The King and Queen of America

"The King and Queen of America"
Single by Eurythmics
from the album We Too Are One
B-side	"See No Evil"
Released	22 January 1990[1]
Recorded	September 1988
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:31
Label	RCA Records
Songwriter(s)	Annie Lennox David A. Stewart
Producer(s)	David A. Stewart Jimmy Iovine
Eurythmics singles chronology
"Don't Ask Me Why" (1989) "The King and Queen of America" (1990) "Angel" (1990)
Music video
"Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - The King and Queen of America (Official Video)" on YouTube

"The King and Queen of America" is a song recorded by pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart with Jimmy Iovine. The track appears on their album We Too Are One and was released as the album's third UK single in January 1990.

The song's music video showed Lennox and Stewart in a variety of costumes and settings which parodied various aspects of American pop culture, including a game show host and hostess, singing cowboy and cowgirl à la Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Although not released as a single in the United States, "The King and Queen of America" received a fair amount of airplay on MTV.

Background

Speaking to the Chicago Tribune in 1989, Lennox spoke about the song and its message:

"It's an angry song that stems from one of my pet hates, which is the cult of personality. In America in particular, people want to invite the media into their living rooms and show off their love lives. The couple in the song are completely sold on all the glittering icons that are supposed to mean success and the attainment of the American dream. I'm very curious about what success is and wonder why people won't look at it more critically."[2]

Track listings

CD single

1. "The King and Queen of America" (Album Version) - 4:31
2. "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" (Live) - 6:30*
3. "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" (Live) - 4:41*
4. "See No Evil" (Non-LP Track) - 4:10

• same recording found on Live 1983–1989

7" single

• A: "The King and Queen of America" (Album Version) - 4:31
• B: "See No Evil" (Non-LP Track) - 4:10

12" single

• A: "The King and Queen of America" (Dance Remix) - 6:11
• B1: "The King and Queen of America" (Dub Remix) - 4:52
• B2: "See No Evil" (Non-LP Track) - 4:10

12" single

• A: "The King and Queen of America" (Dub Remix) - 4:52
• B1: "The King and Queen of America" (Album Version) - 4:31
• B2: "The King and Queen of America" (Dance Remix) - 6:11

Charts

Chart performance for "The King and Queen of America"

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[3]	72
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]	33
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)[5]	73
Ireland (IRMA)[6]	23
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7]	33
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8]	38
UK Singles (OCC)[9]	29
West Germany (GfK)[10]	51

References

1. "Eurythmics singles".
2. Holden, Stephen (21 September 1989). "Eurythmics music probes beauty, pain". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
3. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
4. "Eurythmics – The King and Queen of America" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
5. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 7. 17 February 1990. p. IV. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
6. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – King & Queen of America". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eurythmics" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
8. "Eurythmics – The King and Queen of America" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
9. "Eurythmics: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Eurythmics – The King and Queen of America" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 June 2020.