Last Kiss

:"For the Tanpopo song, see Last Kiss (Tanpopo song). For the 2006 movie, see The Last Kiss."Last Kiss" is a song that was written by Wayne Cochran in 1962 and originally performed by Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders, although their version of the song had little success.Hiatt, Brian. [http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/515832/07101999/pearl_jam.jhtml "Best Of '99: Author Of Pearl Jam's Biggest Hit Has God To Thank"] . VH1.com. July 12, 1999.] The song was later covered by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, Pearl Jam, and several international artists, all of whom had success with the song.

Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders' version

Infobox Single
Name = Last Kiss
Artist = Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders
Released = 1963
Format = Vinyl
Recorded = 1963 in Vidalia, Georgia (Original version)
1963 in Macon, Georgia (Re-recorded version)
Genre = Rhythm and blues, rock and roll, teenage tragedy
Length =
Label = Gala (Original version)
King (Re-recorded version)
Writer = Wayne Cochran
Producer =
Chart position =
Last single =
This single =
Next single = Wayne Cochran was initially inspired to write the song after having lived near a dangerous highway where several accidents had occurred yearly. Cochran began writing the song in 1956. He came up with the song's chord progression, first verse, and chorus, although five years would pass before Cochran finished the song.

Lyrical inspiration

Cochran based the rest of the song on an incident in which several teens were killed and two seriously injured when their car struck a flatbed logging truck. [Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:hzfwxqugldfe "J. Frank Wilson: Bio"] . Allmusic.] Sixteen-year-old Jeanette Clark was out on a date in Barnesville, Georgia on December 22, 1962, the Saturday before Christmas. She was with a group of friends in a 1954 Chevrolet. J. L. Hancock, also sixteen, was driving the car in heavy traffic and while traveling on Highway 341, collided with a trailer truck. Clark, the driver and another teenager were killed, and two other teens in the car were seriously injured. [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2323 "Last Kiss by J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers"] . songfacts.com.] Cochran finished the song, which he titled "Last Kiss", and dedicated it to Miss Clark.

J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers' version

Infobox Single
Name = Last Kiss


Artist = J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
from Album =
B-side = "That's How Much I Love You"
Released = June 1964 (U.S.)
Format = Vinyl
Recorded = 1964 in San Angelo, Texas
Genre = Pop, rock and roll, teenage tragedy
Length =
Label = Josie
Writer = Wayne Cochran
Producer = Sonley Roush
Chart position =
Last single =
This single =
Next single = The song caught the attention of record promoter Sonley Roush. Roush brought the song to a group that he managed, J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, with the idea of having them cover the song. In 1964, J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers had the first real commercial success with the song. The cover was released in June 1964 and reached the Top 10 in October. It eventually reached number 2 on the Top 40 pop charts, and also earned the band a Gold record.

International cover versions

*In the 1960s, the Mexican rock singer Leopoldo Montañez (Polo) performed this song in Spanish, reaching number 1 on Mexican radio.

*In the 1960s, the Peruvian rock band Los Doltons performed this song in Spanish, reaching number 1 on Peruvian radio.

*Colombian singer Alci Acosta made a version that became a hit in his country in the mid-1960s.

*In the early 1970s, Latin American bands IMPALA and 007 covered and performed this song in Spanish.

*The song was remade by the Canadian band Wednesday in late 1973, reaching number 2 in Canada and number 34 on the U.S. charts. [ [http://www.wednesdayrocks.com www.wednesdayrocks.com] ]

*In 1989, rock singer Gloria Trevi included an extended Spanish version on her first album, "¿Qué Hago Aquí?", and it became popular on Mexican pop radio.

*Filipino band Kamikazee recorded a cover of "Last Kiss" for its 2002 self-titled album.

