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BuzzJack Music Forum _ Kylie and Dannii Minogue _ What should have been the lead from Impossible Princess?
Posted by: Nina West Nov 2 2020, 04:30 PM
But as you may or may not know that this wasn't the first choice to lead the project. As it turns out there 4 other choices taken into consideration, before 'SKOB' was chosen & the as it states in the poll which of these do u think would have been a better choice. There's also a choice on whether you think something else should have been released or kept as it was you decide?
These were the other choices below..
Too Far
Creative director Steve Anderson felt either "Too Far" or "Jump" were better offerings to promote the album. Deconstruction reviewed both their views, but did not promote any of them and released "Some Kind of Bliss" as the lead single instead.
"Too Far" was actually set to go as the fourth single from Impossible Princess; remixes were already commissioned and very few test pressing vinyls were done to be sent to clubs to start promotion; all plans were cancelled in order to release Mixes and terminate Kylie’s contract with Deconstruction as soon as possible; a remix of "Too Far" was released as a promo single from Mixes in 1998.
I Don't Need Anyone
The song was recorded during the second part of the album's writing sessions, once they had been extended to find material that DeConstruction felt would be marketable. The song was considered as one of the choices for release as the lead single from the album, but was discarded in favour of "Some Kind of Bliss".
Jump
This was Steve Anderson’s second pick for the album’s lead single as he felt this & ‘Too Far’ best represented the album. After their discussion for a single, both Kylie and Anderson disagreed with each other and asked the staff of Deconstruction to decide on the single. Deconstruction did not believe any songs they decided were suitable.
In January 1998, "Jump", alongside five other album tracks, were included on an exclusive cassette tape and given to Deconstruction members to select their opinion on which should be the third single; "Jump" lost respectively to "Breathe".
Limbo
Before the release of Impossible Princess, Kylie had handpicked "Limbo" as the lead single for the album; DeConstruction were horrified with the idea of such a dark hardcore dance track as the presentation card for the album, and so persuaded Kylie to extend the recording sessions and got her to work with James Dean Bradfield; this resulted in the track "Some Kind of Bliss" being chosen for the lead, the artwork for which was chosen by Kylie for "Limbo".
This was also one of the other 5 album tracks in contention to be the third single, before ‘Breathe’ was chosen.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Nov 2 2020, 05:19 PM
I think limbo might have been ok for the lead.
Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn Nov 2 2020, 06:34 PM
I think 'Too Far' could have been a good lead and interesting to see how it would have done as more of a risk, maybe same with 'Limbo' too.
I don't actually think anything else would have done better or changed the album's fortunes though, 'I Don't Need Anyone' is very much in the same vein as SKOB but weaker. I can see why they went with it, as the Manics were massive at that point.
Posted by: ___∆___ Nov 2 2020, 06:51 PM
I love all the tracks listed but as has been said they went with the most commercial sounding lead song - none of the songs listed would have done any better (and probably performed worse).
That all said it’s still by far my favourite album.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Nov 2 2020, 06:57 PM
I dont think Breathe or did it again would have performed any worse than some kind of bliss as the lead,
Posted by: aeroco Nov 2 2020, 10:21 PM
Too Far. Far more representative of the album than the poppier SKOB.
They bottled it not releasing the delayed IP with Did It Again in November. It had a great promo video.
It’s a brilliant album though, all tracks strong in their own way. Just lacked a killer lead single. They chose right with DIA and Breathe and Cowboy Style would have been a good choice for a UK release either before or after Breathe. The cash ran out! Though bizarrely they later released ‘Mixes’ which made no commercial sense at all.
Posted by: ___∆___ Nov 2 2020, 10:27 PM
They bottled it not releasing the delayed IP with Did It Again in November. It had a great promo video.
It’s a brilliant album though, all tracks strong in their own way. Just lacked a killer lead single. They chose right with DIA and Breathe and Cowboy Style would have been a good choice for a UK release either before or after Breathe. The cash ran out! Though bizarrely they later released ‘Mixes’ which made no commercial sense at all.
‘Mixes’ only got released so that Kylie could end her Deconstruction deal that’s why there was minimal effort put into the release (The Australian version is much better though with a picture sleeve and called ‘Impossible Remixes’ and went Top 40 there
)
Posted by: pippa Nov 2 2020, 10:28 PM
It is likely another lead single may have found its way to a low Top 20 position to which at that time would have still been viewed as a flop.
Breathe or Limbo would be my lead choices.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Nov 3 2020, 01:45 AM
I love I dont need anyone but as a lead it would gave been the same as some kind of bliss as both are similar sounding. I do see why too far might have worked, maybe too far and limbo as a double single might have had appeal.
