| "Rage Hard" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood | ||||
| from the album Liverpool | ||||
| A-side | Rage Hard | |||
| Released | August 22, 1986 | |||
| Format | 7", 12", CD | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Dance, New Wave | |||
| Length | 5:05 | |||
| Label | ZTT - ZTAS 22 | |||
| Writer(s) | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | |||
| Producer | Stephen Lipson | |||
| Frankie Goes to Hollywood singles chronology | ||||
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"Rage Hard" is the fifth single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It was released in August 1986.
Contents |
Having topped the charts around the world with Welcome to the Pleasuredome and its accompanying singles, Frankie Goes to Hollywood took off to Amsterdam to record the follow-up album, Liverpool. Taking on a rockier edge, "Rage Hard" was the first single culled from the disc.
The single's title came from the Dylan Thomas poem "Do not go gentle into that good night".
Of note, "Rage Hard" was a testament to the changing musical landscape in Britain at the time. It was not only the first Frankie single to be featured on CD single, it was also the first single to not feature a cassette release - new rules limited the number items that could count toward the official charts, following the earlier ZTT excesses.
"Rage Hard" eventually hit Number 4 in the UK singles charts and Number 1 in Germany (for two weeks), #5 in Switzerland, #7 in the Netherlands, #12 in Austria, #19 in Sweden and #32 in France.
The b-sides to "Rage Hard" were, for the most part, straight forward cover songs. Firstly there was a cover of David Bowie's 1972 glam-rock classic "Suffragette City", slightly renamed to "SufferRAGEette City" to fit in with the "Rage Hard" promotion. The second cover song was "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors which featured on the 2nd 12". A shorter version features on the CD single.
The original b-side is an odd composition entitled "(Don't Lose What's Left) Of Your Little Mind". It was released in two versions, a 4 minute mix and a 6 minute mix and featured Holly Johnson & Brian (Nasher) Nash imitating 'The Count' Vampire ("Ha ha ha/I am the count") from the Children's TV show 'Sesame Street'. This was complemented by sampled burps and belches over a backing track.
"rage rage"
(All discographical information pertains to UK releases only)
"Slam Bam"
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart[1] | 12 | 16 |
| Canadian Singles Chart[2] | 82 | 4 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[3] | 6 | 10 |
| French Singles Chart[4] | 32 | 12 |
| German Singles Chart[5] | 1 | 20 |
| Irish Singles Chart[6] | 2 | 4 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart[7] | 12 | 13 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart[8] | 8 | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart[9] | 19 | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[10] | 5 | 12 |
| UK Singles Chart[11] | 4 | 7 |
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