One Night in Bangkok

"One Night in Bangkok" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson, and Björn Ulvaeus. British actor and singer Murray Head raps the verses, while the chorus is sung by Anders Glenmark, a Swedish singer, songwriter, and producer.

This article is about the song. For the Sodom album, see One Night in Bangkok (album). For the 2020 film, see Mark Dacascos § Film.

"One Night in Bangkok"
Single by Murray Head
from the album Chess
B-side"Merano"
ReleasedOctober 1984
Genre
Length
  • 3:56 (Promo 45 Version)
  • 4:06 (Single Version)
  • 5:00 (Album Version)
  • 5:38 (12" Version)
LabelRCA Records
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
  • Tim Rice
Murray Head singles chronology
"Maman"
(1982)		 "One Night in Bangkok"
(1984)		 "When You're in Love"
(1984)
Audio sample
Murray Head – "One Night in Bangkok"
  • file
  • help
Music video
"One Night in Bangkok" on YouTube

The release topped the charts in many countries, including South Africa, The Netherlands, West Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Australia. It peaked at No. 3 in both Canada and the United States in May 1985[4] and at No. 12 in the United Kingdom.

Lyrics and music

The full version of the song begins with an orchestral introduction, entitled "Bangkok". This serves as the introduction to Act 2 in the original musical album, feeding into the first verse of "One Night in Bangkok" itself with an abrupt change in musical style.

The main song has a pop styling, whose lyrics describe the Thai capital city and its nightlife in the context of a chess match. In the original concept album for the musical, Swedish artist Anders Glenmark sang in the chorus, whereas the verses are a rap originally performed by Murray Head as the American chess grandmaster, a character known as Frederick "Freddie" Trumper in the staged versions. In the staged versions, a musical ensemble performs the choruses. Whereas the choruses extol Bangkok's reputation and exciting atmosphere, the American's verses ridicule the city, describing its attractions—the red-light district (Soi Cowboy), Chao Phraya River ("muddy old river"), Wat Pho ("reclining Buddha")—as less interesting to him than a game of chess. These sarcastic denunciations led to Thailand's Mass Communications Organisation issuing a ban on the song in 1985, stating its lyrics "cause misunderstanding about Thai society and show disrespect towards Buddhism".[5]

The lyrics mention actor Yul Brynner, about six months before his death, who had played the King of Siam in the Broadway musical and the 1956 film The King and I (also banned in Thailand). Other Thai-related references in the lyrics include ones to Thailand's former name ("Siam"), kathoeys ("You'll find a god in every golden cloister — And if you're lucky then the god's a she"), and the Oriental Hotel (girls "are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite", to which the verse replies "I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine" – a reference to Muay Thai).

The "Tyrolean spa" mentioned early in the song refers to Merano in the South Tyrol region of Italy, the site of Act 1 of the musical and location of the World Chess Championship in 1981. It also mentions three places where chess tournaments were previously held: Iceland (1972); the Philippines (1975 and 1978); and Hastings, United Kingdom (Hastings International Chess Congress).

In the original London production of Chess, the setting for the song is an interview by Freddie, who is in Bangkok to serve as a TV analyst for a match involving his rival, world champion and Russian defector Anatoly Sergievsky. In the original Broadway production of the musical, the song appears not at the start of Act 2, but in the middle of Act 1, whereas in this version, the world championship of Freddie vs. Anatoly takes place in Bangkok.

Track listings
7" single[6]
  1. "One Night in Bangkok" – 3:54
  2. "Merano" by The London Symphony Orchestra and The Ambrosian Singers – 7:08
12" maxi[6]
  1. "One Night in Bangkok" – 5:38
  2. "Merano" by The London Symphony Orchestra & The Ambrosian Singers – 7:08

Charts and sales

Robey version

While Head's "Bangkok" was just starting to climb the Billboard Hot 100, Canadian singer and actress Robey hit the charts with her version. It spent three weeks on the Hot 100 in March 1985, peaking at No. 77.[45] Robey's version fared better on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at No. 5.[46]

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[46] 77
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[46] 9
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[46] 45
US Cash Box[47] 75

C21 version
"One Night In Bangkok"
Single by C21
ReleasedOctober 2003
GenrePop
Length3:18
C21 singles chronology
"She Cries"
(2003)		 "One Night In Bangkok"
(2003)		 "All That I Want"
(2004)

Danish boy band C21 released their version in 2003 as the fourth and final single from their eponymous debut album. It reached No. 11 in Denmark.[48]

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Denmark (Tracklisten)[48] 11


Vinylshakerz version
"One Night in Bangkok"
Single by Vinylshakerz
from the album Very Superior
Released2005
Length3:28 (radio edit)
5:20 (extended version)
LabelKontor[49]
Songwriter(s)
(lyricists)
Producer(s)
  • Mike Griesheimer
  • Thomas Detert
Vinylshakerz singles chronology
"One Night in Bangkok"
(2005)		 "Tekkno Trash (Pay No Cash)"
(2005)
Audio
"One Night in Bangkok" on YouTube

In 2005, German group Vinylshakerz covered the song. It was released in 2005 as the lead single from their debut album Very Superior. It was a hit across Europe, charting in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland.[49]

Charts
Chart (2005) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[49] 41
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[50] 8
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[51] 14
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[52] 6
Germany (Official German Charts)[53] 26
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[54] 53
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[55] 87

See also

References
  1. Manning, Kara. "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Theatre Communications Group. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  2. Hunt, Dennis (12 May 1985). "HEAD MASTERS THE RAP IN 'BANGKOK'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 August 2022. The reason for the confusion is that "Bangkok" is a rap song, with Head reciting the lyrics to the accompaniment of a sizzling dance track.
  3. Molanphy, Chris (28 June 2019). "The Lullaby of Broadway Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. "May 18, 1985 – The Hot 100". Billboard. 18 May 1985. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  5. "This week in religion history: What the butler saw, then stole". National Post. 19 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  6. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  7. "Australian Top 50 – Week Ending 24th March, 1985". Retrieved 3 February 2016 – via Imgur.
  8. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  9. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9285." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0509." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  11. "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 2, no. 4. 28 January 1985. p. 2. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 27 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  12. "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006.
  13. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-9-5112-1053-5.
  14. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – One Night in Bangkok". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Murray Head - One Night in Bangkok" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  17. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  18. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  19. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok". VG-lista. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  20. "ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK – Murray Head" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  21. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  22. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  23. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  24. "Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  26. "Murray Head – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  27. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 108.
  28. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 11, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012.
  29. "Offiziellecharts.de – Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  30. "Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 23 January 2023 – via Imgur.
  31. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 437. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  32. "Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten 1985" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  34. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. Library and Archives Canada. 28 December 1985. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  35. "TOP – 1985". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  36. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  37. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  38. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1985". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  39. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  40. "Top 100 Hits for 1985". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  41. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.
  42. "Canadian single certifications – Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok". Music Canada.
  43. "French single certifications – Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok" (in French). InfoDisc. Select MURRAY HEAD and click OK. 
  44. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Murray Head; 'One Night in Bangkok')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  45. Whitburn, Joel (1991). The Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Eighties (1st ed.). Menomonee, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 16 March 1985. ISBN 0-89820-079-2.
  46. "Robey – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  47. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MARCH 16, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.
  48. "C21 – One Night in Bangkok". Tracklisten. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  49. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  50. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  51. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  52. "Vinylshakerz: One Night in Bangkok" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  53. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  54. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  55. "Vinylshakerz – One Night in Bangkok". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
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