Posted by: Nina West Nov 3 2020, 11:58 AM
Firstly I do believe that 'Some Kind of Bliss' was a mistake as the lead as while its a fine track, it lacks that forward momentum, which was felt by just about everybody at the time, the critical reviews were very lacklustre & the public didn't really warm to it either. Plus it was released on a very busy week with 16 new entries in the top 40 with Kylie only managing to be the 12th highest that week see the link below:
https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19970914/7501/
However while I do prefer 'TF', I don't think it would have done much better commercially, while the track did have glowing critical reviews, don't think the general public would have warmed to it, as like 'Where The Wild Roses Grow' from a few years before (while its loved now, it didn't have a very strong UK chart run), It would have been a bit too out-there & like 'WTWRG' at that time would have been better received years later, like the album itself, also wasn't well liked at the time, but now is seen as a classic. Looking at that week 'TF' may have scraped lower end of the top 20 if lucky, but we will never know for sure.
Posted by: aeroco Nov 3 2020, 12:39 PM
)Oh yes, well recalled.
Posted by: pippa Nov 3 2020, 01:31 PM
Too Far Would have represented the album has a whole project.
Some Kind of Bliss was released due to the link with Manic Street Preachers who were hugely popular.
Similar to the decision of Pharrells popularity leading to the release of I Was Gonna Cancel.
After its underperformance the little interest that remained for Kylie diminished further and the project had no chance.
It is amazing how the perception of the albumn has changed in the years since it's release.
Where the Wild Roses Grow, if released a few years later would have been a big hit as the interest in Kylie was phenomenal.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Nov 3 2020, 09:22 PM
Ya at the time, the album was just seen as a disaster by so many, thankfully i always liked the album from first go, granted some songs took longer to grow on me than others, i really dont think anything they done would have changed the outcome at all, its a shame that some kind of bliss missed the top 20 as that was a complete shock at the time, i know i in no way expected a new kylie lead single to miss the top 20 so i was gutted when it happened, plus i liked the song as well and still do.
Posted by: pippa Mar 21 2021, 05:00 PM
Limbo after just listening to it gave me a feeling it could have been the lead single needed back then.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 21 2021, 06:29 PM
I can see the appeal of limbo, as a song I've always been a fan.
Posted by: pippa Mar 21 2021, 06:40 PM
A double A sided single may possibly have secured a Top 20 outcome and resulted in the album achieving all Top 20 hits.
Posted by: McAndrew Mar 21 2021, 10:08 PM
As much I would personally have loved to see Limbo as a single, I voted other.
I think 'Did it Again' was her most commercial song on the album, whilst also representing Kylie. The Manics songs are not for me.
I think 'Breathe' could've been very commercial with a bit more tempo. So could also have worked as a lead, with a better single mix.
My ideal run would've been 'Did It Again', 'Breathe', 'Cowboy Style' and then 'Limbo' as a risky, surprise finish to the campaign.
Posted by: vibe Mar 22 2021, 06:46 AM
Def Limbo.
Posted by: tommie Mar 22 2021, 06:50 AM
I'd say either Breathe or I Did It Again would've been better lead singles and just by-passing SKOB.
I don't think Too Far would've worked to be honest, I Don't Need Anyone is in the same lane as Some Kind of Bliss. Limbo might've worked.
But as much as I like the album, there really isn't any huge first single moment on there.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 22 2021, 01:27 PM
As much as I love I dont need anyone I agree it was on the same lane as some kind of bliss. I couldn't see too far working either. Limbo did stand out though.
Breathe would be the perfect single in the charts of today as it was always a song wide open to great remixes and remixes these days can play a big role in boosting songs longevity in the charts.
Posted by: dandy* Mar 22 2021, 03:08 PM
I think that Too Far could have worked, it reflects the album well but also builds on the popularity of Confide In Me. I can imagine it would have been quite successful remix wise too.
Posted by: slowdown73 Mar 22 2021, 08:07 PM
Probably ‘breathe’. It’s the most commercial friendly sounding track. Limbo would have been interesting too.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 23 2021, 01:26 AM
As you all know im a huge breathe fan and would have loved it as the lead single but it probably doesn't reflect what the rest of the album is like although i know that can be said for a good few of the tracks but strangely the various sounds work really well as a package.
Posted by: pippa Mar 26 2021, 09:19 PM
The only slight difference of a different lead single would have been a Top 20 placement.
Sadly, despite high quality, big hits for Kylie was not something for that period.
Posted by: Liam.k. Mar 27 2021, 05:09 PM
Same, I think it's a very bold statement in the way 'Confide in Me' was. Not sure if it would have replicated its success but I think it would be much more appreciated as a lead single in hindsight than 'Some Kind of Bliss' is.
