La French

French action crime thriller movie from 2014, released abroad as ‘The Connection’. The movie was directed by Cédric Jimenez and starred Jean Dujardin as police magistrate Pierre Michel (juge) and Gilles Lellouche as Gaëtan “Tany” Zampa, a drug gang ringleader. In the movie, a French police magistrate spends years trying to take down one of the country’s most powerful drug rings.

The soundtrack of the movie features the song Cambodia by Kim Wilde, as well as tracks by Blondie, Serge Gainsbourg, Lykke Li and Townes van Zandt.


Las Cartas

Song written by Dominic James Miller and Gordon Sumner. Based on the song ‘Shape of My Heart’, recorded by Sting in 1993 on his album ‘Ten Summoner’s Tales’.

‘Las Cartas’ was arranged by Juan Vincente Abardonado and recorded by Chico & the Gypsies, featuring Kim Wilde on vocals. It was released on the albums ‘Chico & the Gypsies & International Friends’ and ‘Bamboleo: The Greatest Hits of All Time!’ in June 2014.


Lyrics

Él reparte las cartas como una meditando
A otro no sospechan
No riporta el dinero
Que gana tempo per respeto

He deals the cards to find the answers
A secret geometry of chance
A hidden law of a probable outcome
The numbers lead a dance

Espadas son unas armas de guerra
Nos bastos son para lucar
Y el oro significan di cesa
Signo es for ma vece

He may play the jack of diamonds
He may lay the queen of spades
Qui sa tendra un rey en la mano
Hasta lor vida no todo

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that’s not the shape of my heart
That’s not the shape
The shape of my heart

Si te dijo que te quiero
Pensaras que algo no val
Yo soy un hombre di un solo lostro
No yo vo mascaran

But those who speak know nothin’
And find out to their cost
Like those who curse their luck in too many places
And those who fear are lost

Espadas son unas armas de guerra
Nos bastos son para lucar
Y el oro significan la cesa
Signo es forma vece
Esa no es y forma vece

Liquid Lava

Party band from Adelaide (Australia). Their recording of a cover version of Kids in America was posted on Soundcloud by band member Peter Ballinger in 2012.


LVCRFT

LVCRFT is the sinister spawn of seven Halloween-obsessed hitmakers, responsible for writing and producing tracks for Rihanna, Madonna, Charli XCX and Beyonce among others. Their album ‘This Is Halloween Volume 1’ (2019) features nine original Halloween songs and two cover songs re-imagined in creepy Halloween fashion (Kids in America and Backstreet Boys ‘As Long As You Love Me’). With haunting children’s choirs, strange 80’s phantasms, trap ghosts and swampy voodoo skeletons the album was meant to be the soundtrack to any Halloween party, horror movie screening and trick or treat mission.


Loonies in the Bus Station

Song written and recorded by the Bus Station Loonies, based on the song Kids in America.
Released on the album ‘Mad Frank’s Zonal Disco’ in 1999.


Lyrics

Looking out a dirty bus window,
watch unseeing faces underneath a gloomy sky I
sit on the top deck and wonder why.

Life is like a filthy waiting room,
You may get a seat if you’re lucky, or you might not
A fag, a cup of coffee and that’s yer lot.

Always there from night until dawning
Sit with you without any warning

We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
Everyone forget your returns and let’s dance!

There are times I feel I’m a stranger,
on my own in a crowd and there’s danger lurking there,
Stinking of stale urine and matted hair.

Here I am collecting old tickets,
nostalgic trips of an existence that wasn’t mine,
Stained old trousers held up by bailer twine.

Can you tell the ones they are fooling,
Is it you or the idiot drooling?

We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
Everyone forget your returns and let’s dance!

The last bus has gone and you’ve missed it,
Cold, echoey night on the bench and you feel afraid
Unfriendly stares and dodging fares that were never paid

Then I realise this is real life,
a terminus full of the lonely and the insane.
When I get my time round again I’ll go by train!

Nights are cold, the day’s getting darker,
Old school bags are slung ’round a parka

We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
Everyone forget your returns and let’s dance!

We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies, We’re the Loonies in the Bus Station,
(etc)

Lex

Alex Fain is an Italian DJ and producer, who started his career in 1988. Using a variety of aliases – Microman, Great Exuma and Sex On Monday, amongst others – he made a name for himself in the dance scene. Lex was one of his aliases. Under this name he only released one record: a cover version of You Came. The vocals were contributed by Lynsey Shaw, a model and singer from the UK. One of the tracks on the 12″ single was remixed by Kevin Sunray, which is an alias for Vasilis Milopoulos, a Greek DJ and producer.


Libra

Libra is a French singer-songwriter. She first published music online in 2017. In October 2019 she released a cover version of Kim Wilde’s Cambodia.


Lulu

Born as Marie MacDonald McLaughlin Lawrie on 3 November 1948, in Lennox Castle, Glasgow, Scotland. Lulu was originally a beat group vocalist with her own backing group the Luvvers consisting of Ross Nelson (guitar), Jim Dewar (rhythm guitar), Alec Bell (keyboards), Jimmy Smith (saxophone), Tony Tierney (bass) and David Miller (drums). The 15-year-old singer first came to prominence with a version of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout” in 1964. After an unsuccessful few years she switched record labels from Decca to EMI/Columbia Records and found a new hitmaker, Mickie Most. A cover of Neil Diamond’s ‘The Boat That I Row’ saw an upsurge in her career during 1967, which was punctuated by an acting part in the movie ‘To Sir With Love’. The theme tune from the film gave her a million-selling US number 1. In the UK the song made no. 6. Further UK hits followed, notably ‘Let’s Pretend’, ‘Me, the Peaceful Heart’, ‘Boy’ and  the Marty Wilde composition ‘I’m a Tiger’.

Having established herself as an entertainer of wide appeal, Lulu was granted her own television series and later represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest. This song, ‘Boom-Bang-a-Bang’, tied for first place and provided her highest UK chart placing at number 2. Her brief marriage to Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees was followed by another switch of labels and musical styles when she worked with famed producer Jerry Wexler on two albums. A lean period of flop singles ended when David Bowie intervened to produce and arrange her hit version of ‘The Man Who Sold The World’.

During the ’70s, she concentrated increasingly on stage work and developed her career as an all-round entertainer, a spin-off which was becoming the long-standing model/endorser for the Freeman’s mail-order catalogue. Appearances in ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Song and Dance’ and the television programme, ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole’ distracted her from the studio but a disco re-recording of ‘Shout’ in 1986 repeated the Top 10 success of 22 years before.

In 1993, Lulu released ‘Independence’, an album of ‘modern disco-pop with a flavour of classic soul and R&B’. Co-produced by Bobby Womack and Londonbeat, the title track registered strongly in the UK and US charts, and was followed by another single, I’m Back For More, on which Lulu duetted with Womack. She was, by then, creating some of her own material, and one of her songs, ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight Any More’, written with her brother, Billy Laurie, was recorded by Tina Turner.

In 1994, she released another album, which spawned the single Every Woman Knows. Kim appears in the music video for this single.


Lullaby

Song written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott, released on Marty Wilde’s 1969 album ‘Diversions’.

Kim about ‘Lullaby’

It’s one of my favourite ever songs and dad wrote it for us. It was obviously written during a time he was away a lot. I don’t remember him being around very much at all. So it was a lovely song. It was such a beautiful thing to have. And it’s such a sweet little song. It meant a lot then and it means a lot now. (1)

Interview source

(1) Kim answers fan questions – A Wilde Life Exclusive! In: Wilde Life website, 21 July 2007


Lucky Guy

Song originally written and performed by Todd Rundgren on his album ‘Hermit of Mink Hollow’. Kim recorded the cover version in 1988. Tenth track of the album Close. Released as a playable postcard in Poland.

Kim about ‘Lucky guy’

Todd Rundgren. He’s a brilliant songwriter. He really unfluenced me. I covered one of his songs once, which was my homage, but it ended up more fromage really. It was called Lucky Guy. Lucky Guy, unlucky song. At least I had a go. (1)

Sometimes you wonder why destiny ever took you to a place, or to a person. I discovered this when I was introduced to the genius of Todd Rundgren by an old boyfriend. If the only reason I ever dated him was to discover Todd’s remarkable talent, then destiny did her job extremely well! I had recently moved to London, and set up a writing room/studio in my spare bedroom, analyzing his songs and recreating them in order to learn about the construction of song writing. I am still a huge Todd Rundgren fan and I recorded this as a tribute to his inspiring talent. (2)

Credits

Keyboards & programming: Ricky Wilde, Tony Swain
Additional keyboards: Bias Boshell
Guitars: Steve Byrd, Ricky Wilde
Produced by Ricky Wilde and Tony Swain
Engineered by James Richards.
Mix engineered by Richard Lengyel

Interview source

(1) All back to my place In: Mojo (UK), November 2001
(2) Facebook Track by Track commentary, published 3 September 2013


Lyrics

Some people don’t seem real at all
Unafraid of any mountain
Sure that the gods won’t let him fall
Should he fall, he will always get up again

And if he’s hurt he never shows it
If he’s wrong nobody knows it
Seems like he never has to try
He just must be a lucky guy

And when there’s pain he never minds it
When it’s lost he always finds it
Nobody really knows just why
He just must be a lucky guy
He just must be a lucky guy
I wish I was that lucky guy

Lucas, Richard

Richard Lucas is a lifelong gardener with a real passion for plants – he grew up in the warm climate of South Devon, taught himself horticulture and has never wanted to do anything else. Richard and Kim were introduced to each other at the Holker Hall Garden Festival. They started working together in 2002. Both have enjoyed successes at RHS flower shows. Richard and Kim worked together on the Tower Garden at Hampton Court in 2004, winning a silver medal. When they collaborated for the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show, their creation the Cumbrian Fellside Garden won them a gold medal and a best in show award. In 2005, they also started writing together on a book called First-time gardener, which was released in 2006.
Richard lived for many years in the Lake District and worked in some of its greatest gardens.
He passed away after having battled cancer for several years on 1 August 2024, aged 58.


Loving You More

Song written by Ricky Wilde and Steve Hart in 2008. Kim Wilde performed this song live during the Live 2009 Tour. Tenth track on the album Come Out and Play.

Live performances

‘Loving You More’ was performed live during the 2009 live tour only.

Cover versions

Technically not a cover version, because he co-wrote the song, but Steve Hart also recorded ‘Loving You More than You Know’ himself.

Kim about ‘Loving You More’

This is a wonderful song that my brother played to me a few years ago, which was not recorded until now. It reminds me of a classic ’60s ballad with a beautiful melody and a lot of drama. (1)

Credits

Backing Vocals: Kim Wilde, Ricky Wilde & Scarlett Wilde
Guitars: Lee Turner, Keyboards: Philip Larsen
Mixed by Bob Kraushaar at Acton Marina, London
Produced by Philip Larsen

Interview sources

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


Lyrics

I’ve been hurt and I lived in hope that I’d
Find a reason, though doubted I’d always try.
Through this life I’ve seen nothing in between
oh to live with the pain that I’ve lived in,
I can not feel no more,
you’re the reason I’m leaving these darkest days for good

Loving you more than you know
‘Cos I can’t live my life without you by my side can’t let go…
I will stay here forever I know ‘cos my heart tells me so

Through your eyes I’ve seen, all I hoped you’d be,
Your the angel that I never thought I’d meet
You’ve been there and you, held my hand and you
Understand by the way I’ve been treated
How can I feel this way?
Your the reason I’m leaving these darkest days for good

Loving you more than you know
‘Cos I can’t live my life without you by my side can’t let go…
I will stay here forever I know ‘cos my heart tells me so

Somehow, you’ve taken a promise and made it a reason to live
I want you, I need you, taking a chance on a love that was meant for me
I can’t feel no more
You’re the reason I’m leaving these darkest days for good

Loving you more than you know
‘Cos I can’t live my life without you by my side can’t let go…
I will stay here forever I know, ‘cos my heart tells me so
No I can’t live my life without you by my side can’t let go…
I will stay here forever I know, ‘cos my heart tells me so

Loving you more than you know…