*Canadian band The Havingas recorded a cover of "Last Kiss" for its 2007 album "Knockin on Heaven's Door". [ [http://www.thehavingas.com www.thehavingas.com.] ]

Pearl Jam's version

Infobox Single
Name = Last Kiss


Artist = Pearl Jam
from Album =
B-side = "Soldier of Love"
Released = June 8, 1999
Format = CD single, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded = September 19, 1998 at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.
Genre = Alternative rock, teenage tragedy
Length = 3:16
Label = Epic
Producer =
Writer = Wayne Cochran
Certification = Gold (RIAA)
Chart position =
Last single = "Wishlist" (1998)
This single = "Last Kiss" (1999)
Next single = "Nothing as It Seems" (2000)Extra tracklisting
Album =
Type = compilation
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Last Kiss"
track_no = Track 1
next_track = "Baba" (Live) (Alanis Morissette)
next_no = Track 2"Last Kiss" was also covered by Pearl Jam, becoming the band's biggest hit to date. [Farley, Christopher John. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,991561,00.html "Last Kiss"] . "Time". July 19, 1999.]

Origin and recording

The idea to cover the song came about after lead singer Eddie Vedder found an old record of the song at the Fremont Antique Mall in Seattle, Washington. [Cohen, Jonathan. [http://web.archive.org/web/20050317133911/http://www.billboard.com/bb/specialreport/pearl_jam/pg1.jsp "The Pearl Jam Q & A: "Lost Dogs"] . "Billboard". 2003.] He convinced the rest of the band to try out the song and it was performed a few times on the band's 1998 tour. The band eventually recorded the song at a soundcheck at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. and released it as a 1998 fan club Christmas single. [Rosen, Craig. [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12039524 "Pearl Jam's 'Last Kiss' Becomes Band's First No. 1 Single"] . Yahoo! Music. July 1, 1999.] [Stout, Gene. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/fish30.shtml "Pearl Jam's Ament has smaller fish to fry at festival"] . "Seattle Post-Intelligencer". July 30, 1999.] The band spent only a couple thousand dollars mixing the song.(2003) Album notes for "Lost Dogs" by Pearl Jam, [CD booklet] . New York: Sony Music.]

Release and reception

In the following year the cover began to be played by radio stations and was ultimately put into heavy rotation across the country. By popular demand the cover was released to the general public as a single on June 8, 1999, with all of the proceeds going to the aid of refugees of the Kosovo War. The cover was also featured on the compilation "". [ [http://www.theskyiscrape.com/faq/index.php#3.23 "The Sky I Scrape: Pearl Jam FAQ"] . theskyiscrape.com.] The song helped earn around 10 million dollars for Kosovo relief.

The cover would end up reaching number two on the "Billboard" Hot 100. This remains Pearl Jam's highest position on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It peaked at number four on the Top 40 Mainstream. The song peaked at number five on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number two on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Outside of the United States, the single was released in Austria, Japan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the song reached the top ten on the Canadian Singles Chart and became the band's highest charted song in Canada. "Last Kiss" reached the top 50 in the UK. "Last Kiss" peaked at number one on the Australian Singles Chart. It reached the top 80 in the Netherlands and was a moderate top 20 success in New Zealand.

Regarding the cover, guitarist Stone Gossard said, "You can try album after album to write a hit and spend months getting drum sounds and rewriting lyrics, or you can go to a used record store and pick out a single and fall in love with it." [Anderman, Joan. [http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2006/05/24/wisdom_of_pearl/ "Wisdom of Pearl"] . "The Boston Globe". May 24, 2006.] Pearl Jam included "Last Kiss" on the B-sides and rarities album "Lost Dogs" and on the compilation "".

Live performances

Pearl Jam premiered its cover of the song live at the band's May 7, 1998 concert in Seattle, Washington. [ [http://pearljam.com/songs/song.php?song=LastKiss "Pearl Jam Songs: "Last Kiss""] . pearljam.com.] Live performances by Pearl Jam of "Last Kiss" can be found on the "Live at the Gorge 05/06" box set.

Track listing

;Compact Disc Single (US, Austria, Japan, and South Africa), 7" Vinyl Single (US and UK), and Cassette Single (US)
#"Last Kiss" (Wayne Cochran) – 3:15
#"Soldier of Love" (Buzz Cason, Tony Moon) – 2:54
#*Recorded live in Washington, D.C. on September 19, 1998.

Chart positions

References