The Promise You Made

"The Promise You Made"
Single by Cock Robin
from the album Cock Robin
B-side"Have You Any Sympathy?"
ReleasedNovember 1985 (US)
  • February 1986 (EU)
Recorded1984
GenreSoft rock, new wave[1]
Length3:54
6:36 (Extended version)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Peter Kingsbery
Producer(s)Steve Hillage
Cock Robin singles chronology
"When Your Heart Is Weak"
(1985)
"The Promise You Made"
(1985)
"Thought You Were On My Side"
(1986)
Music video
"The Promise You Made" on YouTube

"The Promise You Made" is a song by Cock Robin. Written by Peter Kingsbery, the song was recorded in 1984 for the group's self-titled debut album. It was released as a single first in the US in November 1985, then in early 1986 in Europe where it became a big hit.

Music video

[edit]

The video opens with an old woman stroking her dog; she then comes upon some passers-by and Peter Kingsbery enters the recording studio. As Kingsbery starts singing, people mill around the entrance to the studio and other members of the band also arrive inside and set up the instruments, with Anna LaCazio joining Kingsbery singing. As a fruit stand is knocked over outside, the last band member goes into the studio. In no time all the instruments are in place. Most of the video is made up of fade-outs, alternating the scenes inside the studio showing the band with images of the members of the public outside the studio entrance. The clip ends with pictures of Kingsbery and Anna LaCazio leaving the studio together.[2]

Chart performance

[edit]

"The Promise You Made" was a notable hit in many European countries, particularly in the Flanders region of Belgium, where it topped the chart for five weeks out off a 11-week chart run,[3] as well as in the Netherlands where it was also number one on the Dutch Top 40 and number two on the Dutch Top 100 Singles.[4][5] In the latter country, it achieved Platinum status,[6] and ranked in the top ten on the 1986 year-end chart. In France, it spent 12 weeks in the top ten, including three weeks at number four, its highest position, and remained in the top 50 for 24 weeks,[7] thus becoming Cock Robin's best charting single in the country, and was certified Gold disc by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.[8] Other countries with a peak position within the top ten include Germany where it attained number six and appeared on the chart for 18 weeks,[9] Switzerland and Italy, where it reached number seven and four, respectively.[10][11] It missed the top ten by one place in Ireland where it charted for seven weeks,[12] and was a moderate hit in the UK where it peaked only at number 28 but had a 13-week chart trajectory.[13] On the Music & Media's Eurochart Hot 100, it spent six weeks in the top ten with a peak at number six twice, and fell off the chart after 34 weeks of presence.[14] Regularly aired on radios, it spent 27 weeks on the Eurochart Airplay Top 50 with a peak at number eight twice.[15]

Track listings

[edit]

All songs written and composed by Peter Kingsbery.

  • 7" vinyl single
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Promise You Made"3:52
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Have You Any Sympathy?"4:10
  • 12" vinyl single
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Promise You Made" (Extended version)6:36
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."The Promise You Made"3:52
2."Have You Any Sympathy?"4:10

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "The Promise You Made"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[8] Silver 250,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[6] Platinum 100,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Kate Ryan cover version

[edit]
"La Promesse" / "The Promise You Made"
Single by Kate Ryan
from the album Stronger
B-side"Can You Fix This"
Released2004
GenreTrance
Length3:28
LabelAntler-Subway, EMI
Songwriter(s)Peter Kingsbery
French lyrics by Jo Lemaire
Producer(s)Phil Wilde & A. J. Duncan
Kate Ryan singles chronology
"Only If I"
(2004)
"La Promesse" / "The Promise You Made"
(2004)
"Goodbye"
(2004)
Licensed audio
"The promise you made" on YouTube
Music video
"La Promesse" on YouTube

A cover version of "The Promise You Made", together with a French-language version, "La Promesse", were released as a 2004 single by Belgian singer Kate Ryan. The French lyrics were written by Jo Lemaire. The single was released in the U.S. on September 13, 2005 (2005-09-13), where it reached #13 in the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales.[21]

