One Night in Bangkok
Encyclopedia
"One Night in Bangkok" is the title of a song originally sung by the British actor and Pop-dance singer Murray Head
on the 1984 concept album
for the musical Chess
. Its music was composed by former ABBA
members Benny Andersson
and Björn Ulvaeus
, with lyrics written by Tim Rice
& Björn Ulvaeus
.
The release topped the charts in many countries, including South Africa
, West Germany
, Switzerland
and Australia
. It peaked at number 3 in both Canada
and the United States in May, 1985, and at number 12 in Head's native United Kingdom
.
The main song has a pop styling, whose lyrics sarcastically juxtapose the Thai capital city and its night life with the game of chess
. In the original concept album for the musical, the choruses are sung by Swedish artist Anders Glenmark
(and by a musical ensemble
in the staged versions), while the verses are a rap
originally performed by Murray Head as the American chess grandmaster (a character known as Frederick "Freddie" Trumper in the staged versions). Whereas the choruses extol Bangkok
's reputation and exciting atmosphere, the American's verses denounce the city, including its red-light district
, "muddy old river
" and "reclining Buddha
".
In the original London production of Chess, the setting for the song is an interview by Freddie, who is in Bangkok to serve as a TV analyst for a match involving his rival, world champion and Russian defector Anatoly Sergievsky. Freddie states a preference for what he sees as an intellectual purity in chess, in stark contrast to the seedier aspects of Bangkok's night life, e.g. "the queens we use would not excite you". His statements suggest a personal lack of interest for the exotic settings typically involved in international chess, preferring to focus on the game itself. In the original Broadway production of the musical, the song appears not at the start of Act 2 but in the middle of Act 1; in this version, the world championship of Freddie vs. Anatoly takes place in Bangkok.
The lyrics also mention actor Yul Brynner
, who famously played the King of Siam in The King and I
. The "Tyrolean
spa" mentioned early in the song refers to Merano in Italy
, the site of Act 1 of the musical.
12" maxi
Murray Head
Murray Seafield Saint-George Head is a British actor and singer, most recognised for his international hit songs "Superstar" and "One Night in Bangkok" and his album Say It Ain't So...
on the 1984 concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
for the musical Chess
Chess (musical)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...
. Its music was composed by former ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
members Benny Andersson
Benny Andersson
Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
and Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, with lyrics written by Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
& Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
.
The release topped the charts in many countries, including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It peaked at number 3 in both Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States in May, 1985, and at number 12 in Head's native United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Lyrics and music
The full version of the song begins with an orchestral intro, "Bangkok", which has oriental styling, but cannot be confused with Thai folk music. This serves as the introduction to Act 2 in the original musical album, and feeds into the first verse of "One Night in Bangkok" itself with an abrupt change in musical style.The main song has a pop styling, whose lyrics sarcastically juxtapose the Thai capital city and its night life with the game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. In the original concept album for the musical, the choruses are sung by Swedish artist Anders Glenmark
Anders Glenmark
Anders Glenmark is a Swedish pop and rock singer, as well as one of Sweden's most successful music producers and song writers. He is the brother of singer Karin Glenmark and nephew of band leader Bruno Glenmark. Among the artists he's written and produced for are Eva Dahlgren, Orup, Ted Gärdestad...
(and by a musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
in the staged versions), while the verses are a rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
originally performed by Murray Head as the American chess grandmaster (a character known as Frederick "Freddie" Trumper in the staged versions). Whereas the choruses extol Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
's reputation and exciting atmosphere, the American's verses denounce the city, including its red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
, "muddy old river
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...
" and "reclining Buddha
Wat Pho
Wat Pho , is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchaworamahawihan...
".
In the original London production of Chess, the setting for the song is an interview by Freddie, who is in Bangkok to serve as a TV analyst for a match involving his rival, world champion and Russian defector Anatoly Sergievsky. Freddie states a preference for what he sees as an intellectual purity in chess, in stark contrast to the seedier aspects of Bangkok's night life, e.g. "the queens we use would not excite you". His statements suggest a personal lack of interest for the exotic settings typically involved in international chess, preferring to focus on the game itself. In the original Broadway production of the musical, the song appears not at the start of Act 2 but in the middle of Act 1; in this version, the world championship of Freddie vs. Anatoly takes place in Bangkok.
The lyrics also mention actor Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
, who famously played the King of Siam in The King and I
The King and I (1956 film)
The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King...
. The "Tyrolean
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
spa" mentioned early in the song refers to Merano in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the site of Act 1 of the musical.
