Hanging on a Heart Attack

"Hanging on a Heart Attack" is a song by American pop rock band Device, released in 1986 as the lead single from their only studio album 22B3. The song was written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman, and was produced by Chapman. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[2]

"Hanging on a Heart Attack"
Single by Device
from the album 22B3
B-side"Hanging on a Heart Attack (Extended Version)"
Released12 May 1986[1]
Length
  • 5:07 (album version)
  • 4:02 (single version)
  • 5:58 (extended version)
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mike Chapman
Device singles chronology
"Hanging on a Heart Attack"
(1986)		 "Who Says"
(1986)
Music video
"Hanging on a Heart Attack" on YouTube

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Brian Grant and produced by Frank Hilton for MGMM Productions.[3] It achieved heavy rotation on MTV and peaked at number 10 on the Cash Box Top 30 Music Videos chart.[4][5]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Cash Box praised Knight as a "songwriter par excellence" and considered "Hanging on a Heart Attack" to be a "tough and eery rocker that has immediate appeal". The reviewer added that the "strong production and vocals from Paul Engemann highlight this latest Knight gem".[6] Nancy Erlich of Billboard noted that the song's "heavy duty dance beat and snippets of weirdness should please both mainstream and alternative rock crowds".[7] Gavin Report wrote, "Device is meticulously constructed from the ground up – right down to the odd guitar lick and a well timed key change. Straddling the line between Album Radio and Top Forty, a record like [this] pretty much defines the 80s modus operandi of airplay rock."[8] Pan-European magazine Music & Media picked the song as one of their "sure hits" in their issue of 16 August 1986 and noted its "melodic and powerful pop chording".[9]

Track listing

7–inch single (US and Canada)[10]

  1. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" – 4:02
  2. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Extended Version) – 5:58

7–inch single (UK, Europe, South Africa, Australasia and Japan)[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

  1. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" – 4:02
  2. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Instrumental Version) – 5:58

12–inch single (US and Canada)[18]

  1. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Dance Mix) – 7:21
  2. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Dub Version) – 6:37
  3. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Short Version) – 4:24

12–inch single (UK, Europe and Australasia)[19][20][21][22]

  1. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Dance Mix) – 7:21
  2. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Dub Version) – 6:37
  3. "Hanging on a Heart Attack" (Instrumental Version) – 5:58

Personnel

Device

Production

  • Mike Chapman – production
  • George Tutko – mixing engineer
  • Brian Scheuble – second engineer
  • Jellybean – remixer ("Dance Mix", "Dub Version" and "Short Version")
  • Michael Hutchinson – mix engineer ("Dance Mix", "Dub Version" and "Short Version")
  • Tony Masciarotte – assistant engineer ("Dance Mix", "Dub Version" and "Short Version")

Other

  • Paul Cox – photography

Charts
Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[23] 46
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] 74
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 35
US Hot Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[26] 14
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[27] 27
West Germany (Official German Charts)[28] 33

References
  1. Beck, Marilyn (May 5, 1986). "Holly Knight has her day". The Albuquerque Tribune. p. B7. Retrieved August 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 34. Billboard Publications, Inc. August 23, 1986. p. 82. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. "Video Music: New Video Clips". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 19. Billboard Publications, Inc. May 10, 1986. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. "Video Music: MTV Programming". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 34. Billboard Publications, Inc. August 23, 1986. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. "Top 30 Music Videos". Cash Box. Vol. 50, no. 9. August 16, 1986. p. 24. ISSN 0008-7289.
  6. "Single Releases: New and Developing". Cash Box. Vol. 49, no. 52. June 14, 1986. p. 9. ISSN 0008-7289.
  7. Erlich, Nancy (June 14, 1986). "Reviews: Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 24. Billboard Publications, Inc. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. "Album/Alternative: New Releases". The Gavin Report. No. 1606. May 16, 1986. p. 32.
  9. "M&M Euro Tip Page". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 32. 16 August 1986. p. 13.
  10. Hanging on a Heart Attack (US and Canada 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. VS4-42996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Hanging on a Heart Attack (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 2996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Hanging on a Heart Attack (European 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. 108 341.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Hanging on a Heart Attack (French 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. 884 898-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Hanging on a Heart Attack (Italian 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 419.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Hanging on a Heart Attack (South African 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. PD 2484.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Hanging on a Heart Attack (Australasian limited edition 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. K 26, CHS 2296.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Hanging on a Heart Attack (Japanese 7-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. WWS-17637.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Hanging on a Heart Attack (US and Canada 12-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. 4V9 43007, CS-43007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Hanging on a Heart Attack (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. CHS 12 2996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. Hanging on a Heart Attack (European 12-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. 608 341.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. Hanging on a Heart Attack (French 12-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. 884 898-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Hanging on a Heart Attack (Australasian limited edition 12-inch single sleeve). Device. Chrysalis Records. 1986. X 13260, VS4-42996, CHS 12 2996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 88. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  24. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 580." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  25. "Device – Hanging On A Heart Attack". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  26. "Hot Dance/Disco - Club Play". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 33. Billboard Publications, Inc. August 16, 1986. p. 38. ISSN 0006-2510.
  27. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950-1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. p. 94. ISBN 1563083167. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Device – Hanging On A Heart Attack" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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