Alive and Kicking (song)

This article is about the Simple Minds song. For other songs with the same title, see Alive and Kicking (disambiguation).

"Alive and Kicking" is a song released by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds as the lead single from their seventh album, Once Upon a Time. The song reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada; it peaked within the top five of several European countries including Italy, where the song reached number one.

"Alive & Kicking"
Single by Simple Minds
from the album Once Upon a Time
B-side	"Up on the Catwalk (Live Version)"
Released	30 September 1985 (1985-09-30)[1]
Length	4:47 (single version) 4:33 (radio version) 5:26 (album and video version)
Label	A&M, Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Mick MacNeil
Producer(s)	Bob Clearmountain, Jimmy Iovine
Simple Minds singles chronology
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985) "Alive & Kicking" (1985) "Sanctify Yourself" (1986)
Music video
"Alive and Kicking" on YouTube
Audio sample
file help

Chart performance

Following on from the success of previous non-album single, "Don't You (Forget About Me)", "Alive and Kicking" was released as a single, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Top Rock Tracks chart (now called the Mainstream Rock chart). The song also reached number 4 in Canada. In Europe, the song topped the charts in Italy for one week, reached number 2 in Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands, and peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1992, when re-released as a double A-side with "Love Song" to promote the band's compilation album Glittering Prize 81/92, it managed to reach a new peak of number 6. Elsewhere, "Alive and Kicking" reached number 5 in New Zealand, number 16 in South Africa, and just missed the top 20 in Australia, peaking at number 21.

Music video

The music video for "Alive and Kicking" was filmed near the town of Hunter, at North–South Lake in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. A portion of the video was filmed on the overlook at the site of the old Catskill Mountain House (previously demolished). It was directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński, who directed the video for "All the Things She Said", the third single from the same album.^[2]

Track listings

7-inch single

1. "Alive and Kicking" (Single Version) (4:47)
2. "Alive and Kicking" (Instrumental Version) (6:01)

12-inch single

1. "Alive and Kicking" (5:26)
2. "Alive and Kicking" (Instrumental Version) (6:01)

Second 12-inch single

• Ltd Edition Reflective Gold Sleeve

1. "Alive and Kicking" (5:26)
2. "Alive and Kicking" (Instrumental Version) (6:01)
3. "Up on the Catwalk" (Live) (5:37)

Personnel

• Produced by Jimmy Iovine and Bob Clearmountain
• Engineered by Moira Marquis and Mark McKenna
• Engineering assisted by Martin White
• Words and music by Simple Minds (Kerr, Burchill, MacNeil)
• "Up on the Catwalk" recorded live at Barrowlands, Glasgow, 5 January 1985
• Backing vocals by Robin Clark

Charts

Weekly charts "Alive and Kicking" Chart (1985–1986) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[3] 21 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] 4 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[6] 2 France (SNEP)[7] 33 Italy (Musica e dischi)[8] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[9] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 5 Norway (VG-lista)[13] 5 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[14] 16 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[18] 2 West Germany (GfK)[19] 17 "Love Song" / "Alive and Kicking" Chart (1992) Peak position Ireland (IRMA)[20] 27 UK Singles (OCC)[21] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 20 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] 43 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 22 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 19 Chart (1986) Position US Billboard Hot 100[26] 17

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[27]	Platinum	60,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[28]	Gold	50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[29]	Platinum	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]	Gold	400,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Appearances in media

In 1992, "Alive & Kicking" provided the soundtrack for a famous promo, entitled "A whole new ball game" for BSkyB's launch of the FA Premier League.^[31][32]

East Side Beat version

"Alive and Kicking"
Single by East Side Beat
from the album East Side Beat
Released	7 December 1992 (1992-12-07)[33]
Length	4:05
Label	FFRR
Songwriter(s)	Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Mick MacNeil
Producer(s)	Phil Kelsey
East Side Beat singles chronology
"I Didn't Know" (1992) "Alive and Kicking" (1992) "You're My Everything" (1993)

In 1992, Italian dance music group East Side Beat covered "Alive and Kicking". There are five remixes in total. Two versions are found on the 7-inch single and an additional three are on the CD single.

Charts

Chart (1992–1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[34]	127
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35]	19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36]	20
UK Singles (OCC)[37]	26