The Actor (Michael Learns to Rock song)

Last updated

"The Actor"
The Actor single cover.jpg
Single by Michael Learns to Rock
from the album Michael Learns to Rock
B-side "African Queen"
Released11 November 1991 (1991-11-11) [1]
Length4:34
Label
Songwriter(s) Jascha Richter
Producer(s)
  • Jens Hofman
  • Oli Poulsen
Michael Learns to Rock singles chronology
"I Still Carry On"
(1991)
"The Actor"
(1991)
"Sleeping Child"
(1993)
Music video
The Actor on YouTube

"The Actor" is a song by Danish soft rock band Michael Learns to Rock. The track is taken from their self-titled debut album, which was released in 1991. [2] "The Actor" peaked at number four in Denmark, reached number one in Norway, and topped Indonesia's airplay chart. The band has played the song regularly during their Asian tours. [3] [4]

Contents

Chart performance

"The Actor" had success on several European charts. The song peaked at number one on the Norwegian Singles Chart and entered the top 10 on the Danish and Swedish charts, peaking at numbers four and seven respectively. The song also reached the top 40 on the Swiss Singles Chart, peaking at number 32, and peaked at number 54 on the Eurochart Hot 100.

Track listings

Standard [5] [6] [7]

  1. "The Actor" – 4:35
  2. "African Queen" – 4:11

Dutch maxi-CD single [8]

  1. "The Actor" – 4:35
  2. "Gone After Midnight" – 4:12
  3. "African Queen" – 4:11

Charts

Charts (1992)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI) [9] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [10] 54
Indonesia (Indonesian Airplay Chart) [1] [11] 1
Norway (VG-lista) [12] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [13] 7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [14] 32

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Currencies</span> 1995 single by R.E.M.

"Strange Currencies" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. It was included on their ninth studio album, Monster (1994), and was released as the album's fourth single on April 18, 1995, by Warner Bros. Records. The song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 47 in the United States. Like "Everybody Hurts" on R.E.M.'s previous album, it has a time signature of 6
8
. The song's music video was directed by Mark Romanek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imitation of Life (song)</span> 2001 single by R.E.M.

"Imitation of Life" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was written by band members Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe and produced by the band with Pat McCarthy for their 12th studio album, Reveal (2001). The track's title comes from Douglas Sirk's 1959 film of the same name and is used as a metaphor for adolescence and adulthood. One of R.E.M.'s most pop-influenced tracks, "Imitation of Life" has been described lyrically as "see[ing] through the puffed-up performance of a hopeful entertainer", as well as the enjoyment of love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream On (Depeche Mode song)</span> 2001 single by Depeche Mode

"Dream On" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released in the United States on 17 April 2001 and in the United Kingdom on 23 April 2001 as the first single from the band's tenth studio album, Exciter (2001). The song topped the charts of Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain and reached the top 10 in Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Wallonia. The song's music video was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's the Way You Make Me Feel</span> 2001 single by Steps

"It's the Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as their 12th single on 1 January 2001. It is the second track to be released from their third album, Buzz, and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. This was the first song the band performed following their official reformation in October 2011. One of the single's B-sides, a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", was taken from the Motown Mania compilation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Savannah</span> 1990 single by Erasure

"Blue Savannah" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure from their fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Written by members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song was released as a single in Japan on 25 January 1990 and was issued in the United Kingdom the following month. Alfa Records released it in Japan as the album's lead single, Mute Records released it in Europe as the album's third single, and Sire Records released it in the United States as the album's second single. The music video for the song was directed by Kevin Godley, featuring a mysterious blue hand painting Bell and Clarke completely blue. Considered one of the band's signature songs, the duo still perform it regularly in concerts. It has been described as an uplifting love song; the instrumentation is crisp and heavily synthesized, accented with sweeping, programmed piano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chorus (Erasure song)</span> 1991 single by Erasure

"Chorus" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in June 1991 as the first single from their fifth studio album of the same name (1991). Produced by Martyn Phillips and written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song features Clarke's electronic soundscapes and Phillips' computerised production. The single was released by Mute Records in the United Kingdom and Sire Records in the United States. It peaked at number three in both Denmark and the UK while reaching number four in Ireland. In the US, it peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love to Hate You</span> 1991 single by Erasure

"Love to Hate You" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in September 1991 as the second single from their fifth studio album, Chorus (1991). Written by band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it is an electronic dance track inspired by disco music. The synthesizer melody in the chorus is an interpolation of the string break from American singer Gloria Gaynor's disco-era classic "I Will Survive". The duo also recorded a Spanish version of the song, called "Amor y Odio", and one in Italian called "Amo Odiarti". The single was released by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the US. It peaked at number one in Israel as well as number four on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-10 hit in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Sweden. Its music video was directed by David Mallet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breath of Life (Erasure song)</span> 1992 single by Erasure

"Breath of Life" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released as the fourth and final single from their fifth studio album, Chorus (1991), in March 1992. It was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell with additional input from Pat O'Brien. An uptempo synth-pop song, its dance music elements were strongly accentuated for the club remixes. For the single release, it was remixed slightly, including a shortened intro. In the United States, it was the third single released from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Room (The Orb song)</span> 1992 single by the Orb

"Blue Room" is a single by English electronic music duo the Orb. It was released on 8 June 1992 on Big Life Records. The full 39-minute version features a number of samples, including a small portion of the beginning of "Mysterious Traveller" by Weather Report and a damaged portion of "Happy Birthday to You" by Marilyn Monroe at the end. An edited version of the song appears on the album U.F.Orb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am Mine</span> 2002 single by Pearl Jam

