Flesh for Fantasy

Last updated
"Flesh for Fantasy"
Billy Idol - Flesh for Fantasy.jpg
Single by Billy Idol
from the album Rebel Yell
B-side "Blue Highway"
ReleasedAugust 1984 (US)
21 September 1984 (UK) [1] [2]
Recorded1983
Genre
Length4:37 (Album version)
3:47 (Single version)
Label Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Keith Forsey
Billy Idol singles chronology
"Eyes Without a Face"
(1984)
"Flesh for Fantasy"
(1984)
"Catch My Fall"
(1984)
Music video
"Flesh for Fantasy" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Not rated [5]

"Flesh for Fantasy" is a song by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1984 as the third single from his 1983 studio album Rebel Yell . It reached No. 5 in New Zealand, No. 11 in Germany, No. 20 in Switzerland, and No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

Background and writing

The song was written by Billy Idol and Steve Stevens, with its title being inspired by the 1943 American film Flesh and Fantasy. [6]

Spanish version

Argentine rock singer-songwriter Miguel Mateos made a Spanish version, titled Sexo y frenesí, and included it on his album Salir Vivo in 2002.

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Flesh for Fantasy"
Chart (1984)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] 28
Germany (Media Control) [8] 11
Italy ( Musica e Dischi ) [9] 24
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [10] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [11] 20
UK Singles (OCC) [12] 54
US Billboard Hot 100 [13] 29
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [14] 8
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [15] 11

References

  1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 20.
  2. Melody Maker- new releases, 15 Sept 1984 edition, page 4
  3. 1 2 Guarisco, Donald. "Flesh for Fantasy Review". AllMusic . Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Harrington, Jim (March 5, 2019). "What is New Wave icon Billy Idol up to now? You might not guess". East Bay Times . Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  5. Donald A. Guarisco. "Flesh for Fantasy - Billy Idol | Song Info". AllMusic .
  6. Idol, Billy (2014). Dancing with myself. New York. ISBN   978-1-4516-2850-0. OCLC   873740790.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - BILLY IDOL - FLESH FOR FANTASY". Offiziellecharts.de.
  9. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 31 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Billy Idol".
  10. "Billy Idol – Flesh for Fantasy". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  11. "Billy Idol – Flesh for Fantasy". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  13. "Billy Idol Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  14. "Billy Idol Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  15. "Billy Idol Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2019.