It took until the Kiss Kruise became a thing, (where the demand for "Almost Human" to finally get performed live must've been overwhelming), that just such a thing happened at long last. I have yet to meet a Kiss fan or read a source that doesn't rank this song nearly above all other Gene songs from any era of the band. And everybody but Kiss themselves seems to be hip to this fact. "Christine Sixteen" was on Alive II but this wasn't? Exactly. I must say that I've never been a fan of Ace's crazy, zig-zagged feedback solo but that's only because literally every other Ace lead in the make-up years is pristinely perfect. And actually contains notes. The one here is fitting with the monster theme of the song though, so I'll give it that.
Gene's first A-side single in about ten years opens Revenge and came after almost an entire decade of him phoning his songs in for their mandatory inclusion on every Kiss album. Far more concerned be he at the time in mechanical, acid spewing spiders and being an evil hermaphrodite. Speaking of evil, "Unholy" personifies the inherent evil in man and was a Vinnie Vincent collaboration, the Ankh Warrior back in the fold to co-write three of the albums songs, all solid ones. Vinnie may be his own worst enemy in terms of sabotaging his own career and finances, but dude always delivered in the Kiss camp when it came to songwriting. The results here are easily the best Gene song of all time.
A rare, 80s solo composition from Paul, (who generally tossed around ideas and got some input from Desmond Child or a few other blokes in the decade), "Tears Are Falling" was Asylum's sole single and one of three fantastically hilarious videos made from that album. I have all three songs from all three of these videos in my top twenty and "Tears" kicks em off. This has popped up in live settings at various points in the band's career since, but was never that successful of a single in the US as it clearly should've been. As I've said elsewhere on me blog, Kiss = the best hair metal of all time. Perhaps this is not saying much, but you are talking to a guy who generally ignores that genre and obviously doesn't ignore any and all things Kiss.
Back to the make-up era and specifically Rock and Roll Over, (pretty much unarguably the best out of the first six Kiss albums), with it's lead-off track "I Want You". Paul got his chance to show off here in a live setting at the end when his call and response interaction with the crowd ushered in many a Paul-gasm. For this reason, the Alive II version is the one I prefer. Both Ace and Paul share the lead here again, (Paul taking the first part), and it's collectively as good as ever. The riffs in this song, (particularly the one underneath that solo), are sick as all hell and this would represent the best non-ballad Kiss song with an acoustic intro. "Black Diamond" eat your heart out.
"Hide Your Heart's" history is rather goofy for a Kiss song. Paul, Desmond Child, and Holly Knight, (an Anton Fig/Bill Aucoin connection), wrote it during the Crazy Nights sessions but the song was rejected. Paul then gave it to a handful of people who gladly snatched it up, Ace Frehley himself on his Trouble Walkin' album. In just over a year, four people released their own version of "Hide", Ace and Kiss being the last two and both of whom shot a music video for it. Makes sense because this song is goddamn awesome. After obviously opening with "Live To Win" when I was at the taping for the One Kiss Live solo Paul DVD, the first Kiss song he played was this one and I soiled myself. The story of Tito, Johnny, and a gun found the perfect home here.
How this song routinely ends up on "worst Kiss songs" list or even more bafflingly as an example of how Paul Stanley is a terrible lyricist according to a Blender, (toilet paper in magazine form), article that I read once just baffles me to no end. As does the fact that yet again, every member of Kiss involved at the time is embarrassed by it today. Fuck that noise. This song is absolutely brilliant. And it easily has the best Paul Stanley lyrics in history. "Then I saw those black laced panties and I knew that it was you" is pure poetry. Smashes, Thrashes, & Hits was another mostly pointless greatest hits compilation put out in '88, but easily out of the two new songs featured on it, "Let's Put the X In Sex" is the superior. This is the most hilarious Kiss song and haters need their sense of humor checked for damn sure.
