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Sir Timothy Rice is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and rightfully so.
If the name doesn't quite ring a bell, let me ring it for you: During his long and successful career, Tim Rice has co-written dozens of songs for stage and screen.
He collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on "Jesus Christ Superstar" as well as "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and has contributed to several Disney films, including "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and, in collaboration with Elton John, "The Lion King!"
There's quite a bit more, but you get the idea of the scope of his talent.
Today, we're highlighting a song that he co-wrote with Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson--the "B's" of ABBA.
"One night in Bangkok" is from the somewhat obscure musical "Chess," and it turned out to be a "Great Song of 1985" even though, for the most part, it was taken out of context and released as a single by Murray Head.
In a nutshell, the show itself is about a politically-driven Cold War era chess match between two grandmasters: an American, and a Russian, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.
"one Night in Bangkok" is schizophrenic in the way it portrays the city--and Thailand in general. The verses sarcastically list the cons of the country. The Chorus extolls the virtues--such as they are.
It ruffled quite a few feathers in Thailand, leading their Mass Communications Organization to ban the song.
Elsewhere, however, the song was a massive hit, topping the charts in 9 countries (including Canada), and reaching the Top 10 in 8 more. In the US, It peaked at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100, and #5 on the Disco Chart.
Note: Although British actor Murray Head is credited as the artist, he only raps the "cons," while Swedish singer Anders Glenmark sings the "pros."
Note: #2 "Chess" had a lengthy run in London's West End, and a solid run on Broadway, garnering several award nominations along the way.
"One Night in Bangkok" from the musical "Chess": yet another feather in the cap for Sir Timothy Rice, and the "B's" from ABBA--not to mention Murray Head and Anders Glenmark. It's a Great Song of 1985! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgc_LRjlbTU
Tomorrow: Sammy replaces David
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