Reptile (song)
| "Reptile" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Church | ||||
| from the album Starfish | ||||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:56 | |||
| Label | Arista Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marty Willson-Piper / Peter Koppes / Richard Ploog / Steve Kilbey | |||
| Producer(s) | Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, The Church | |||
| The Church singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Reptile" is a song by Australian alternative rock band The Church. It was released as a single from their 1988 album Starfish, and the songwriting credits are given to all four members of the band.
Background and composition
Marty Willson-Piper, Peter Koppes, Richard Ploog, and Steve Kilbey were all credited with writing the song. Kilbey provided vocals, and his lyrics describe something that is both fascinating and disgusting.[1]
Release and reception
"Reptile" peaked at number 27 on the U.S. Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1988.[2] The song was well received by critics upon its release. Ned Raggett of Allmusic compared it to "the sheer punch of Heyday's most frenetic moments with a slightly more restrained but still strong, smart performance." The chorus was "rushing", the guitars were "epic" and "melancholic", and the atmosphere was set by "a sudden mid-song slow dive bomb break, guitars howling down into the void." [1]
Personnel
- Steve Kilbey: Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
- Marty Willson-Piper: Guitar
- Peter Koppes: Guitar
- Richard Ploog: Drums
Chart performance
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart[2] | 27 |
References
- 1 2 Raggett, Ned. "Metropolis review". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- 1 2 "The Church Awards". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved June 25, 2012.