'Limbo' would have been a great lead too and, if we're talking commercial success, I think it's clear that 'Did It Again' would have been a better choice than 'Some Kind of Bliss' (I think it would have reached Top 10). It's the defining single of the era as it is, particularly with that memorable, fun video.
It's a shame 'Some Kind of Bliss' didn't catch on as I do really like it and I don't think anyone could have predicted it would have performed the way it did. As mentioned in this thread, a Manics-penned single seemed like a safe bet.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 27 2021, 08:01 PM
Did it again could possibly have squeezed into the top 10 as a lead single but possibly the same for limbo, I think they may have felt some kind of bliss was either a lead single or not a single at all plus were hoping the popularity of manic st preachers at that time would pay off which it didnt, I do still love some of bliss myself though but prefer breathe.
Posted by: tommie Mar 27 2021, 08:36 PM
The main issue with Too Far is that the chorus really isn't that catchy. But sure, it'd make a better "statement" to the public than SKOB. Weirdly enough, it reminds me of That Day by Natalie Imbruglia, which was released as the lead for White Lillies Island instead of the much catchier Wrong Impression. Maybe we would've complained about Some Kind of Bliss being passed over in favour of Too Far if that had happened?
But yeah, both Did It Again and Breathe could've squeezed into the top ten if they had the lead single hype going for them instead of following a "flop" single and a pushed album date.
Posted by: pippa Mar 27 2021, 08:51 PM
The "flop" lead single as the press reported it , killed all success chances for the album and follow up singles.
The chorus let's Too Far down as it is not standout memorable which could have resulted in further disconnect.
Limbo, Breathe, Some Kind of Bliss have catchier choruses.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 27 2021, 09:59 PM
Maybe if the lead had gone top 10 things might have been slightly different but I think there still would have been a bit of kylies brand new single has only made number 8 etc, it just wasnt cool to support kylie and most had written her off although prob some of those same people now laud IP.
Posted by: pippa Mar 27 2021, 11:58 PM
For many, it has taken a long time to understand and appreciate everything from Impossible Princess.
Posted by: ___∆___ Mar 28 2021, 04:35 PM
The chorus let's Too Far down as it is not standout memorable which could have resulted in further disconnect.
Limbo, Breathe, Some Kind of Bliss have catchier choruses.
Exactly this.
This era was over before it started tbh with multiple delays, a ‘flop’ lead single (and general backlash from the MSP fans about them being involved in the lead track), but despite all of the blips it’s still my favourite era and album.
Posted by: pippa Mar 28 2021, 04:58 PM
The era was an education for Kylie and a massive turning point in her choices and direction.
A great album that Kylie is proud of and was a stepping stone to a window of opportunities.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 28 2021, 06:19 PM
Limbo and too far tied at the mo, and both well ahead of the others, maybe if both these were a double single it could have worked.
Posted by: tommie Mar 29 2021, 07:14 AM
This era was over before it started tbh with multiple delays, a ‘flop’ lead single (and general backlash from the MSP fans about them being involved in the lead track), but despite all of the blips it’s still my favourite era and album.
Honestly, the backlash over "Some Kind of Bliss" was so silly. It's not like it was the first indie oriented track she'd done (Where the Wild Roses grow was a success) and we're not exactly talking about it being "weird". It's a breezy, summery track and I can definitively see why they picked it - it's not like with "I Was Gonna Cancel" where the only merit the track had was who produced it.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 29 2021, 01:14 PM
Where the wild roses grow came after some kind of bliss so by then kylie was labelled indie kylie so it was more acceptable especially when she worked wit Nick Cave. I agree about the breezy summary sound with some kind of bliss and it still had a pop element in it but i think the audience were just not ready for the musical change from Kylie. The only big negative i have to say about some kind of bliss is the artwork for the single was awful.
Posted by: Nina West Mar 29 2021, 03:34 PM
Maybe something like this would have been more eye-catching =
Posted by: Nina West Mar 29 2021, 03:38 PM
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 29 2021, 04:23 PM
Maybe something like this would have been more eye-catching =
Love this, this would have been such a better cover for some kind of bliss.
Posted by: ___∆___ Mar 29 2021, 04:49 PM
It was just cool to hate Kylie at the time and I think anything she released would have been written off by the media, I remember all the MSP fans going mad because James Dean Bradfield had written the song and nobody could believe a ‘cool’ artist was involved with Kylie.
I still think it was the best choice as a lead single and can certainly see why they thought it would be a good commercial sounding lead track - it was the safest choice from an album that Deconstruction really didn’t ‘get’
Posted by: pippa Mar 29 2021, 04:56 PM
The label were lost with Impossible Princess and did not know which way best to promote or market Kylie.
