Killer (Adamski song)

"Killer"
Single by Adamski and Seal
from the album Dr. Adamski's Musical Pharmacy
B-side	"Bassline Changed My Life" "I Dream of You"
Released	March 1990
Format	7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, CD
Recorded	1989 (1989)
Genre	Acid house
Length	4:10
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Adamski, Seal
Producer	Adamski
Certification	Gold (BPI)
Adamski chronology
"N-R-G" (1990) "Killer" (1990) "The Space Jungle" (1990)
Seal chronology "Killer" (1990) "Crazy" (1990)

"Killer" is a song by Adamski and Seal. Written by Adam Tinley (Adamski) and Seal and produced by Adamski, "Killer" was Adamski's breakthrough single, but is now more notable for introducing Seal as a vocalist. A major hit in the UK, it reached number one, spending four weeks at the top of the chart in May 1990. In total, the single sold over 400,000 copies in the UK, earning it a BPI Gold certification.

Content

Lyrically, the title of the song comes from the line "It's the loneliness that's the killer," which occurs only once in the introduction to the Seal version and not at all in the Adamski version. The distinctive opening bassline and keyboard melody during the chorus, however, are preserved in almost every version of the song in some form.

The song also contains the lyrics "Racism in among future kings can only lead to no good, besides, all our sons and daughters already know how that feels", these were recycled and used in Seal's song "Future Love Paradise" featured on his debut album. "Killer" was featured in the film Miami Twice based on the TV series Only Fools and Horses.

Chart performance

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
Germany (Media Control AG)	2
Ireland (IRMA)	5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	2
New Zealand (RIANZ)	29
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	15
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	23

Preceded by "Vogue" by Madonna

UK number one single 6 May 1990 (1990-05-06)

Succeeded by "World in Motion" by Englandneworder

Seal version

"Killer"
Cover of the 2005 release
Single by Seal
from the album Seal
B-side	"Hey Joe" (live), "Come See What Love Has Done" (live)
Released	December 21, 1991
Format	7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, CD
Recorded	1991
Genre	R&B, progressive rock
Length	4:17 (radio version) 6:33 (single version) 6:21 (album version)
Label	ZTT (1991) Warner Bros. (2005)
Writer(s)	Adamski, Seal
Producer	Trevor Horn
Seal singles chronology
"The Beginning" (1991) "Killer" (1991) "Violet" (1992)
"Walk On By" (2004) "Killer 2005" (2005) "A Father's Way (2006)

In 1991 Seal re-recorded "Killer" for his eponymous debut album, produced by Trevor Horn. The single release of Seal's version peaked at #8 in the UK, squeezed onto the Billboard Hot 100 at #100 and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with a remix by William Orbit. The music video for this version used computer-generated science-fiction themed imagery, largely built around a partial re-creation of the M. C. Escher print Another World.

The video was produced and directed by Don Searll. The song won Best British Video at the 1992 Brit Awards.

4 January 2005 saw a new single release of "Killer", containing new remixes of both "Killer" and "Crazy". This brought the single back to the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached number one.

Chart performance

Chart (1991)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	8
Dutch GfK chart	75
Irish Singles Chart	6
Chart (1992)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	100
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	9
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	14
Chart (2005)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	1
US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales	3

Track listings

U.S. maxi-single (1991)

1. Killer (single version)
2. Killer (William Orbit remix)
3. Whirlpool (live)
4. Killer (live)
5. Come See What Love Has Done (live)
6. Hey Joe (live) [ Billy Roberts cover ]
7. Killer (William Orbit dub)

U.S. maxi-single (2005)

1. "Killer" (Peter Rauhofer remix part 1)
2. "Killer" (Peter Rauhofer remix part 2)
3. "Killer" (Morel's Pink Noise vocal mix)
4. "Killer" (DJ Monk remix)
5. "Killer" (Jim Albert's Loneliness Is the Killer mix)
6. "Crazy" (Ananda Project vocal mix)
7. "Crazy" (Orange Factory mix)

George Michael version

"Killer" / "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
Single by George Michael
from the album Five Live
Released	April 10, 1993
Format	12" vinyl, CD
Recorded	1992, Wembley Arena
Genre	Dance
Length	5:58
Label	Hollywood (U.S.) Parlophone (Rest of the world)
Writer(s)	Adamski, Seal, Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Producer	George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Somebody to Love" (1993) "Killer" / "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1993) "Jesus to a Child" (1995)