Track listings

[edit]
CD single
  • Belgium: Antler-Subway, EMI / AS 9108, AS 9111 (Promo)
  • Spain: Vale Music / VLDP 288-6 (Promo)
No.TitleLength
1."La Promesse"3:28
2."The Promise You Made"3:28
  • Belgium: Antler-Subway, EMI / AS 9112
No.TitleLength
1."La Promesse" (Radio version)3:28
2."The Promise You Made" (Radio version)3:28
3."La Promesse" (Extended)6:00
4."The Promise You Made" (Extended)6:00
5."Can You Fix This"4:06
  • Germany: Sushi Tunes / 0010132MIN
No.TitleLength
1."La Promesse" (Radio version)3:28
2."The Promise You Made" (Radio version)3:28
3."La Promesse" (Alternative Radio Version)3:28
4."The Promise You Made" (Alternative Radio Version)3:28
5."La Promesse" (Extended version)6:00
6."The Promise You Made" (Extended version)6:00
7."Can You Fix This"4:06
8."La Promesse" (Video)3:28
  • U.S.: Water Music Dance / 302 060 569 2
No.TitleLength
1."The Promise You Made" (Radio Version)3:26
2."The Promise You Made" (Bermudez & Harris Pinky Swear Mix - Radio Edit)3:32
3."The Promise You Made" (Extended Version)5:59
4."The Promise You Made" (Bermudez & Harris Pinky Swear Mix)9:25
5."The Promise You Made" (Guitar Mix)3:27
6."La Promesse" (Radio Edit)3:26
7."La Promesse" (Extended Version)5:58
8."The Promise You Made" (Video)3:28
12" vinyl single
  • Belgium: EMI / 549498 6
  • Germany: Sushi Tunes / Sushitunes015 (Promo)
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Promise You Made" (Extended version)6:00
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."La Promesse" (Extended version)6:00

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "The Promise You Made"
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[23] 35
Germany (GfK)[24] 19
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[25] 16
Poland (Polish Music Charts)[26] 5
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[27] 18
US Hot Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[21] 13

Other versions

[edit]

In December 1996, Chris Roberts recorded a German-language version with his wife, Claudia Roberts, titled "Ich will nicht, daß wir uns verlier'n", following their marriage. It was released as a single on 13 November 1997. A version was also recorded in the original English language, but was never published. The B-side was "Du kannst nicht immer 17 sein".

In 2008 Julio Iglesias Jr. sang a Spanish-language version of this song with the name: "Promete decir la verdad".[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "New Wave Hits of the 80s". 1 March 2007.
  2. ^ "maxdome - Video on Demand". store.maxdome.de.
  3. ^ a b "Cock Robin – The Promise You Made" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 - week 12, 1986" (in Dutch). Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Cock Robin – The Promise You Made" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987 – Holland Platinum Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 4 (51/52): 44. 26 December 1987. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Cock Robin – The Promise You Made" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b "French single certifications – Cock Robin – The Promise You Made" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 29 January 2022. Select COCK ROBIN and click OK. 
  9. ^ a b "Offiziellecharts.de – Cock Robin – The Promise You Made" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Cock Robin – The Promise You Made". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 12 September 2023. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Cock Robin".
  12. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Promise You Made". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Cock Robin: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 22. 7 June 1986. p. 12-13. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 12 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 14. 12 April 1986. p. 10. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 12 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ "19868 Belgian Flanders Singles Chart" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 of the Year 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51–52. 27 December 1986. p. 28-29. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 4 October 2021 – via American Radio History.
  18. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Single top 100 over 1986" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  20. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  21. ^ a b "allmusic ((( Kate Ryan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  22. ^ "Kate Ryan – The Promise You Made / La promesse" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Kate Ryan – The Promise You Made / La promesse" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Kate Ryan – The Promise You Made" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 38/2004" (in Polish). PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  27. ^ "Kate Ryan – The Promise You Made / La promesse" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 6 June 2024.