SEPTEMBER 30, 1978
The #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 came from the proverbial ‘one-hit-wonder’ category – Kiss You All Over by the American group Exile.
Once inside the Top 10, the record had a frustrating climb to the top, slowed for four consecutive weeks (#7, #5, #5, #2) by a log jam of big hits ahead of it: Hopelessly Devoted To You (Olivia Newton-John), Hot Blooded (Foreigner), Three Times A Lady (The Commodores) and Boogie Oogie Oogie (A Taste of Honey). But it finally overtook the latter at #1 on this day.
Written by Mike Chapman (of Chapman & Chinn fame – see below) ‘Kiss You All Over’ maintained a four-week stay at numero uno, being replaced on October 28th by another Chapman-written song: Nick Gilder‘s Hot Child In The City.
[Note] Mike Chapman and songwriting/production partner Nicky Chinn (Chinnichap Publishing) have quite a track record of Top 40 hits. In addition to ‘Kiss You All Over’ and ‘Hot Child In The City’, they have written/co-written/produced/co-produced: Ballroom Blitz (Sweet), My Sharona (The Knack), Heart Of Glass, One Way Or Another (Blondie), Stumblin’ In (Suzi Quatro/Chris Norman), Mickey (Toni Basil), Love Is A Battlefield (Pat Benatar), Heart And Soul (Huey Lewis and the News), Better Be Good To Me (Tina Turner) and many others.
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Formed in 1963 as the Exiles in Berea, KY by singer/guitarist J.P. Pennington, they managed to secure some mid-60’s dates playing on the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour starring Freddy Cannon, Brian Hyland and Tommy Roe.
In 1973 they shortened their name to Exile, and by 1978 the group had evolved into a six-man band featuring founder/guitarist Pennington and lead singer Jimmy Stokley.
Initially they recorded for Wooden Nickel Records, the same label on which the group Styx released their modest debut hit, Lady.
Fifteen years after debuting as the Exiles in ’63 , Exile signed a recording deal with the major label Warner Brothers in 1978; their first album for them was titled Mixed Emotions.
The opening track of Side Two was the sultry, disco-tinged ‘Kiss You All Over’, and to keep the single at a radio-friendly length, the record was edited from the LP’s running time (4:54) to a more preferable 3-minutes and 25 seconds. On promotional copies of the 45, the edited single was the A-side, with the full-length LP version on the B-side.
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
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KISS YOU ALL OVER
(Single Edit Version)
Exile
[1978]
Here, for your dining and dancing pleasure, is the edited hit single version – in HD Stereo!
https://youtu.be/nW7q3dO6JM0
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Unfortunately, Kiss You All Over would be the only Top 40 hit for Exile. However, unlike their name, they weren’t at all “in exile” from the music business and hit record-making – at least not permanently.
After KYAO had run it’s course on the Hot 100 and their contract with Warner had expired, the band returned to Kentucky and completely reworked their sound. By 1980, lead singer Stokley had left and was replaced by singer/guitarist Les Taylor, who would became the architect of Exile’s transformation into a Southern rock-oriented country music band.
Recording for Epic Records, the new incarnation of Exile was on fire in the mid-80’s with huge country hits like 1984’s Woke Up In Love, I Don’t Wanna Be A Memory, and Give Me One More Chance – followed by Crazy For Your Love, Hang On To Your Heart and She’s A Miracle in 1985.
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Song Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
