Square Rooms
"Square Rooms" is a song by American singer and actor Al Corley. It was the first single from his debut album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
"Square Rooms" | ||||
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Single by Al Corley | ||||
from the album Square Rooms | ||||
Released | 9 September 1984 | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:39 | |||
Label | Mercury Records | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Harold Faltermeyer | |||
Al Corley singles chronology | ||||
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Background and writing
After two seasons playing one of the first gay leading characters an American TV series, Dynasty, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor. It was produced and composed by the German musician Harold Faltermeyer, who had previously arranged "Self Control", a worldwide pop and dance-floor smash for Laura Branigan in 1984 which featured a similar vocal hook. Faltermeyer would achieve his greatest personal success later the same year, composing, performing and producing the score to Beverly Hills Cop, a 1984 film directed by Martin Brest, including its hit instrumental theme, "Axel F".[2]
Chart performance
"Square Rooms" was released first in Switzerland, where it was a hit, peaking at number 6 on 21 October 1984, and staying in the top 30 for ten weeks.[3] The single debuted at no. 47 in the French Singles Chart on 5 January 1985. It climbed quickly and was no. 1 for five nonconsecutive weeks, from 9 March to 13 April 1985. After its peak, it lingered on the charts until its 27th week, on 20 July 1985.[4] The song also achieved success in Italy (no. 12), Germany (no. 13) and Austria where it reached no. 15 in April 1985.[5] "Square Rooms" was released last in Corley's native US, where the single was only a minor pop hit, reaching no. 80 on the Hot 100 on 1 June 1985. American dancefloors were more receptive than its airwaves; Corley reached no. 26 on the Billboard dance chart[6] the week of 22 June 1985.
Formats and track listings
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Square Rooms" | 3:39 |
2. | "Don't Play With Me" | 4:20 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Square Rooms (12" version)" | 8:02 |
2. | "Square Rooms (7" version)" | 3:39 |
3. | "Don't Play with Me" | 4:20 |
- The 12-inch (long) version includes an entire additional verse prior to the first chorus. This verse is excised in both the single and album versions of the song.
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Covers
A French cover version was recorded by France Lise under the title "On vit à deux".[13]
References
- "Dance/Disco > Picks > Al Corley – Square Rooms (8:00)". Billboard. Vol. 97 no. 17. 27 April 1985. p. 67. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Habib, Elia (2002). Muz hit.tubes (in French). Alinéa Bis. p. 35. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
- "Swisscharts.com – Al Corley – Square Rooms". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "Lescharts.com – Al Corley – Square Rooms" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "Austriancharts.at – Al Corley – Square Rooms" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "Al Corley – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "Ultratop.be – Al Corley – Square Rooms" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "European Top 40 Singles – Week Ending 20.04.85". World Charts. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015.
- "I singoli più venduti del 1985" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 18, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Al Corley – Square Rooms". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "TOP – 1985" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- Lemonier, Marc (2008). Nos années Top, clips et 45 tours: 1984–1991 (in French). pp. 31–32. ISBN 2-258-07648-X.