"Driver's Seat" is a 1978 song by British band Sniff 'n' the Tears, released as a single from their 1979 debut album Fickle Heart. The song reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States upon its release, as well as the top 10 in the Netherlands.
| "Driver's Seat" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Sniff 'n' the Tears | ||||
| from the album Fickle Heart | ||||
| B-side | "Slide Away" | |||
| Released | 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Genre | New wave[1][2] | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | Paul Roberts | |||
| Producer(s) | Luigi Salvoni | |||
| Sniff 'n' the Tears singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1991, the song made the number one spot in the Netherlands after it was used in a commercial for the Pioneer car stereo throughout Europe.[3]
Background
editThe genesis of the song dates back to the mid-'70s when a demo tape was recorded for a French record label who had signed singer/guitarist Paul Roberts. Luigi Salvoni, who had organised the musicians for Roberts, was listening to the demos a couple of years later when he contacted Roberts to ask if he could try and get a deal. At this time, Roberts was concentrating on his career as a painter. Roberts agreed and they signed to indie label Chiswick Records. They recorded the album Fickle Heart with mostly the same musicians that had done the demos which included along with Roberts and Salvoni, Mick Dyche, Loz Netto, Alan Fealdman, Chris Birkin and Keith Miller on Moog. To the surprise of everyone, Fickle Heart did very well and "Driver's Seat" became a hit. According to Roberts, "Driver's Seat" isn't about driving, but rather "fragmented, conflicting thoughts and emotions that might follow the break-up of a relationship."[citation needed]
Commercial performance
edit"Driver's Seat" peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the weeks of September 29 and October 6, 1979.[4][5] It reached the top 10 in the Netherlands in November 1980.
In Canada, the song reached number 17, and was in the RPM Top 100 for 21 weeks.[6]
"Driver's Seat" was re-released in the Netherlands in 1991. The song hit number one on both the Dutch Top 40 and Single Top 100 charts that same year as a result of its use in a Pioneer commercial.
Charts
edit| Chart (1979–80) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 13 |
| UK Singles Chart[8] | 42 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[9] | 17 |
| New Zealand Recorded Music NZ (RIANZ)[10] | 20 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 4 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] | 8 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[13] | 15 |
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
| German Media Control[14] | 32 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 1 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Don Breithaupt; Jeff Breithaupt (13 May 2014). Night Moves: Pop Music in the Late '70s. St. Martin's Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-4668-7138-0.
- ^ Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications. 1979. p. 102.
- ^ "Please, no sniff or tears. At least this band had one big hit". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100, Week of September 29, 1979 – Billboard.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100, Week of October 6, 1979 – Billboard.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 12, 1980" (PDF).
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – Sniff 'n' the Tears – Driver's Seat". Official Charts. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "RPM Volume 32 No. 3, October 13, 1979". RPM. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "The Official NZ Music Charts". RIANZ. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl – Sniff 'n' the Tears – Driver's Seat" (in Dutch). Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "Sniff 'n' the Tears > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 29, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
- ^ "Sniff 'n' the Tears – Driver's Seat" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2017-12-31.