"French Kissin" (released in certain countries as "French Kissin in the USA") is a song by American singer Debbie Harry from her second solo studio album, Rockbird (1986). It is a cover version of the 1985 song originally recorded by Carol Chapman, written by Chuck Lorre before he started creating sitcoms. Harry's version was released on November 3, 1986, as the lead single from Rockbird and became a top-10 hit in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Song information
In the United Kingdom, the song was released as the album's lead single on November 3, 1986,[1] and became Harry's biggest chart hit, reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart and becoming her only solo top-10 single there. In the United States, the song peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.
For promotion, Harry did a live performance of "French Kissin" and "In Love with Love" on Saturday Night Live, as well as a handful of television interviews in the UK and US in late 1986. A music video (featuring several women including a few short sequences by actress Katey Sagal) was also made and subsequently played on music video channels. Besides the regular 7-inch and 12-inch formats, the single was also released as a limited-edition 12-inch picture disc in the UK.
Harry also recorded a French-language version of the track which was released as the B-side of other Rockbird singles and was also included on the 1988 Blondie/Debbie Harry remix compilation Once More into the Bleach.
The song was originally released by Carol Chapman in 1985, as the B-side of the single "Bad Dreams in Hollywood", the only release Chapman ever did.[2] Chapman's song was used by two movies: Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989). The song was written by Chuck Lorre.
^French Kissin (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Geffen Records. 1986. 7-28546.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^French Kissin (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Geffen Records. 1986. 0-20575.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^French Kissin in the USA (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 12 3066.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^French Kissin in the USA (Australasian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. X 14456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^French Kissin in the USA (Australasian cassette single sleeve). Debbie Harry. Chrysalis Records. 1986. C 14456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 134. ISBN0-646-11917-6.