"I Am Mine" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Am Mine" was released on October 8, 2002, as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002). The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want a Lover</span> 1989 single by Texas

"I Don't Want a Lover" is the debut single of Scottish band Texas, taken from their first album, Southside (1989). The music starts with blues slide guitar followed by a throbbing rhythm section before the vocals break in. It was released in January 1989 and peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 77 on the American Billboard Hot 100 in September 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will I?</span> 2001 single by AnnaGrace

"Will I?" is a song by Belgian music project Ian Van Dahl. The single was released on 10 December 2001 as the second single from their debut album, Ace (2002). It peaked within the top 10 of the charts in the United Kingdom and Denmark. In Australia, the song originally charted at number 70 in February 2002, but when it was re-released as a double A-side with "Reason" later in the year, it peaked at number 29 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vibeology</span> 1991 single by Paula Abdul

"Vibeology" is a song from American singer Paula Abdul's second studio album, Spellbound (1991). The song was written by Peter Lord, Sandra St. Victor, and V. Jeffrey Smith and produced by Lord and Smith. It was first released on October 21, 1991, in Japan, becoming the album's fourth official single. It was preceded with a November release in Australia and a January 6, 1992, release date in the United Kingdom.>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thank You for Loving Me</span> 2000 single by Bon Jovi

"Thank You for Loving Me" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. Written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, the song was released on November 6, 2000, as the third single from their seventh studio album, Crush (2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">More and More (Captain Hollywood Project song)</span> 1992 single by Captain Hollywood Project

"More and More" is a song by German Eurodance music project Captain Hollywood Project. It was released in July 1992 by labels Blow Up and Dino Music as the first single from their first album, Love Is Not Sex (1993). The female singer on the song is German singer Nina Gerhard. It reached No. 1 in Germany and was a top-five hit in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. "More and More" also found success in Australia and North America, peaking at No. 15 in Canada, No. 17 in the United States, and No. 43 in Australia. Overall, the single has sold over seven million units worldwide. Two different music videos were produced to promote the single; one was directed by Bruce Ashley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Tengo Dinero (Los Umbrellos song)</span> 1997 single by Los Umbrellos

"No Tengo Dinero" is the debut single of Danish musical group Los Umbrellos, considered to be their signature song. It was released by FLEX Records on 14 May 1997. Based on the theme of 1960 film Never on Sunday by Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis, the lyrics were written by Jay and Richie Balmorian and group member Al Agami. It was produced by Kenneth Bager, Michael Pfundheller and Jan Elhøj, with additional production handled by Cutfather & Joe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Things I've Seen</span> 2000 single by Spooks

"Things I've Seen" is a song by American hip hop group Spooks from their first studio album, S.I.O.S.O.S. Volume One (2000). The song was written by Spooks and Rick Dahrouge, who also produced the track, and was released as the second single from S.I.O.S.O.S. Volume One in the United States; in Europe, it was Spooks' debut single. The European maxi-CD single includes two snippets from songs by Roscoe and Schoolly D.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartspark Dollarsign</span> 1996 single by Everclear

"Heartspark Dollarsign" is the third single released from American rock band Everclear's second studio album, Sparkle and Fade. Lead singer Art Alexakis wrote the song before Everclear formed, while he was in the band Colorfinger. The song was then recorded by Everclear in 1994 and included on Sparkle and Fade, which was released in May 1995. The lyrics describe an interracial relationship, something Alexakis often experienced in his youth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B-Boys & Flygirls</span> 1999 single by Bomfunk MCs

"B-Boys & Flygirls" is a song by Finnish hip hop group Bomfunk MC's that was released as the second single from their debut studio album, In Stereo. It was originally released in 1999, becoming a hit in their native Finland. Following the worldwide success of "Freestyler" the following year, the single was re-released as the "Y2K Mix" and became another hit for the group, charting within the top 20 in several mainland European countries and Australia. It was not released in the United Kingdom, where "Uprocking Beats" was chosen as the follow-up single instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Whistle Song (DJ Aligator Project song)</span> 2000 single by DJ Aligator Project

"The Whistle Song" is a song by Iranian-Danish disc jockey DJ Aligator, recorded under the name "DJ Aligator Project". The song was written by Al Agami, Holger Lagerfeldt, and DJ Aligator, who also produced the track. It samples the 1929 song "Singin' in the Rain" and is a trance-influenced song.

References

  1. 1 2 "Spotlight – Michael Learns to Rock" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 4. 25 January 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  2. "The Actor". Allmusic . Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  3. Prashanth, G.N. (26 September 2005). "Their numbers still rock the music world". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 2 March 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  4. Gunawardana, Anushika. "...and they rocked". The Sundaytimes. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  5. The Actor (Danish CD single liner notes). Michael Learns to Rock. Medley Records. 1991. MdSCD 511.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. The Actor (Scandinavian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Michael Learns to Rock. Medley Records. 1991. MdS 511.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. The Actor (European 7-inch single vinyl disc). Michael Learns to Rock. Impact American. 1991. 745031-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. The Actor (Dutch maxi-CD single liner notes). Michael Learns to Rock. Impact Records. 1992. 745031-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 5. 1 February 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 34. 22 August 1992. p. 23. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  11. "Spring Track Attack – Michael Learns to Rock" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 5. 1 February 1992. p. 9. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  12. "Michael Learns to Rock – The Actor". VG-lista. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  13. "Michael Learns to Rock – The Actor". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  14. "Michael Learns to Rock – The Actor". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 January 2021.