"In Your Room" is a 1988 song by American rock group The Bangles, written by Susanna Hoffs in collaboration with Billy Steinberg and composer Tom Kelly. The song was released as the first single from the band's third album, Everything. It reached the top five of the US singles chart, and also charted in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
| "In Your Room" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Bangles | ||||
| from the album Everything | ||||
| B-side | "Bell Jar" | |||
| Released | October 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:27 | |||
| Label | Columbia Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Davitt Sigerson | |||
| The Bangles singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "In Your Room" on YouTube | ||||
Background
edit"In Your Room" was written around the same time as "Eternal Flame," according to Billy Steinberg. "Right from the get go The Bangles were a retro '60s kind of band. They loved '60s music, obscure groups like The Merry Go Round," Steinberg told Songfacts. "The Bangles liked everything from Petula Clark to The Beatles ... So when we got together to write with Susanna it was right up our alley because of course Tom and I grew up in the '60s and that was what we loved. [W]e had that in common with Susanna." He added that the song's style was somewhat similar to "Mony Mony," the 1968 hit single by Tommy James and the Shondells.[3]
Release and reception
editReleased in October 1988, "In Your Room" entered the Billboard Hot 100 the following month and peaked at number five in January.[4] It reached number four on the Singles Sales chart, number nine on the Hot 100 Airplay chart,[4] and number five on the Modern Rock chart.[5] The song also peaked at number 11 in New Zealand, number 41 in Australia,[6] and number 35 in the United Kingdom.[7]
Matthew Greenwald's retrospective review for AllMusic praised the band's rhythm section (Debbi Peterson and Michael Steele) for the song's dynamics in the chorus and bridge sections, as well as Vicki Peterson's "simulated sitar riffs." He also noted that "Lyrically, the song is a perfect vehicle for lead singer Susanna Hoffs' kittenish sexuality."[8] Rolling Stone writer Jim Freek said "In Your Room" was perhaps the band's best song to be released after their debut album.[9]
Chart performance
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1988–1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart[6] | 41 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 25 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[6] | 11 |
| UK Singles Chart[7][10] | 35 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 5 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks[5] | 5 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[11] | 10 |
| European Airplay (European Hit Radio)[12] | 15 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (1989) | Position |
|---|---|
| United States (Billboard)[13][14] | 66 |
References
edit- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 2, 2021). "The Number Ones: The Bangles' "Eternal Flame". Stereogum. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
...another song that Hoffs had written with Steinberg and Kelly, the lightly psychedelic rocker "In Your Room
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (November 20, 2021). "Be the One to Walk in the Sun Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "Billy Steinberg : Songwriter Interviews". www.songfacts.com. 17 July 2004. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-8230-7499-0.
- ^ a b "Bangles - Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ a b c "Bangles - 'In Your Room'". Ultratop. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ a b "The Bangles - 'In Your Room'". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ Greenwald, Matthew. ""In Your Room" - Review". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ Freek, Jim (2000-09-05). "Bangles Rekindle Flame at Secret Show". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media). Retrieved 2010-01-23.[dead link]
- ^ "UK Official Charts: Bangles". Official Charts Company. 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
- ^ "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 1988-12-31. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 51. December 17, 1988. p. 35. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
- ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-22.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1989".