King of the World

Song written by Kim Wilde, Fredrik Thomander and Anders Wikström. Dedicated to the memory of Patrick Jordan, a good friend of Kim’s. First track on the album Come Out and Play.

Live performances

‘King of the world’ was performed live during the Come Out and Play Tour in 2011, the Dutch tours in October 2016 and November 2017 and during the Return of the Aliens Tour.

Kim about ‘King of the World’

I wanted to make a monument for my friend Patrick, who died of heart failure, with this song. He was a great guy and this song was a tribute to his personality. (1)

‘King of the World’ was one of the songs that came really quickly and (…) you know when something really good is happening. I remember I just felt literally, physically, like I had something like some kind of wire or connection between me and something else. Universal energy or something. I remember just feeling like I was automatic writing. I wasn’t even thinking about it. It’s just this automatic writing started happening. (2)

Credits

Produced by John McLaughlin & Dave Thomas Junior
Recorded at Radio City Studios Glasgow
Mixed by Bob Kraushaar at Acton Marina, London

Interview sources

(1) Kim Wilde: Comeback of a power woman – Come out and play interview. In: Vip-Chicks website (Germany), August 17, 2010
(2) Unsung Heroes podcast, 23 July 2021


Lyrics

There’s something nasty and it’s sticking on my shoe
It’s trying to take over most everything I do
How did it happen that it stuck inside my throat
I didn’t count on this when I was asked to vote

I watch them slide around the corridors of power
Too busy stealing while they take away what’s ours
You want respect, don’t make me laugh when you deceive us
My favourite Dutchy, why’d you ever have to leave us

Cooler than you
No one’s cooler than you
All the things that you’d do
If you were king of the world
We would all play guitar
We would all be a star
With our beautiful king of the world
Beautiful king of the world

A clap of thunder now they’ve taken you away
And now the world is crying every single day
How could you leave us all to face the stormy weather
I guess you knew that we’d be strong enough together

Why do they leave the bad and take away the good
You were no angel but we all knew where we stood
We’re on the guest list and there’s passes on the door
We’re gonna rock’n’roll before we hit the floor

Cooler than you
No one’s cooler than you
All the things that you’d do
If you were king of the world
We would all play guitar
We would all be a star
With our beautiful king of the world
Beautiful king of the world

Cooler than you …

Beautiful king of the world
Beautiful king of the world