Today’s classic song of the day is “Kiss You All Over” by Exile. Released in May of 1978, this one went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top ten hit in Australia (#1), Austria, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand (#1), Norway, South Africa (#1), Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and West Germany.
“Kiss You All Over” was written by Australian songwriter Mike Chapman and his British partner, Nicky Chinn; Chapman also produced. The songwriting duo was also responsible for hits such as “Little Willy” and “Ballroom Blitz” for the Sweet, “Stumblin’ In” for Suzie Quatro and Chris Norman, “Better Be Good to Me” for Tina Turner, “Heart and Soul” for Huey Lewis & the News, and that perennial earwig, “Mickey” for Toni Basil. “Kiss You All Over” was the duo’s first number-one hit here in the States.
Here’s what Mike Chapman said about “Kiss Me All Over,” which apparently was inspired by the soul stylings of Barry White, although it sounds nothing like Mr. White:
“[It] is very much about what music in the US is all about in 1978. It’s MOR [Middle of the Road] soft rock, slightly disco though not pure disco, and has a sensuous lyric line that Americans love.”
Well, he was right about Americans loving it. The song spent four whole weeks at the top of the charts here in the States and was ranked by Billboard as the #5 song for all of 1976.
“Kiss You All Over” was Exile’s first big hit and their only single to hit the top forty. The group later moved into country music and had close to a dozen number-one hits on the country charts.
And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, the official music video for Exile’s “Kiss You All Over.” Stay with me, lay with me…
