Sister Christian
| "Sister Christian" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Night Ranger | ||||
| from the album Midnight Madness | ||||
| B-side | "Chippin' Away" | |||
| Released | June 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Genre | Rock, Hard rock | |||
| Length |
5:02 (album) 4:14 (7" single) | |||
| Label | MCA Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Kelly Keagy | |||
| Producer(s) | Pat Glasser | |||
| Night Ranger singles chronology | ||||
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"Sister Christian" is a power ballad by the American hard rock band Night Ranger. It was released in June 1984 as the second single from their album Midnight Madness. It was ranked number 32 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s. It was written and sung by the band's drummer, Kelly Keagy, for his sister. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and staying on the charts for 24 weeks. It also reached number-one in Canada. The song was also featured in the 2009 film Friday the 13th and the film Boogie Nights. [citation needed][1]
Origin and meaning
The song is about Keagy's little sister, Christy. Keagy wrote the song at his apartment, near Divisadero and California streets in San Francisco, after he had just returned from a visit to his hometown of Eugene, Oregon. He had been struck at how fast his teenaged sister, 10 years younger than he was, was growing up.[2]
"After we started playing it a lot, Jack turned to me and said, 'What exactly are you saying?'" Keagy recalled. "He thought the words were Sister Christian, instead of Sister Christy, so it just stuck."[2]
The lyric, "You're motoring. What's your price for flight? In finding Mr. Right?" is the subject of much debate. The band stated in a VH-1 Behind the Music interview[3] that the term "motoring" was synonymous with the term "cruising."
Differences between album version and 7" single version
On the single version, part of the second verse in the bridge is omitted and goes into the chorus. More specifically, the words "You've got him in your sight. And driving through the night," are omitted from the single version.[4]
Music video
The music video was filmed in San Rafael High School.
Other versions
Quite possibly the three most famous of the Sister Christian versions was performed a on the hit spinoff show of The Bachelor, Bachelor Pad in season 3 episode 7.[5] These enlivened versions reinvigorated the band who were present to judge such highlights such as 'forgetting the lyrics, 'bad singing', or 'relevant 80s power ballads in 2012'.
A newly recorded acoustic version of the song was produced for the band's 9th album, Hole in the Sun.[6]
A medley at the beginning of the movie Rock of Ages starts with a cover of this song.
Glee covered the song in its Season Four premiere episode, "The New Rachel". It was sung by junior student Brody Weston (portrayed by Dean Geyer) in the co-ed bathrooms of NYADA.
Chart performance
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 99 |
| Canada (RPM)[7] | 1 |
| Germany (Media Control Charts)[8] | 67 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 2 |
References
- ↑ "Sister Christian - Night Ranger". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jones, Carolyn (2005-11-11). "Night Rangers revisit 'Sister Christian' and San Rafael". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-05-09. "Specifically, the song is about Keagy's little sister, Christy. Keagy wrote the song at his apartment, near Divisadero and California streets in San Francisco, after he had just returned from a visit to his hometown in rural Oregon. He had been struck at how fast his teenage sister, 10 years younger than he was, was growing up."
- ↑ "VH1 -- True Spin : Our Lips Are Sealed, Sister Christian, And More". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z92bmlcmyq0
- ↑ http://ultimateclassicrock.com/night-ranger-sister-christian-bachelor-pad/
- ↑ http://nightranger.com/content/hole-sun
- ↑ Canadian peak
- ↑ German peak
External links
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