Cold (Annie Lennox song)

"Cold" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. It was released as the fourth single from her first solo album, Diva (1992), and reached no. 26 in the UK. The single was released as a series of three separate CD singles, titled Cold, Colder and Coldest. Each CD featured the track "Cold" as well as a collection of live tracks. It was the first single to chart in the UK Top 40 without being released on vinyl. A cassette version was also available featuring the lead track and one live track from each CD.

"Cold"
Single by Annie Lennox
from the album Diva
Released19 October 1992
RecordedNovember 1991
GenreBlue-eyed soul
Length4:20 (Album/Single Version)
LabelBMG, Arista
Songwriter(s)Annie Lennox
Producer(s)Stephen Lipson
Annie Lennox singles chronology
"Walking on Broken Glass"
(1992)		 "Cold"
(1992)		 "Little Bird" / "Love Song for a Vampire"
(1993)
Music video
"Cold" on YouTube

Critical reception

Stephanie Zacharek from Entertainment Weekly called the song "comfortable", "with the gospel and blues touches on".[1] A reviewer from Kingston Informer said it is "brilliant".[2] Robbert Tilli from Music & Media described it as "nicely waltzing".[3] Music Week named it Pick of the Week, declaring it as a "torchy and simple ballad, offering further evidence of the quality of Annie's album Diva."[4] In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue noted that it "feels like a slow late night jazz club number", adding that Lennox' vocals "are soft but rich here and it really shows her off perfectly." The reviewer also felt that "at times, its downbeat sound feels a little reminiscent" of lead single "Why".[5]

Harry Dean from Smash Hits complimented the song as "pleasantly melodic". Craig S. Semon from Telegram & Gazette wrote, "'Cold' lives up to its name. This moody showpiece has a sparse keyboard arrangement that comes in like sheets of ice, with Lennox's unsettling voice as harsh as an arctic frost. It also has some of Lennox's best images and phrasing expressing heartache and regrets. During the song's most telling moment, she explains, "Dying is easy, it's living that scares me to death/I could be so content hearing the sound of your breath"."[6]

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by British director Sophie Muller. It was later published on YouTube in October 2009. As of November 2020, the video has been viewed over 4.5 million times.[7]

Track listing
Cold
No.TitleLength
1."Cold"4:25
2."Why"5:06
3."The Gift"4:43
4."Walking on Broken Glass"4:01

All tracks except "Cold" were recorded acoustically live for MTV Unplugged in July 1992. All live songs were versions of songs from Diva.

Colder
No.TitleLength
1."Cold"4:25
2."It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)"4:15
3."Here Comes The Rain Again"4:30
4."You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart"4:19

All tracks except "Cold" were recorded acoustically live for MTV Unplugged in July 1992. All live songs were versions of songs Lennox has recorded with the Eurythmics.

Coldest
No.TitleLength
1."Cold"4:25
2."River Deep, Mountain High"3:41
3."Feel The Need"2:56
4."Don't Let Me Down"3:26

All tracks except "Cold" were recorded acoustically live for MTV Unplugged in July 1992. All live songs were cover versions. "River Deep, Mountain High" was originally done by Ike & Tina Turner. "Feel the Need" was by The Detroit Emeralds. "Don't Let Me Down" is a Beatles song.

Cassette
No.TitleLength
1."Cold"4:25
2."River Deep, Mountain High"3:41
3."You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart"4:19
4."Why"5:06

Charts
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 80
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 46
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[10] 48
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[11] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 51
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 26

References
  1. Zacharek, Stephanie (15 May 1992). "Diva". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  2. Kingston Informer. 1 April 1994. p. 21.
  3. Tilli, Robbert (4 April 1992). "Who's That Diva? RCA/BMG Gear Up For Lennox Debut" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 6. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  4. "Mainstream: Singles – Picks of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. 24 October 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. "Review: "Diva" by Annie Lennox (CD, 1992)". Pop Rescue. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  6. Semon, Craig S.(7 June 1992). "Annie Lennox strikes up the bland with 'Diva'". Telegram & Gazette.
  7. "Annie Lennox – Cold (Official Video)". 3 October 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2020 – via YouTube.
  8. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 164.
  9. "Annie Lennox – Cold" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  10. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  11. "Annie Lennox – Cold". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  12. "Annie Lennox – Cold" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  13. "Annie Lennox: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
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