"Wouldn't You Like To Blow Me", in any just world, would've been the biggest hit off any of the Kiss solo albums to the point where Paul could've permanently went solo and continued to churn out gold. Never released as a single to begin with, this was virtually impossible. I still have more deep cuts to come, but this one is the highlight to my favorite Kiss album, of course being Paul Stanley. Both solo tours he undertook had it on the set list and only about a dozen Paul songs, (as you shall see), would be better choices. Paul admitted the stylistic inspiration for it came from a favorite band of his, The Raspberries, who I've heard OF but not heard. And I can't imagine them doing anything as good as this. A perfect pop song with crunchy guitars, it rocks infectiously it does.
Oddly, one of the very best Kiss guitar solos was performed by a ghost player, Dick Wagner here in this case. Yeah, power ballad solos somehow by nature are incredibly difficult to fuck up, but still, this one is perfect. Paul and Bob Ezrin put "Every Time I Look At You" together during the writing sessions for Revenge and it's damn near the quintessential Kiss ballad. If anyone told me this was the best pussy song they have, I'd argue not a wang. A non-smoker am I, but I should keep a lighter on my person just for when I listen to this song. Great "I'm sorry I fucked up, baby" lyrics and a string section that of course has to be there, "Every Time" hits all the marks it's required to and I'd say steals the show on Revenge. I'm a predictable bloke for always giving the ballads said honor, but what can I say? I like the sentimental stuffs.
Unplugged got another excellent highlight and reworking with the Dynasty track "Sure Know Something". Mostly due to the guitar lick that Bruce plays near the end which is not to be found on the original song's fade-out. Both versions can do zero incorrectly though. Paul wrote this one with Vini Poncia, the Peter Criss producer who worked with the band on many songs at the time. Gene's bass line here is excellent and all the lead guitar work was handled by Paul, another of his best along with "A World Without Heroes". Also the "Ooo, ooo, ooo" mellow break is dy-no-mite. Dynasty sits very snugly in my hearts as one of my absolute favorite Kiss albums, the shiny production, songs, and all. The make-up era in general has few finer moments than dis one.
More hilarious, "everybody get naked and pork each other!" lyrical superbness can be found on Asylum's closer "Uh! All Night". Like "X In Sex", "Uh!" is just oodles of fun and nothing to take the least bit seriously. Desmond Child, (naturally), and Jean Beauvor helped co-write the awesome here and the later handles bass and background vocal duties. The verses and pre-chorus in this one I actually dig more than the also great chorus, which Paul admitted was a "Heavens On Fire Part II" attempt, what with the melody going over the riff exactly the same and being dumb enough to get any crowd singing along to. Unfortunately, not enough people found this as funny as it was as "Uh!" got the axe live after the Asylum tour, as most of the material from the album likewise did. I for one would rather uh all night than part every day if I were to choose.
Along with Asylum, Rock and Roll Over has the most songs in my top twenty up in here and just breaking the top ten as I always assumed it would is the Paul written and Peter sung "Hard Luck Woman". Or essentially, the only folk rock Kiss song. Deliberately written for Rod Stewart, Paul put "Luck" together to challenge himself to write something "Maggie May" worthy to offer the famous, British vocalist who likes to know how sexy he truly is. But, as Kiss felt they needed a follow-up to "Beth" which was quite the hit and because "Hard Luck" turned out so goddamn good, Gene ultimately convinced Paul to hand it over to Peter to sing. The result I have always thought since the first time I heard it on Double Platinum is the best thing Peter Criss ever sang. It's also just about the best Kiss song on any of the first six albums, missing distorted guitars be dammed.