Posted by: tommie Mar 29 2021, 05:05 PM
I still think it was the best choice as a lead single and can certainly see why they thought it would be a good commercial sounding lead track - it was the safest choice from an album that Deconstruction really didn’t ‘get’
I don't think it's fair to say Deconstruction didn't "get" Impossible Princess - there just wasn't anything on there of the caliber of Confide In Me and they couldn't have foreseen the backlash of Some Kind of Bliss (again, Where the Wild Roses Grow had a great reception and decent-sized hit). Add with Princess Diana's death it suddenly would've been in poor taste to release it under that title. Under the circumstances, I think they did the best they could do.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and knowing what we know now they might as well have gone with Limbo as I doubt it would've done worse than #22.
It's all woulda coulda shoulda, but I probably wouldn't have picked any other track as the lead if I were in their position. At least they got two top twenty singles out of it and a silver #10 album by the end. Considering the bad start it could've been way worse.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 29 2021, 05:19 PM
Do you think if where the wild roses grow was on Ip and was the lead single the reaction would have been much better?
Posted by: tommie Mar 29 2021, 05:26 PM
Eh, narratively it really only fits in on Murder Ballads.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 29 2021, 07:46 PM
I would have liked it on the IP album as i think it would have fitted in at that time and possibly i very good lead single, the duet alone caught the attention of people and was backed by a great song, i do get though its narritive was for the murder ballads.
Posted by: pippa Mar 29 2021, 10:55 PM
Where the Wild Roses Grow done what Impossible Princess failed to manage at the time and get Kylie noticed and achieve credability.
I don't believe that was Kylies true aim with the album, it was more an expression of her feelings and having the scope to write her own music and that was successfully achieved.
Impossible Princess was an album that took many people a long time to understand but over the years it has managed to turn people's original opinions.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Mar 30 2021, 04:44 PM
I love reading how people perception of IP has changed over the years.
Posted by: Dark Horse Mar 31 2021, 08:05 PM
Some kind of bliss, the right and most obvious choice... like Spinning around on Light years and All the lovers on Aphrodite...
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Apr 2 2021, 08:50 AM
IP is one of those albums I refer to that needs the full package, all the songs just seem to work so much better when you play the album in its entirety, its definitely a body of work type of album.
Posted by: Dré Apr 2 2021, 01:17 PM
I actually like SKOB, I prefer it to Did It Again easily.
My single choices would've gone: Too Far, Breathe, Limbo, Cowboy Style
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Apr 2 2021, 05:16 PM
I've always much preferred SKOB to Did it again, I like did it again but its not a single I listen to much and there are a few IP songs I prefer to it.
Posted by: ___∆___ Apr 3 2021, 11:37 AM
Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and knowing what we know now they might as well have gone with Limbo as I doubt it would've done worse than #22.
It's all woulda coulda shoulda, but I probably wouldn't have picked any other track as the lead if I were in their position. At least they got two top twenty singles out of it and a silver #10 album by the end. Considering the bad start it could've been way worse.
Her Deconstruction era is my favourite but they were not the right label for her, they were obviously expecting a much better return on investment from KM94 and with all the IP delays it seems they didn’t really know how to market Kylie.
The promos from the IP era are at best terrible - the promo CDs sent out for Breathe and the album sampler had a typed cover and no imagery, hardly the thing to catch radio and media attention back then.
I think the single choices were the best from the album - I was horrified when SKOB missed the Top 20 but like you say they managed to rectify that with the 2 further singles (I always felt that DIA deserved to be bigger but it was just the wrong time for Kylie).
Posted by: ___∆___ Apr 3 2021, 11:38 AM
I can see why they pushed for this as the lead single (And IMO it was the right choice), it was an accessible track written with a well known artist and definitely one of the most radio friendly tracks.
Posted by: Feel_The_Fever Apr 3 2021, 01:45 PM
The promos from the IP era are at best terrible - the promo CDs sent out for Breathe and the album sampler had a typed cover and no imagery, hardly the thing to catch radio and media attention back then.
I think the single choices were the best from the album - I was horrified when SKOB missed the Top 20 but like you say they managed to rectify that with the 2 further singles (I always felt that DIA deserved to be bigger but it was just the wrong time for Kylie).
I felt breathe was the most robbed of been a hit but as we said it wasnt Kylies time at all. I was horrified too when SKOB missed the top 20 as I really thought it was going to be a safer top 10.
Posted by: ___∆___ Apr 3 2021, 02:30 PM
It was unthought of them for a Kylie track to miss the Top 20, now we’re all happy with ‘Real Groove’ reaching #95
Posted by: pippa Apr 3 2021, 07:53 PM
The expectation levels of Kylie's singles are so different.
Missing the Top 20 was seen as a disaster and now number 95 is seen as a huge success.
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