy Summers . The single was one of the biggest hits of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks and the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It also topped the...

" based on chart position. In the UK, it reached number 17 in the charts in January 1984.

"King of Pain" was the only single from Synchronicity that did not have an accompanying music video.

Song credits

  • Sting - lead vocals, bass guitar, piano, backing vocals
  • Andy Summers
    Andy Summers
    Andy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...

     - guitars
  • Stewart Copeland
    Stewart Copeland
    Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...

     - drums, marimba

Legacy

Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...

 covered this song during her MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...

performance (released on the 1999 album Alanis Unplugged
Alanis Unplugged
- Personnel :* Alanis Morissette - vocals, guitar, harmonica and flute* Nick Lashley - guitar* Joel Shearer - guitar* Deron Johnson - keyboards, background vocals in "King of Pain"* Chris Chaney - bass* Gary Novak - drums and percussion* Brad Dutz - percussion...

). It was released as a single.

"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...

 parodied the song with "King of Suede
King Of Suede
"King Of Suede" is a song which "Weird Al" Yankovic recorded for and released on his second major-label album, "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D. Its lyrics, which Yankovic wrote, are a parody of those of "King of Pain" by The Police...

", a monologue of a clothing store owner known for his suede garments.

Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...

 recorded a demo of "King of Pain" in 1999. Mudvayne then re-recorded the song for their 2007 release By the People, for the People
By the People, for the People
- Personnel :* Chad Gray – vocals* Greg Tribbett – guitar* Ryan Martinie – bass* Matthew McDonough – drums* Dave Fortman – production-Chart positions:AlbumSingles...

.

See also

  • List of RPM number-one singles of 1983
  • List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)
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