Paul Stanley laying down one of the earliest raps in a hard rock song is one of two reasons "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" is this high. The main reason though is that this riff is second to one as the greatest Kiss riff of all time. I cannot fathom why many a Kiss fan has complained that this is one of the band's most embarrassing and terrible songs. So far up their own asses be their heads that it baffles me plenty. Again, having a sense of humor is necessary with "Hell's". I know all the words to the rap part and smile and/or laugh every time I hear it. It is clearly tongue-in-cheek so ergo I will choose to laugh WITH the band on this one. But back to what's important, musically this song just utterly kills. Eric Carr wrote the music almost entirely or probably on his own, Gene penning most of the lyrics and Paul and Vinnie coming in with some other input, including the song's title. So it's also a rarity in having the full line-up at the time share writing credit. Strength in numbers.
The title track to Kiss' 1982 would-be-comeback of sorts album Creatures of the Night was written intentionally as just that; a return to balls rocking awesome. Paul and Adam Mitchell hammered this one out, (supposedly in the later's kitchen), and it was all meant to slam home that the next Kiss release wasn't gonna be fucking around with any pop or art rock stuffs. Of course Creatures ended up selling worse than any of the band's albums at that point and the next year saw the make-up come off and garnish them a second wind of relevance. But long since always, both Kiss and the fans alike have sighted this as arguably the strongest album in their discography and "Creatures" itself kicks things gloriously into gear. Some of the best drumming and overall heaviness on a Kiss song and as much as I like me some Kiss ballads, I can fully admit when the sole opposite whoops as much if not far more ass.
Paul Stanley and Desmond Child's first collaboration to make it onto a Kiss album was "I Was Made for Lovin' You", producer Vini Poncia also having a hand in it. To say this isn't one of the catchiest songs of all time would be something a liar would say. Gene's bass line, of course the chorus, the four-on-the-floor disco beat, the best falsetto singing Paul would ever do, Ace's brief but killer solo, etc. You basically have to list everything about it as being excellent. Kiss 1979 was looking for another hit as any band would be and Paul had hung out at the infamous Studio 54 and marveled at the simplicity and sameness of all the music, particularly how they all were the same tempo as to be segued together seamlessly in a disco setting by a DJ. Still true today for many a pop tune. He also recognized that all the songs of the day were about enjoying oneself in the now and "Lovin' You" came about as a natural "let's have a night of bouncy bouncy" anthem.
Let's have some more deep cuts shall we? "Keep Me Comin'" is fascinating in that it's ridiculously awesome and noooooobody talks about it. Played perhaps only one time during the Creatures tour and then dropped permanently, (even in Kiss Kruise form), never showing up on a "greatest Kiss songs list", never mentioned as a highlight to the entirely amazing album it stems from, and pretty much a simple case of Paul and Adam Mitchell again writing it together pretty quickly and making it the final song recorded for Creatures of the Night. That's about all there is about it. But fuckin' hell, this riff is THE Kiss riff. It's no contest in my mind that they have none better and I'd definitely go as far as to rank it in the top ten in the history of all riffs. Eric Carr's performance is also spectacular as is Paul's, especially during the chorus. It's only natural that Kiss would have a song with this title as I'm sure we all know goddamn well what he's talking about with the C word.
The heaviest Kiss song by light years stems off of their pretentious, ill advised, disastrously selling, and utterly fantastic concept album Music from "The Elder". Even for 1981, "The Oath" was as heavy as Andre the Giant, galloping power metal that bangs the heads and thrusts the fist like little else of the day. The Elder has always had a fruity reputation but in actuality, it's a much harder rocking album than either of the two that proceeded it, easily so. "The Oath" is the obvious, most undeniable example of this but even elsewhere, slamming guitars and drums certainly make a prominent appearance. Not as much as the following year's Creatures of the Night mind you, but still it's pretty far removed from "Shandi". Paul does more falsetto than usual on The Elder, this song in particular during the chorus. One could argue that maybe taking a different vocal approach here could've worked better still, (something Paul himself has said before), but shit King Diamond was coming up at this time in metal history so I say it fits like a glove. Basically, metal heads who hate Kiss can still retain their punk rock points by liking "The Oath".
