Chequered Love

"Chequered Love"
Single by Kim Wilde
from the album Kim Wilde
B-side
  • "Shane” (UK)
  • "Everything We Know (North America)
Released27 April 1981
GenreNew wave
Length3:20
LabelRAK (UK) EMI (US)
Songwriter(s)Ricky Wilde, Marty Wilde
Producer(s)Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde singles chronology
"Kids in America"
(1981)
"Chequered Love"
(1981)
"Water on Glass"
(1981)

"Chequered Love" is the second single by British singer Kim Wilde. The song was released in the spring of 1981 to follow Wilde's successful debut "Kids in America". As with that single, writing credits were given to Wilde's father and brother Marty and Ricky Wilde, with the latter also being given production credits. The 12" version is no longer in length than the 7"; however, better sound quality is achieved by the grooves not being as compressed, a common practice for "marketing" during the 1980s. The song later appeared on Wilde's self-titled debut album.

Lyrically, the song describes how opposites attract, and was inspired by Wilde's parents, who are very dissimilar people.[1] "Chequered Love" became another hit for Wilde, reaching the number four on the UK Singles Chart, number one in South Africa (succeeding "Kids in America"),[2] and peaking inside the top 10 all around the world except North America. It was certified gold in the UK,[3] and has sold over a million copies worldwide.[4] The song was also followed by a music video directed by Brian Grant, which was set in a steamy, black-tiled bathroom.[1]

  1. ^ a b Nobes, Mark (January 18, 2023). "Kim Wilde "Chequered Love" (1981)". Simply Eighties. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "SA Number 1s 1965 - 1989". Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2018-01-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Billboard". 1981-09-19.