"Hot Child in the City" is a song by English-Canadian musician Nick Gilder. It was released in June 1978 as a single from the album City Nights. It went to No. 1 both in Canada (October 14, 1978) and in the United States (October 28, 1978). It was not his first No. 1 single: as the lead singer of Sweeney Todd, he had hit No. 1 in Canada on June 26, 1976 (in the RPM listing) with the single "Roxy Roller", which remained at the top for three weeks.[2][3][4] He won 2 Juno Awards in Canada and a People's Choice Award in the US. According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, it held the record for taking the longest amount of weeks to reach No. 1 at the time, taking 21 weeks to reach the summit. The song became a platinum record.
Content
Despite the song's innocent and catchy pop stylings, the tune is based on Gilder's experiences witnessing child prostitution in Los Angeles. "I've seen a lot of young girls, 15 and 16, walking down Hollywood Boulevard with their pimps. Their home environment drove them to distraction so they ran away, only to be trapped by something even worse. It hurts to see that so I tried writing from the perspective of a lecher – in the guise of an innocent pop song."[5]
Chart history
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[15] | Gold | 75,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[16] | Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Award successions
See also
References
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (January 6, 2020). "The Number Ones: Nick Glider's "Hot Child in the City"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
...his panting power-popper "Hot Child In The City"...[is] a tight, well-constructed rocker...
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Hot Child In The City
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "RPM 100 Singles - Volume 30, No. 3". Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ "Nick Gilder – Hot Child in the City". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ ""Hot Child in the City" Song by Nick Gilder". Music Charts Archive. January 5, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 4, 1978". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ "Top 200 Singles of '78 – Volume 30, No. 14, December 30 1978". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1978". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ Musicoutfitters.com
- ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 30, 1978". Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Nick Gilder – Hot Child in the City". Music Canada. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ "American single certifications – Nick Gilder – Hot Child in the City". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
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