Chequered Love
single
CoverChequered_Love.jpg
ArtistKim Wilde
AlbumKim Wilde
B-side
  • "Shane” (UK)
  • "Everything We Know (North America)
Released27 April 1981
Genre
Length3:20
LabelRAK (UK) EMI (US)
WriterRicky Wilde, Marty Wilde
ProducerRicky Wilde
Prev year1981
Next year1981

"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.[3] "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"),[4] and peaking inside the top 10 all around the world except North America. It was certified gold in the UK and France, for sales of 250,000 copies[5] and has sold over a million copies worldwide.[6] The song was also followed by a music video directed by Brian Grant, which was set in a steamy, black-tiled bathroom.[3]

Track listing

UK / Europe / Australia 7" single [1981]

  1. "Chequered Love" - 3:20
  2. "Shane" - 3:29

Germany 12" single [1981]

  1. "Chequered Love" - 3:20
  2. "Shane" - 3:29

US / Canada 7" single [1982]

  1. "Chequered Love" - 3:20
  2. "Everything We Know" - 3:42

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7]6
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[8]3
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[9]1

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10]45
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11]10
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12]37
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13]46
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[14]14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15]17
West Germany (Official German Charts)[16]24

References

  1. ^
  2. ^
  3. ^ Nobes, Mark (January 18, 2023). "Kim Wilde "Chequered Love" (1981)". Simply Eighties. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  4. ^ "SA Number 1s 1965 - 1989". Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  6. ^ "Billboard". 1981-09-19.
  7. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 42. 24 October 1981. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. – via Google Books
  8. ^ "Radio Luxembourg Singles". umdmusic.com. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  9. ^ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts W". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived 23 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Kent Music Report No 393 – 4 January 1982 > National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 December 2020. – via Imgur.com.
  11. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1981 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1981". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1981" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 March 2018.