One Night in Bangkok
Murray Head
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Bangkok, Oriental setting And the city don't know that the city is getting The creme de la creme of the chess world in a Show with everything but Yul Brynner Time flies doesn't seem a minute Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it All change don't you know that when you Play at this level there's no ordinary venue It's Iceland or the Philippines or Hastings or or this place! One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free You'll find a god in every golden cloister And if you're lucky then the god's a she I can feel an angel sliding up to me One town's very like another When your head's down over your pieces, brother It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity To be looking at the board, not looking at the city Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town Tea, girls, warm, sweet Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist Whose every move's among the purest I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble Not much between despair and ecstasy One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble Can't be too careful with your company I can feel the devil walking next to me Siam's gonna be the witness To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness This grips me more than would a Muddy old river or reclining Buddha And thank God I'm only watching the game controlling it I don't see you guys rating The kind of mate I'm contemplating I'd let you watch, I would invite you But the queens we use would not excite you So you better go back to your bars, your temples, your massage parlours One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free You'll find a god in every golden cloister A little flesh, a little history I can feel an angel sliding up to me One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble Not much between despair and ecstasy One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble Can't be too careful with your company I can feel the devil walking next to me
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Written by: Tim Rice, Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K. Ulvaeus
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Release Date"One Night in Bangkok" was released on 7th March 1984, gaining both commercial and critical success.
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Album DetailsThe song is part of the concept album for the musical "Chess," which was produced by Tim Rice in collaboration with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA.
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Billboard Performance"One Night in Bangkok" reached no. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was also the highest-ranking song on the same chart by a British artist in 1985.
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Musical StyleThe song stands out for its blend of pop and new wave styles, with a hint of synthesiser-based dance music which was popular during the 80s. Its lyrics contain spoken verses and sung chorus.
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Song ThemeThe song's lyrics reflect the experiences and emotions of the central character - an American chess grandmaster - as he explores the city of Bangkok during a world chess championship.
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VocalsMurray Head performed the vocals for the song with Anders Glenmark doing the chorus parts. Head was an English actor and singer, known for distinctively conveying both spoken and sung parts of the song.
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Song LyricsThe lyrics of "One Night in Bangkok" were notorious for their sexually suggestive nature, resulting in the song being banned by some radio stations in South Africa and other conservative markets.
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Music VideoThe music video for the track matches the setting of the song and depicts Murray Head as a spectating tourist watching various events in Bangkok's nightlife.
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Sales RecordThe song achieved gold status in multiple countries, including the United States where it sold over a million copies, and also in Australia where it was certified gold in 1985.
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Covers and Usage in Media"One Night in Bangkok" has been covered by several artists across different genres, like Vinylshakerz, E-Rotic, and Robey. It has also been used in various TV shows, movies, and video games like "Just Dance 2018."
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Chess MusicalDespite the song's commercial success, the Chess musical initially had a relatively short run. However, it later gained a cult following and was revived several times.
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CritiquesWhile the song was popular, it was also critiqued for its stereotypical portrayal of Asian culture, reflecting Western misconceptions about East Asia.
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Citation
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"One Night in Bangkok Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/15487953/Murray+Head/One+Night+in+Bangkok>.
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