Am I a nutbar for ranking Kiss' cover of The Crystal's "Then He Kissed Me" as the fourth greatest Kiss song of all time? If so, then I've had a case of the crazies since always because as soon as I owned me a copy of Love Gun, I have always seriously debated as to whether or not this is in fact my ALL TIME favorite Kiss song. I applaud whosever idea it was to record this, whether it was for the obvious reference of the word "Kiss" in the title, the fact that the band joked around by playing it during sound-checks in and around 1976 as Gene would later say, or if simply Phil Specter came into the studio at the time and held Kiss and Eddie Kramer up at gunpoint as he had the Ramones and made them do it. The results, (after switching the song's perspective as to not be akin to something the Village People would do), is just greatness in musical form. My own band covers this and I very subtly suggested we do this exact arrangement, even though my friend sings the original lyrics because A) she's a girl and B) she's not a Kiss fan. I still consider it a victory that technically in my eyes, we have a Kiss song in our set list.
My favorite make-up era Kiss song is come with "Makin' Love", Rock and Roll Over's closer. This was not always the case. I always dug it, but for well over a decade and a half probably, I really didn't pay it too much additional mind. Somehow I opened my eyes to the brilliance that was before me and yeah, this tops the original line-up stuffs. Paul and Sean Delaney yet again penned this one and the lyrics are as straightforward as is cosmically possible. Kiss having a song called "Makin' Love" is like Kiss having a song called "I Wanna Have Sex with You Because I'm A Horny Rockstar Who Likes to Party". These riffs though are pristine, the one going into the second verse being one of the heavier moments that rock circa 1976 could possibly offer. For my wallet contents though, "Makin' Love" has the best ever Ace solo. And as any admirer of the Spaced One will attest to, there is something to be said to this as Ace's list of memorable moments with a six string are many.
The only Paul Stanley/Michael Bolton collaboration that ever transpired transpired here with "Forever", a power ballad for the gods. The two wrote it at a hotel in LA, Bolton having previously been in the band Blackjack with Bruce Kulick who introduced the two. This was around 1989 so Mr. Everyone's Least Favorite Blue Eyed Soul Singer of All Time was hardly the most hated man in music yet. The collaboration produced the music and Paul went on to pen the lovey-dovey, optimistic lyrics later on. Bruce played bass here and it was one of several Hot In the Shade cuts to begin and end life as a released demo more or less. The lead vocal here destroys, Paul wailing at the top of his range and Bruce's classical guitar solo is easily one of his best. I have considered this my favorite Kiss song at various points, naturally as it's the best ballad they have and presumably ever will have. It was also the last Kiss single to chart in the top ten, going to number eight. Which was a first since "Beth" some thirteen years earlier at the time.
And here we are, the top spot of Kissdomnesstory. This isn't surprising to my fellow Kiss friend fans or the few peoples who read my 100 Favorite Songs list that I posted last year as "Who Wants to Be Lonely" was both the highest Kiss entry and in my top ten there. A favorite of mine since the very first time I watched Kiss Exposed and saw the music video which is more comedically powerful than the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" one if you could even imagine. I speak not faint praise good peoples. Coming from the exact same writing team who brought us that other Asylum jewel "Uh! All Night", "Lonely" I'd say is the best Desmond Child OR Paul Stanley anything song ever, commercial success be not a factor. This was released as a single in Japan only and didn't do much business and the masterpiece of screaming, bright, steamy, wet, and horny 1980s-ness that was the music video was censored from MTV at the time for being "too risque". Probably code for being "too awesome" to the point that it'd break the airwaves upon being shown. Everything about this song from the ridiculously powerful chorus, dumb riffs, and solo just hits me more pleasingly than any other of this band's songs. Am I the sole Kiss fan on earth who thinks so? Most likely. Though perhaps this one will age like a fine wine and someday the masses will bow equally as do I to it's brilliance.
Great list!! You are like me, a "non-typical" KISS fan. I appreciate that your top 20 has many songs in it that wouldn't appear on many other's list, but that's what makes it original and cool. Great job!
ReplyDelete