"Kisses on the Wind"
Single by Neneh Cherry
from the album Raw Like Sushi
B-side"Buffalo Blues"
Released1989
StudioMatrix (London, England)
Length3:57
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Neneh Cherry singles chronology
"Manchild"
(1989) 		"Kisses on the Wind"
(1989) 		"Heart" / "Inna City Mamma"
(1989)
Music video
"Kisses on the Wind" on YouTube

"Kisses on the Wind" is the third single released from Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry's debut album, Raw Like Sushi (1989). Like many songs on the album, "Kisses on the Wind" refers to Cherry's schooldays; the song is about a girl who matures before the other girls do, and as a result, she is the first to draw boys' attentions.[1] It peaked within the top 10 in Finland, New Zealand, and Switzerland and just reached the top 20 in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 20. In the United States, it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Kisses on the Wind" is one of many songs containing the sample "What we're gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time" from the intro of the 1972 single "Troglodyte" by the Jimmy Castor Bunch.

Critical reception

Angus Taylor for BBC wrote in an retrospective review, that the "Cuban-tinged" song's autobiographical words "give an intriguing insight into a young girl who wanted to be remembered for more than just her incredible looks."[2] Upon the release, Bill Coleman from Billboard described it as a "Latin- tinged pop narrative complete with Cherry's spunk, humor, and knack for telling it like it really is."[3] A reviewer from Music & Media felt it's a good choice as the follow-up to "Manchild", and "probably the most commercial track" from her debut album.[4]

David Giles from Music Week complimented it as "precocious", adding that the song isn't as strong as her previous two singles, "but should still follow them into the top 10." He noted that "Kisses on the Wind" "begins with an outburst in Spanish and locks into a naked, sparse groove like a soul number with the bottom removed."[5] Lesley Chow from The Quietus declared it as "a paean to a girl whose breeziness enchants the young neighbourhood boys. Her presence is reflected in the salsa rhythm, Spanish dialogue and the flowing feel of the whole song. The melody keeps billowing upwards (More like a woman, she walks like one) and is thus subtly suggestive of the female shape."[6]

Track listings

Charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[21] 63
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] 23
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] 17
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[24] 5
Canada Retail Singles (RPM)[25] 14
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 33
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 4
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[33] 20
US Billboard Hot 100[34] 8
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[35] 19
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[36] 9
West Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 23

References

  1. ^ "Kisses On The Wind by Neneh Cherry". Songfacts. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Neneh Cherry Raw Like Sushi Review". BBC. 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ^ Coleman, Bill (29 July 1989). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 69. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 19 August 1989. p. 18. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  5. ^ Giles, David (5 August 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 23. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  6. ^ Chow, Lesley (12 May 2014). "Disorientating Eclecticism: Neneh Cherry's Raw Like Sushi Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. ^ Kisses on the Wind (European 7-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. 112 550.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Kisses on the Wind (UK cassette single cassette notes). Neneh Cherry. Circa Records. 1989. YRC 33.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Kisses on the Wind (European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. 612 550-213.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Kisses on the Wind (Australian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. YRT 33.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Kisses on the Wind (European maxi-CD single disc notes). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. YRCDT 33.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Kisses on the Wind (UK 12-inch remix single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Circa Records. 1989. YRTX 33.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Kisses on the Wind (UK CD single liner notes). Neneh Cherry. Circa Records. 1989. YRTXT 33, 662 603-211.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Kisses on the Wind (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records. 1989. 96532-0.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Kisses on the Wind (Canadian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. VSX 1504.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Kisses on the Wind (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records. 1989. 7-99183.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Kisses on the Wind (Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. VS1504.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Kisses on the Wind (US cassette single sleeve). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records. 1989. 7-99183-4.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Kisses on the Wind (Canadian cassette single cassette notes). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1989. 99183-4.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Kisses on the Wind (Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes). Neneh Cherry. Virgin Records, Circa Records. 1990. VJCP-1402.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 17 January 2014". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Neneh Cherry – Kisses on the Wind" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6606." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 6577." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Top RPM Retail: Issue 6571". RPM. Retrieved 12 March 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  26. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 36. 9 September 1989. p. V. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  27. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  28. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Kisses on the Wind". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  29. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 36, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  30. ^ "Neneh Cherry – Kisses on the Wind" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  31. ^ "Neneh Cherry – Kisses on the Wind". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  32. ^ "Neneh Cherry – Kisses on the Wind". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  34. ^ "Neneh Cherry Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  35. ^ "Neneh Cherry Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  36. ^ "Neneh Cherry Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  37. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Neneh Cherry – Kisses on the Wind" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
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