Controversy
In 1985, Thailand's Mass Communications Organization banned One Night in Bangkok, saying its lyrics "cause misunderstanding about Thai society and show disrespect towards Buddhism."Track listings
7" single- "One Night in Bangkok" — 3:54
- "Merano" by The London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
& The Ambrosian SingersAmbrosian SingersThe Ambrosian Singers are one of the best-known London choral groups, particularly appreciated for its great variety of recorded repertory.They were founded after World War II in England...
— 7:08
12" maxi
- "One Night in Bangkok" — 5:38
- "Merano" by The London Symphony Orchestra & The Ambrosian Singers — 7:08
Personnel
- Keyboards & synthesizers: Benny Andersson
- Bass: Rutger Gunnarsson
- Lead guitar: Lasse Wellander
- Drums: Per Lindvall
- Backing vocals: Anders Glenmark and Karin Glenmark
- Arrangement: Benny Andersson and Anders Eljas
- Conductor: Anders Eljas
- Engineer: Michael B. Tretow
- Producer: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice
Peak positions
| Chart (1984/85) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Eurochart Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles has been compiled by Billboard and Music & Media magazine since March, 1984. The chart is based on national singles sales charts in 15 European countries: Austria, Belgium , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,... |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
7 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
89 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1985) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 13 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 33 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 8 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Platinum | 1 May 1985 | 100,000 | |
| France | Silver | 1985 | 200,000 | 413,000 |
| Germany | Gold | 1985 | 250,000 | |
Chart successions
Cover versions
- A dance version of the song was recorded by RobeyLouise RobeyLouise Ann Robey is a Canadian singer-songwriter, model, and actress.-Early life and career:Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Robey was educated throughout Europe and attended the Royal Ballet School. Discovered by French photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue while sunbathing in the French Riviera,...
in 1984, which peaked at #5 on the US Billboard Dance Chart, before the success of the original version. On the Billboard Hot 100, Robey's version entered the chart at #80 on March 2, 1985, just one week after Murray Head's version debuted. Robey's version peaked at #77 and spent 3 weeks on the Hot 100. - Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
incorporated part of the song in his 1996 Fire GardenFire GardenFire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fourth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.Fire Garden is divided into two "phases"...
Suite. - An instrumental version was recorded by Hank MarvinHank MarvinHank Brian Marvin is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard...
, as a medley with 'Variations', in 1997 on his album Hank Plays the Music of Tim RiceTim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
& Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
. - NorwegianNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
singer Jan Werner DanielsenJan Werner DanielsenJan Werner Danielsen, artist name Jan Werner, was a Norwegian pop, classical, and rock singer, famous for his powerful voice which stretched over four and a half octaves...
covered the song on his 1998 album Music Of The Night. - SwedishSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
pop group A*Teens recorded a cover of the song for their 2003 album New ArrivalNew ArrivalNew Arrival is the third and final studio album and fourth album overall by the A*Teens, released in 2003. It is the third album in several countries and the fourth in others, this is the European edition of the album Pop 'Til You Drop....
. - Danish boy band C21C21 (band)C21 was a Danish boy band consisting of three key members: Søren Bregendal , Esben Duus , and David Pepke...
released a cover of the song as a single in September 2003. - In 2005, the track gained new popularity in Europe, thanks to a remix by the dance act VinylshakerzVinylshakerzVinylshakerz are a German dance act who are best known for the 2005 remix of the Murray Head hit "One Night in Bangkok". The producers have also remixed material for other artists, mainly for dance compilation CDs.-Singles / Maxis / Vinyls:...
. The producers sampled the chorus of the song and turned it into a modern dance track. The remix became a success in several European countries, and found its way into clubs throughout the spring of 2005. - DJ AntoineDJ AntoineAntoine Konrad , better known as DJ Antoine, is a house and electro DJ and producer, from Basel, Switzerland. He has had a number of successful single and album releases in Western Europe, in particular Switzerland and France. DJ Antoine's first notable release was the 2000 album Houseworks 01, and...
, a Swiss DJ, covered the song for his album Live in Bangkok in 2008. - An a cappella version of the song was recorded by the Austrian a cappella group Safer Six.
- In 2010, the track was sampled by Mark Knight in his single, Devil Walking.
- Former pro boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
sang a cover version of the song for the 2011 film The Hangover: Part II, in which he has a cameoCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
.
Trivia
- The intro of the song of the 12" version was used as title song of the DutchNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
tv-show "Duel over de grens" (Duel across the border).
External links
- One Night In Bangkok - Lyrics
- [ All-Music Guide: Chess at AMG]