King's 'Summer of Lists' starts with music!

KING CREOLE's all-time FAVORITE songs that have "KING" in the title:



10) FLOWER KING OF FLIES - Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - 1972

Emerson, Lake and Palmer were one of the very first supergroups having converged from such groups as The Nice, King Crimson, Atomic Rooster and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.   And they lived up to the name being one of the prime innovators in the (at that time) youthful genre of progressive rock.  They spawned many imitators, none quite approaching the genius of the original.


9) KING OF THE JUNGLE - Bananarama - 1984

The song, along with several tracks on the Bananarama album, combined producers Jolley & Swain's pop music production with serious lyrical content. Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey described "King of the Jungle" as a song "about how ridiculous it is that eighteen year old boys are given guns and are endorsed by the government to go out and kill people"


8) KING WITHOUT A CROWN - ABC - 1987

ABC are a British Pop band that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. If you're a fan of the new wave genre of music from the 70's and 80's, then you definitely must have a few ABC songs on your list of favorites. Songs like this one... and "Poison Arrow," "Look of Love," and "Be Near Me."


7) KING HAS LOST HIS CROWN - ABBA - 1979

Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a big fan of ABBA... and I can still maintain my masculinity. Wanta' make something of it?


6) KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER - Adam and the Ants - 1981

There are a handful of "King" songs from a very influential period in my life (1976 to 1985). Adam Ant was a new-wave / punk band that churned out a ton of hits in this time frame. Like 'Antmusic', 'Dog Eat Dog', 'Friend or Foe', 'Goody Two Shoes', 'Kings of the Wild Frontier', and my favorite: 'DESPERATE BUT NOT SERIOUS'.


5) IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING - 1969 - King Crimson

This is the fifth and final track from the British progressive rock band King Crimson's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King. It was also released as a single. And it was one of the first songs that I REALLY enjoyed while experimenting with weed to back in my early days. So it has special added significance for me! That's why it cracked my top 5.....


4) KING OF PAIN - 1983 - The Police

Yes, another ground-breaking new wave group that is actually touring as we speak. This is a very personal song written by Sting. He had recently separated from his first wife and was not getting along with the other 2 members of the band. This was from their last album. For 007 fans, we note that Sting wrote this in Jamaica at the house where Ian Flemming wrote the James Bond books. Sting: "I conjured up symbols of pain and related them to my soul. A black spot on the sun struck me as being a very painful image."


3) KING OF THE ROAD - 1966 - Roger Miller

Many different artists have covered this song, but not like Roger Miller... who was a great songwriter and entertainer from the 60's.  I also note that another great new-wave group also covered this song (REM).

Trailer for sale or rent
Rooms to let...fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets
I ain't got no cigarettes


2) KING FOR A DAY - 1985 - Thompson Twins

The new-wave genre of the late 70's and 80's was the last period of ground-breaking music. And in my opinion, music has basically gone downhill since then. But if you love that period of rock like I do, then you must admit that the Thompson Twins churned out some great music. My favorite satellite radio station on SIRIUS is "First Wave" (channel 23). And they still play it often!

IF I WAS KING FOR JUST ONE DAY
I WOULD GIVE IT ALL AWAY
I WOULD GIVE IT ALL AWAY TO BE WITH YOU...


1) KING CREOLE - 1959 - Elvis Presley
Duh.... What else would I choose as my FAVORITE song with "King" in the title? And it was released (1959) during the year of my birth.

There's a man in New Orleans
Who plays rock and roll
He's a guitar man
With a great big soul
He lays down a beat
Like a ton of coal
He goes by the name of King Creole