The King Is Dead (Tony Cole song)

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Second cut from his debut LP is a more driving, commercial rhythm ballad loaded with Top 40 potential. [2]

Nevertheless, the song didn't chart either on U.S. Billboard's charts, [4] or on the UK Singles Chart. It was re-released in 1977 in France to capitalize off of the success of the French version by Johnny Hallyday (titled "Gabrielle" after the first line of the song), however, this also failed to chart.

Track listings

7" single 20th Century Records (1972, United States)

A. "The King Is Dead" (2:52)
B. "Ruby" (2:32)

7" single Jare International 410 067 EA (1977, France)

A. "The King Is Dead"
B. "Natural Dance" [5]

Johnny Hallyday version (in French)

"The King Is Dead"
Tony cole The king is dead.jpg
Single by Tony Cole
from the album If The Music Stops
B-side "Ruby"
ReleasedDecember 1972 [1] [2]
Recorded1972
Genre Folk rock
Length2:52
Label 20th Century (US)
Songwriter(s) Tony Cole (words and music) [3]
Producer(s) David McKay
Tony Cole singles chronology
"When We Get There"
(1971)
"The King Is Dead"
(1972)
"Suite: Man and Woman"
(1972)
Alternative cover
Tony cole The king is dead 1977 French reissue.jpg
Single sleeve of the 1977 French reissue
"Gabrielle"
Johnny hallyday Gabrielle.jpg
Single by Johnny Hallyday
from the album Derrière l'amour
LanguageFrench
B-side "Né pour vivre sans amour"
ReleasedSeptember 3, 1976 (1976-09-03)
Recorded1976
Studio Studio 92, Boulogne-Billancourt
Genre Soft rock, pop rock, chanson
Length2:53
Label Philips
Songwriter(s) French adaptation
Long Chris, Patrick Larue
Producer(s) Jacques Revaux
Johnny Hallyday singles chronology
"Derrière l'amour"
(1976)
"Gabrielle"
(1976)
"Le cœur en deux"
(1977)
Music video
"Gabrielle" (French TV, 1983) on YouTube

Several years later the song was adapted into French (under the title "Gabrielle") by Long Chris and Patrick Larue and recorded by Johnny Hallyday. His version was released as a single in 1976 and spent three consecutive weeks on the singles sales chart in France (from 16 September to 6 October). [6]

Charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
France (singles sales) [6] 1
Chart (2009)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop Back Catalog Singles Flanders) [7] 20

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References

  1. "Tony Cole - The King Is Dead".
  2. 1 2 3 4 Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (9 December 1972). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 42–. ISSN   0006-2510.{{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  3. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. 1974. pp. 403–.
  4. "Tony Cole (Chart history)". Billboard . Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  5. "Tony Cole - The King Is Dead (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs . 1977. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  6. 1 2 "Gabrielle - Johnny Hallyday - Hit-Parade.net" . Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  7. "ultratop.be - Johnny Hallyday - Gabrielle". Ultratop . Retrieved 2017-11-16.