Impulsive (song)

"Impulsive"
Single by Wilson Phillips
from the album Wilson Phillips
B-side	"Next To You (Someday I'll Be)"
Released	October 1990
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	4:33
Label	SBK
Songwriter(s)	Clif Magness Steve Kipner
Producer(s)	Glen Ballard
Wilson Phillips singles chronology
"Release Me" (1990) "Impulsive" (1990) "You're in Love" (1991)
Audio video
"Impulsive" on YouTube

"Impulsive" is a song by American vocal group Wilson Phillips. It was released in October 1990 via SBK Records as the third single from their eponymous debut studio album (1990). The track was written by Clif Magness and Steve Kipner, with production provided by Glen Ballard. It was the first single to feature Wendy Wilson as the lead vocalist instead of Chynna Phillips and also included a slide guitar solo provided from Joe Walsh.

Although less successful than the previous two singles, "Impulsive" still continued the group's streak of top ten hits. It peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their third consecutive top-five hit. The track also became their second number one single on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The track proved less successful internationally, cracking the top-forty in Austria, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Billboard ranked the song at number 99 on their list of the "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time".[2]

Composition

"Impulsive", according to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc on Musicnotes.com, is written in the key of E major. Wendy Wilson's vocals on the track range from A3–C♯.[1] In The Oxford Handbook of Impulse Control Disorders, they described the lyrics as "the troubadour [singing] about longing to be free from thinking of consequences, not wanting to overanalyze the situation, and wanting to just be impulsive and to fall into a romantic embrace."[3]

Critical reception

Diane Rufer and Ron Fell of Gavin Report responded positively to "Impulsive", writing that the track "broadens their horizons with a fresh new edge to their sound."[4] Their colleague Dave Sholin also gave the track a favorable review saying, "The trio tops off what will turn out to be an unforgettable year with yet another bright and totally accessible gem."[5] Billboard also wrote favorably of "Impulsive" saying, "Third-single ballad from mega-hot debut album should keep the flame smoldering, with its brain-imbedding chorus and luscious harmonizing. Radio remix pumps up the guitar lines, providing a harder edge missing from previous efforts.[6] Pan-European magazine Music & Media said, "A constrained, guitar-based song with a good chorus and some fine West Coast harmony vocals."[7]

Track listings

US cassette single[8] "Impulsive" (AOR mix) – 4:33 "Impulsive" (album version) – 4:34 UK 7-inch single[9] A. "Impulsive" B. "Impulsive" (album mix) UK CD single[10] "Impulsive" "Impulsive" (album mix) "Release Me"

European 12-inch single[11] A1. "Impulsive" (remix) – 4:38 B1. "Next to You (Someday I'll Be)" – 4:57 B2. "Hold On" – 4:23 Japanese mini-CD single[12] "Impulsive (インパルシヴ)" "A Reason to Believe (ア・リーズン・トゥ・ビリーヴ)"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1990–1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[13] 103 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 29 Austria Airplay (Music & Media)[15] 6 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[17] 1 Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[18] 44 Germany (GfK)[19] 59 Germany Airplay (Music & Media)[20] 19 Italy Airplay (RAI Stereo Due)[21] 19 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 37 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 31 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 28 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 30 UK Singles (OCC)[26] 42 US Billboard Hot 100[27] 4 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[28] 2 US Top 100 Pop Singles (Cashbox)[29] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)[30] 1 US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[31] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[32] 1 US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[33] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1990) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[34] 32 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[35] 50 US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)[36] 42 US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[37] 93 US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[38] 50 Chart (1991) Position US Billboard Hot 100[39] 48 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[40] 31 US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[41] 90

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	October 1990	Contemporary hit radio	SBK
United Kingdom	October 29, 1990	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[42]
Japan	November 28, 1990	Mini-CD		[43]

References

1. Phillips, Wilson (December 22, 2008). "Wilson Phillips "Impulsive" Sheet Music in E Major — Download & Print". Musicnotes. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
2. "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
3. Patton, Jim H.; Stanford, Matthew S. (August 2011). "21: Psychology of Impulsivity". In Grant, Jon E.; Potenza, Marc N. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Impulse Control Disorders. Oxford University Press USA. p. 262. ISBN 9780195389715.
4. Rufer, Diane; Fell, Ron (September 28, 1990). "Inside A/C: Reviews". Gavin Report. No. 1826. p. 34.
5. Sholin, Dave (September 28, 1990). "Personal Picks". Gavin Report. No. 1826. p. 64.
6. "Single Reviews: Pop". Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 40. Prometheus Global Media. October 6, 1990. p. 71. ISSN 0006-2510.
7. "New Releases: Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 24.
8. Impulsive (US cassette single sleeve). SBK Records. 1990. 4JM-07337.
9. Impulsive (UK 7-inch single sleeve). SBK Records. 1990. SBK 16.
10. Impulsive (UK CD single liner notes). SBK Records. 1990. CDSBK 16, 20 4103 2.
11. Impulsive (European 12-inch single sleeve). SBK Records. 1991. 060 20 4240 6.
12. インパルシヴ (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). SBK Records. 1990. TODP-2220.
13. "Wilson Phillips ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on December 22, 2017". N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
14. "Wilson Phillips – Impulsive" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
15. "National Airplay: Austria". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 7. February 16, 1991. p. 20.
16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9136." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
17. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9148." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
18. "European Airplay Top 50". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 7. February 16, 1991. p. 20.
19. "Wilson Phillips – Impulsive" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
20. "National Airplay: Germany". Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 51.
21. "National Airplay: Italy". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 6. February 9, 1991. p. 24.
22. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
23. "Wilson Phillips – Impulsive" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
24. "Wilson Phillips – Impulsive". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
25. "Wilson Phillips – Impulsive". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
27. "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
28. "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
29. "Top 100 Singles". Cash Box. Vol. LIV, no. 22. December 29, 1990. p. 6. ISSN 0008-7289.
30. "the Gavin Report: Adult Contemporary". Gavin Report. No. 1834. November 23, 1990. p. 20.
31. "the Gavin Report: Top 40". Gavin Report. No. 1835. November 30, 1990. p. 8.
32. "The Back Page: Adult Contemporary". Radio & Records. No. 867. November 23, 1990. p. 88.
33. "The Back Page: CHR". Radio & Records. No. 868. November 30, 1990. p. 88.
34. "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved April 11, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
35. "Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved April 11, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
36. "1990 Top 100 – A/C". Gavin Report. No. 1836. December 7, 1990. p. 28.
37. "1990 Top 100 – Top 40". Gavin Report. No. 1836. December 7, 1990. p. 23.
38. "R&R Top 90 of '90 – Adult Contemporary". Radio & Records. No. 870. December 14, 1990. p. 72.
39. "Billboard Top 100 – 1991". Archived from the original on July 7, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
40. "1991 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-36. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
41. "Top 91 of '91: AC". Radio & Records. No. 920. December 13, 1991. p. 67.
42. "New Singles". Music Week. October 27, 1990. p. 41.
43. "インパルシブ | ウィルソン・フィリップス" [Impulsive | Wilson Phillips] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 8, 2023.