In 1992, George Michael performed "Killer" live at the Wembley Arena in a version that was released on the 1993 EP Five Live. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was also recorded and released on the same album. The two songs were blended together in the live performance, then remixed several times. P.M. Dawn released an extended and radio remix for the "Killer"/"Papa" combination in 1993. The singer also shot a video for it, in which he did not appear personally. It was during the time when Michael refused to exploit his outward look, which he thought would distract the audience from the music, his main concern. The video was directed by Marcus Nispel.

Track listing

1. "Killer/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (English edit)
2. "Killer/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (Ligosa Mix)
3. "Killer/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (P.M. Dawn Remix)

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Top Singles	19
US Billboard Hot 100	69
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	5

ATB version

"Killer"
Single by ATB
from the album Movin' Melodies
Released	31 May 1999 (1999-05-31)
Format	12" vinyl, CD
Genre	Trance
Length	4:01
Label	Kontor (Germany) Radikal (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Adamski, Seal
Producer	André Tanneberger, Woody van Eyden
ATB singles chronology
"Don't Stop!" (1999) "Killer" (1999) "The Summer" (2000)

Trance act ATB recorded a version in 1999, released as a single on 31 May 1999 in Germany and on 19 September 2000 in the United States. The ATB version peaked at #4 on the UK singles chart and #36 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Featuring vocals by Drue Williams, it was the producer's first fully vocal-based song under the ATB name.

The song uses elements from both Adamski and Seal's versions, updated with more contemporary production techniques.

Track listings

• Killer (Germany release)

1. Killer (Video Edit) 4:08
2. Killer (Radio Edit) 4:01
3. Killer (Killer Mix) 5:56
4. Killer (Original Mix) 6:15

• Killer (US release)

1. Killer (UK Radio Edit) 3:25
2. Killer (Radio Edit) 4:00
3. Killer (2000) 5:52
4. Killer (Trevor & Simon Remix) 6:50
5. Killer (Lost Witness Remix) 7:45
6. Killer (Joe Fandango Remix) 7:11
7. Killer (Video Edit) 4:06

• Killer CD 1 (UK release)

1. Killer (UK Radio Edit) 3:28
2. Killer (Lost Witness Remix) 7:48
3. Killer (Lock 'n Load Remix) 8:25

• Killer CD 2 (UK release)

1. Killer (Killer 2000 Mix) 5:55
2. Killer (Trevor Reilly & Simon Foy Remix) 6:52
3. Killer (Joe Fandango Remix) 7:11

• Killer (The remixes) (Canada release)

1. Killer (UK Radio Edit) 4:02
2. Killer (Joe Fandango Remix) 7:16
3. Killer (Lost Witness Remix) 7:49
4. Killer (Lock N' Load Remix) 8:29
5. Killer (Joe Fandango Dub) 5:27
6. Killer (Lost Witness Dub) 7:45
7. Killer (Trevor & Simon Remix) 8:57
8. Killer (Gareth Jones Radio) 3:20

• Killer 2000 (Australia release)

1. Killer 2000 (UK Radio Edit) 3:26
2. Killer 2000 (Killer 2000 Mix) 5:51
3. Killer 2000 (Lost Witness Vocal Remix) 7:45
4. Killer 2000 (Lock 'n Load Vocal Remix) 8:23
5. Killer 2000 (Trevor & Simon Remix) 6:50
6. Killer 2000 (Joe Fandango Mix) 7:11

Chart performance

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Dutch GfK chart	25
Dutch Top 40	22
UK Singles Chart	4
Chart (2000)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	36
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	32

Other versions

Other versions of "Killer" were performed by Northern Kings on the 2008 album Rethroned, Nina Hagen on her 2011 album Volksbeat, power metal band Angel Dust on the 2002 album Of Human Bondage, girl group Sugababes as a B-side to the 2003 single "Shape", Scottish garage rock band Sons And Daughters as a B-side to their 2007 single "Gilt Complex" and Rhythm Police on the 2009 Remix release Killer. In 2010 Tiësto contributed a remix of the song for the game DJ Hero 2.

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics