Cambodia (song)

"Cambodia" is the fourth single by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released at the end of 1981—a year in which Wilde had already produced three highly successful hit singles and a best-selling debut album. The single was another international success, topping the charts of France, Sweden and Switzerland and reaching the top 10 in several other nations. The song was not released in North America.

"Cambodia"
Single by Kim Wilde
from the album Select
B-side	"Watching for Shapes"
Released	2 November 1981
Genre	Synth-pop, new wave
Length	3:56 (7-inch version) 7:13 (album version, including "Reprise")
Label	RAK
Songwriter(s)	Ricky Wilde, Marty Wilde
Producer(s)	Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde singles chronology
"Water on Glass" (1981) "Cambodia" (1981) "View from a Bridge" (1982)

"Cambodia" was released on the 7-inch format but also as a 12-inch single in West Germany, although not in a remixed or extended version. The B-side of both releases is an exclusive non-album track called "Watching for Shapes". "Cambodia" was later included on Wilde's second album, Select, which was released six months later.

Composition

"Cambodia" was written by Marty Wilde and Ricki Wilde and has a length of seven minutes and thirteen seconds; on the album, it is teamed with a more uptempo instrumental version of the song called "Reprise". Musically and lyrically, "Cambodia" showed a change in direction for Kim Wilde from the new wave feel of her debut album. The song was mainly synth-driven, with east Asian-sounding percussion. According to Wilde:

It's a tragic love song. It's about someone who loses her lover in sad circumstances. It wasn't written as a commentary on the Cambodian situation, more like a 'song mystery'

— Kim Wilde^[1]

The Independent's Chris Mugan found the song reminiscent of a film noir.^[2] Stewart Mason of AllMusic noted that the song lacks the bubblegum pop influence present on Wilde's self-titled debut album, and is instead more synthesizer-driven.^[3] Matt James of PopMatters felt that the song was an attempt by Kim Wilde to prove that she could tackle serious issues, leading the way for The Human League's "The Lebanon" in 1984 and Sting's "Russians" in 1985.^[4]

Critical reception

According to Yahoo!, songs like "Cambodia", "View from a Bridge" (1982) and Wilde's version of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1986) brought her "very close to [the] hearts" of Australians.^[5] The Independent's Chris Mugan deemed the song one of Wilde's "eighties classics" alongside "Kids in America".^[2] In the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin opined that Wilde tried "a more adventurous sound" with "Cambodia," indicating that she was "an exciting talent."^[6] The Ipswich Star's Wayne Savage said that "Cambodia" and "Chequered Love" (1981) are "seminal smashes" which prove that Wilde "struck gold more often than not."^[7] Vogue's Rachel Hahn called the song an "underrated classic".^[8]

Stewart Mason of AllMusic noted that "Kim Wilde's second album didn't score any hits on the level of the debut's 'Kids in America,' although the dramatic 'Cambodia' was a sort of cult favorite in some circles."^[3] Writing for the same website, John Bush called the track a "fan favorite" and an "odd, chilling attempt to record a dirge for Southeastern Asia."^[9] In The Legacies of Jean-Luc Godard, Douglas Morrey wrote that "'Cambodia' is not...a particularly moving record". In his review of The Singles Collection 1981–1993 in All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul, Mike DeGagne wrote that "Only the unbecoming 'Cambodia' and the hollowed out 'Child Come Away' should be avoided on this collection, as both lack the spirit that Wilde usually packs."

Track listing

UK / Europe / Australia 7" and Germany 12" single (1981)

1. "Cambodia" – 3:56
2. "Watching for Shapes" – 3:42

NB The B-side of the Australian single is given the title "Don't Count Me Out" but is in fact identical to "Watching for Shapes".

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1981–1982) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 10 France (SNEP)[citation needed] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 21 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 3 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[19] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 12 West Germany (GfK)[23] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1982) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[24] 26 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[25] 15 Belgium (Ultratop)[26] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] 32 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[29] 19 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 15 West Germany (Official German Charts)[31] 15

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[32]	Gold	1,000,000[33]

References

1. Kim Wilde:Paul Evers's bubblegum picture
2. Mugan, Chris (23 December 2013). "Kim Wilde, gig review: 'poised halfway between sparkly housewife and down-to-earth celeb'". The Independent. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
3. Mason, Stewart. "Kim Wilde Select review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
4. James, Matt (12 November 2012). "Parallels: XII". PopMatters. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
5. "Kim Wilde & Howard Jones Return to Australia". Yahoo! News. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
6. Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
7. Savage, Wayne (10 March 2018). "My kids ignore my music advice laughs 80s chart-topper Kim Wilde ahead of Ipswich and Southend shows". Ipswich Star. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
8. Hahn, Rachel (5 October 2018). "Listen to a Playlist of Paris Fashion Week's Best Runway Music". Vogue. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
9. Bush, John. "The Very Best of Kim Wilde". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 337. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
11. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
12. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
13. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cambodia". Irish Singles Chart.
15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
16. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
17. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia". Top 40 Singles.
18. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia". VG-lista.
19. "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs C–D". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
20. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia". Singles Top 100.
21. "Kim Wilde – Cambodia". Swiss Singles Chart.
22. "Kim Wilde: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
23. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kim Wilde – Cambodia" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
24. "Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
25. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1982" (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
26. "Jaaroverzichten 1982" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
27. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1982". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
28. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
29. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1982". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
30. "Swiss Year-End Charts 1982" (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
31. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1982" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
32. "French single certifications – Kim Wilde – Cambodia" (in French). InfoDisc. Select KIM WILDE and click OK. 
33. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1982". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2024 – via Top-France.fr.