Songs About Kings

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Some time ago, I wrote a column about queens . At the time, I was asked about songs about kings, and I told the person I would endeavour to do so.

I forgot, though. So, with a gentle prodding reminder, I have actually sat down and gone through my collection. Over 150 songs about kings! This, then, was quite the task!


Kings have been around for a long, long time. While I personally think the concept of someone being put on a pedestal simply because of who their family is rankles, many people like the idea of royalty. And the idea of a king being the best of something has become a bit of a song-writing cliché, but it works because everyone knows what it means. So, with that in mind, here is my list.

Normal rules apply – "king" in the title somewhere (not "kingdom"), I need to like the song, one song per artist, one version of each song. Hope you enjoy a regal collection of tracks.
'King Creole' by Elvis Prelsey (1958)

Pre-Army Elvis is still the best Elvis. He was really setting the seeds for later rock. And this comes from one of his better films, the last he completed before being drafted. The song is a decent little rocker, to boot.
'King Of The Road' by Roger Miller (1965)

This was one of the first songs I thought of when I was considering this topic. This track is a country classic, and I still hear it performed by artists today. Oh, and if you want a good cover version – track down the one done by The Proclaimers.
'King Midas In Reverse' by The Hollies (1967)

The Hollies were one of those bands that hit during the British Invasion, and they gave the world not only a heap of wonderful songs, but also Graham Nash. While not as well-known as some of their songs, this one is still a really good part of their canon.
'In The Hall Of The Mountain King' by The Who (1967)

I was debating which version to put here. The orchestral version is wonderful, ELO have another song in this list, but there is something about The Who's stab at it that just gets me. It is one of the perfect combinations of rock and classical .
'The Court Of The Crimson King' by King Crimson (1969)

One of the progenitors of prog rock, one of the best of the early prog rock albums, this is just a glorious piece of music. While long, it constantly changes itself and so is never dull. The album this comes from (and is the title track of) is often overlooked today; that seems unfair to me.
'Speed King' by Deep Purple (1970)

And we come to another band that has been around for a while and do not get their due. With their latest album being really good, it still amazes me how great they were way back when. And this track is a personal favourite of mine.
'Crawling King Snake' by The Doors (1971)

A classic blues track – I have a few versions of it by master bluesmen – but there is something about the version by The Doors that just draws me in. I think it is the way the instruments are played, because this has a sense of menace the others do not quite match.
'King Of The Night Time World' by Kiss (1976)

Destroyer was such a good album, and while this is one of the lesser-known tracks from it, it is still a really strong song. I think if any rock band released a track like this today, it would be called an instant classic. How rock music has changed in 50 years!
'Kings Of The Wild Frontier' by Adam And The Ants (1980)

From the band's second album, this is one of my favourite Adam Ant tracks. That percussion and the shout-singing just do it for me. At the time, it was all over the radio, but is not remembered that well today.
'Rock & Roll Is King' by Electric Light Orchestra (1983)

This is the song that made me a fan of ELO. I bought the album on cassette (Secret Messages) and wore it out. It was also the song that made me want to learn French… which I didn't do until I was in my 40s… Still, awesome song.
'King Of Pain' by The Police (1983)

When this song first came out, I was not a fan, but as time has gone on, I have grown to really enjoy it. The lyrics are especially good, and I just really like the way Sting sings this.
'Your Love Is King' by Sade (1984)

I was not a huge fan of Sade during her 1980s popularity peak, but there was something about the jazz stylings of this track that drew me to the song. It was just a really pleasant listen at the time, and it still holds up today.
'King Of Rock And Roll' by Dio (1985)

Let's go from the sublime to the loud! Ronnie James Dio was a phenomenal heavy metal singer who had a voice that just soared. And this is a fine example of that. I have a live version as well, which is amazing. What a voice.
'The Sea King' by Hawkwind (1985)

Prog rock, 1980s style. Hawkwind's output could be considered patchy, but this song is one I really enjoy. Listening to it for this was the first time I'd heard it in over a decade and I realised just how good it is. That's the problem with owning so much music – some tracks get lost in the shuffle.
'King For A Day' by The Thompson Twins (1986)

For a brief period in the 1980s, The Thompson Twins (named after characters in the Tin Tin books) were all over the charts and everywhere in the Blue Light Disco scene. This is one of their charting singles, and is still a fun track.
'King Of Wishful Thinking' by Go West (1990)

I think this song was on the Pretty Woman soundtrack, because I am sure that's where I heard it (I had a girlfriend at the time who was really into the film). Anyway, it is a good song from a band that bothered the charts a couple of times before fading into obscurity.
'King Of The Mountain' by Midnight Oil (1990)

Ah, Midnight Oil, Australia's foremost political band . This is one of their many, many great songs, but is actually about a foot-race (despite rumours it was about a famous Australian car race).
'The Rascal King' by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (1997)

This was the second released in Australia that made the charts by this fine band (I think), and they hooked me from the word go. Ska-rock, the band is still doing it so well.
'King Of Broken Hearts' by Ringo Starr (1998)

People knock Ringo Starr, but he has produced a lot of strong work since The Beatles broke up. And I really like this song from the under-rated Vertical Man album. His voice is natural and the music is top notch, featuring George Harrison on guitar and backing vocals.
'King Of The World' by Kim Wilde (2010)

And we finish with one of my personal favourite singers, Kim Wilde. This is an album cut, and is yet another good track from the singer.
20 king songs! It was a tough call, but I think what we've got here are some really good tracks, covering a lot of years and a lot of styles. I hope you found something to like amongst it all!

So, that's this list done. Any other suggestions, please let me know.
[CENTER]via GIPHY
The only king that mattered.[/CENTER]

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