Killer (Adamski song)

Infobox Single
Name = Killer


Artist = Adamski featuring Seal
from Album = Liveanddirect / Dr. Adamski's Musical Pharmacy
B-side =
Released = 1990
Format = 7", 12", CD
Recorded = 1990
Genre = Acid house
Length = 4:10
Label = MCA
Writer = Adamski
Seal
Producer =
Chart position =
* #1 (UK Singles Chart)
Chronology = Adamski
Last single =
This single = "Killer"
(1990)
Next single = "The Space Jungle"
(1990)Infobox Single
Name = Killer


Artist = Seal
from Album = Seal
B-side = "Hey Joe" (live), "Come See What Love Has Done" (live)
Released = November 1991
January 4, 2005
Format = 7" (1991), 12", CD
Recorded = 1991
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:17
Label = ZTT (1991)
Warner Bros. (2005)
Writer =
Producer = Trevor Horn
Chart position = 1991:
* #8 (UK Singles Chart)2005:
* #1 (U.S. Hot Dance Club Play)
Last single = "The Beginning"
(1991)
This single = "Killer"
(1991)
Next single = "Violet"
(1992)Extra chronology 2
Last single = "Walk On By"
(2004)
This single = "Killer 2005"
(2005)
Next single = "A Father's Way
(2006)Infobox Single
Name = Killer


Artist = George Michael
from Album = Five Live
A-side = "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
Released = 1993
Format = CD
Genre = Dance
Length = 5:58
Label = Hollywood Records (U.S.)
Parlophone Records (Rest of the world)
Writer = Adamski Seal
Producer = George Michael
Chart position = * #69 (US Billboard Hot 100)
** #5 (US Hot Dance Club Play)
** #88 (US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)
Last single = "Somebody to Love"
(1993)
This single = "Killer" / "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
(1993)
Next single = "Jesus to a Child"
(1995)Infobox Single
Name = Killer


Artist = ATB
from Album = Movin' Melodies
Released = May 31, 1999: Germany
Sep 19, 2000: US
Format = 12", CD
Genre = Dance
Length = 4:01
Label = Kontor Records (Germany)
Radikal Records (U.S.)
Producer = André Tanneberger
Woody van Eyden
Chart position =
* #1 (Dancestar Awards)
* #4 (UK Singles Chart)
Last single = "Don't Stop!"
(1999)
This single = "Killer"
(1999)
Next single = "The Summer"
(2000)

"Killer" is a popular 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. The song reached #23 on the "Billboard" Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. It was then re-recorded by Seal the following year, produced by Trevor Horn.

In 1992, George Michael performed the song live in a version that was released on the 1993 EP "Five Live"; it was also released as a single in 1993 in a medley with "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", and was remixed by P. M. Dawn. Trance act ATB recorded a version in 1999, also released as a single. Other cover versions were performed by power metal band Angel Dust on the 2002 album "Of Human Bondage", girl group Sugababes as a B-side to the 2003 single "Shape" and Scottish garage rock band Sons And Daughters as a B-side to their 2007 single "Gilt Complex".

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.

Seal version

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 recreation of the M. C. Escher print "Another World".

"Killer 2005"

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.

U.S. maxi-single

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

ATB version

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, and his only one until the later album "Dedicated".

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

Track listings

*Killer (Germany release)
#Killer (Video Edit) 4:08
#Killer (Radio Edit) 4:01
#Killer (Killer Mix) 5:56
#Killer (Original Mix) 6:15

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

*Killer CD 1 (UK release)
#Killer (UK Radio Edit) 3:28
#Killer (Lost Witness Remix) 7:48
#Killer (Lock 'n Load Remix) 8:25

*Killer CD 2 (UK release)
#Killer (Killer 2000 Mix) 5:55
#Killer (Trevor Reilly & Simon Foy Remix) 6:52
#Killer (Joe Fandango Remix) 7:11

*Killer (The remixes) (Canada release)
#Killer (UK Radio Edit) 4:02
#Killer (Joe Fandango Remix) 7:16
#Killer (Lost Witness Remix) 7:49
#Killer (Lock N' Load Remix) 8:29
#Killer (Joe Fandango Dub) 5:27
#Killer (Lost Witness Dub) 7:45
#Killer (Trevor & Simon Remix) 8:57
#Killer (Gareth Jones Radio) 3:20

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