"King of Emotion" is a song by Scottish rock band

Big Country Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although it has retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music incorporated Scott ...

, which was released in 1988 as the lead single from their fourth studio album '' Peace in Our Time''. It was written by

Stuart Adamson William Stuart Adamson (11 April 1958 – 16 December 2001) was a Scottish rock guitarist and singer. Adamson began his career in the late 1970s as a founding member and performer with the punk rock band Skids. After leaving Skids in 1981, he ...

and produced by Peter Wolf. "King of Emotion" reached No. 16 in the UK, No. 11 on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks and No. 20 on the ''Billboard'' Album Rock Tracks. The song's music video was directed by

Richard Lowenstein Richard Lowenstein (born 1 March 1959) is an Australian filmmaker. He has written, produced and directed: feature films, including ''Strikebound'' (1984), ''Dogs in Space'' (1986) and ''He Died with a Felafel in His Hand'' (2001); music videos ...

. It received breakout rotation on MTV. Recalling the song in the early 1990s, Adamson commented of the song being influenced by

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

' "

Honky Tonk Women "Honky Tonk Women" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released as a non-album single on 4 July 1969 in the United Kingdom, and a week later in the United States (although a country version called "Country Honk" was ...

": "There was a groove that suited us, so I thought why not go the whole hog and write our own song?" In 2002, the song was performed by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley (of

Cockney Rebel Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are a British glam rock band from the early 1970s from London. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in ...

) at the Stuart Adamson Tribute Concert.

Critical reception

Upon release, William Shaw of '' Smash Hits'' noted: "Big Country used to be the group whose tunes sounded all Scottish due to having billions of bagpipe-like guitars on them. This, on the other hand, is hip wiggling "rock" of the kind large crowds punch their fists into the air and shout "Awwwwwwwright" to. This is raunchy rock and ruddy roll, this is. Who are these imposters? Whoever they are, they've probably got a big hit on their hands."

Mica Paris Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known professionally as Mica Paris (), is an English singer, presenter and actress. Paris was born in Islington in North London, but moved to Brockley, South London, when she was nine. She rel ...

, as guest reviewer for ''

Number One Number One most commonly refers to: * 1 (number) Number One, No. 1, or #1 may also refer to: Music Albums * ''Number 1'' (Big Bang album), and the title song * ''No. 1'' (BoA album), and the title song * ''No.1'' (EP), by CLC * ''n.1 ...

'' said: "This sounds like an album track. It's stronger than their old stuff but it's just not a single." '' Cash Box'' commented: "A rough and ready rocker that has more elements of tough than tender. If Big Country sounded like guitars emulating bagpipes, this single sounds like guitars as axes, a decidedly heavier brushstroke here. Should score well on AOR." In his 2015 book ''The Top 40 Annual 1988'', James Masterton noted: "Even two and a half decades later "King of Emotion" still has the capacity to annoy as it only takes one listen to realise just how much better it could have been." In a retrospective review of the album, William Ruhlmann of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

commented: "On songs like the "King of Emotion", Wolf sought to retain Big Country's heroic quality while adding the widescreen dramatic style and cheerleader choral approach of Starship's "We Built This City." It was a brave try, but didn't really suit the group."

Track listing

;7" single #"King of Emotion" - 4:50 #"The Travellers" - 3:16 ;7" single (US promo) #"King of Emotion (LP Version)" - 4:50 #"King of Emotion (LP Version)" - 4:50 ;12" single #"King of Emotion" - 4:52 #"The Travellers" - 3:14 #"Starred & Crossed" - 4:26 ;12" single (Canada promo) #"King of Emotion" - 4:51 #"King of Emotion" - 4:51 ;Cassette single (UK release) #"King of Emotion" - 4:51 #"The Travellers" - 3:13 #"Starred and Crossed" - 4:25 #"On the Shore" - 3:38 ;CD single #"King of Emotion" - 4:51 #"The Travellers" - 3:13 #"Starred and Crossed" - 4:25 #"Not Waving but Drowning" - 5:55 ;CD single (US promo) #"King of Emotion (LP Version)" - 4:50

Chart performance

Personnel

;Big Country *

- vocals, guitar * Bruce Watson - guitar * Tony Butler - bass *

Mark Brzezicki Mark Michael Brzezicki ( , ; born 21 June 1957) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Scottish rock band Big Country. He has also played with the Cult, Ultravox, From the Jam, Procol Harum, Rick Astley, the Crazy World of ...

- drums ;Production * Peter Wolf - producer of "King of Emotion" *

- producers of "The Travellers", "Starred & Crossed", "On the Shore" and "Not Waving But Drowning" ;Other *Paul Harrison - front cover design *Andy Earl - front cover photography *Terry O'Neill - back cover photography *Grant/Edwards Management - management

References

{{authority control 1988 songs 1988 singles Mercury Records singles Reprise Records singles Big Country songs Songs written by Stuart Adamson