Top 10 Best Renditions of "Kids in America"
"Kids in America" is a song originally performed by British singer Kim Wilde in 1981 on her self-titled debut album. The song was written by her father and brother, Marty and Ricky Wilde. Since then, it has been covered by an outstanding number of artists from various genres and countries and has even been re-recorded by Kim Wilde herself.My first encounter with Kim Wilde was through the first album I owned (I had some CDs with music from kids' TV shows before, but I don't count them), which was "Nena feat. Nena" by Nena. As you might know, Nena is one of the biggest and most successful stars in Germany. On this 2002 album, she recorded completely reworked versions of her biggest hits. One of these was a bilingual version of her 1980s hit song "Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann," titled "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime," sung as a duet with - yes, you guessed it - Kim Wilde.
Around that time, I also got "Digimon: The Movie" on VHS. Retrospectively, it's a bit strange that while the German dub of the series is based on the original Japanese version, they still dubbed this exclusively American mix of short films. The movie's tone is entirely different (less dark, less melancholic, more humorous, and action-packed), but back then, I didn't question it. I watched it with my dad, and as the credits rolled, the LEN cover of "Kids in America" started playing. My dad told me that the song was originally by "the woman who sings on Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime," and I somehow fell in love with it.
Shortly after, I got Kim Wilde's best-of album, and that's my history with the song. It was one of my first favorite songs when I was around seven years old.
I'm not usually biased about cover versions. They can often elevate an average song to something great. However, in this case, the original is the greatest recording. That's for two reasons: firstly, most covers didn't just record a version. They almost exactly copied it, including the structure starting with just a synth line and singing, the male "woo-oos" and "nananas," the major keyboard melody, and even the short echoing in the second verse.
Secondly, the original still has the most energy. The others try to replicate it as precisely as possible, but Wilde flows on the new wave instrumental like a true rock'n'roller, with attitude and power.
Okay, I must admit that this hasn't aged well over the last 15 years. The voice has a spacey effect, the synth line is almost eurodance, and the guitars and percussion are very 90s alternative rock. But hey, there's no greater power than the power of nostalgia, as they say.
This cover is the closest to capturing the rock energy Kim Wilde had. Even though I knew this version before, I haven't heard of this singer otherwise. Apparently, she only released two albums several years ago. But I might check them out because this is pop punk with a cool, strong female attitude and some of the coolest, trashiest synthesizers I've ever heard playing this melody.
I may be the only one on this site who is something of a fan of The Bloodhound Gang. I just found out they were much bigger in Germany than in their home country, and I know this site doesn't appreciate vulgar, immature humor as much as I do. But even I was surprised by this cover.
There is no stupid humor, no cheap techno beat, and it seems that it's not even Jimmy Pop singing. What we get is a really cool punk cover. In fact, it sounds more like the more recent Die Toten Hosen than the Bloodhound Gang.
After leaving E-Rotic, lead singer Lyane Leigh founded S.E.X. Appeal. Their first album, "Peeping Tom," was a very mixed bag. They tried to continue the novelty sex songs of E-Rotic but with a bubblegum dance sound like Aqua. However, it didn't sound nearly as fun as most eurodance/bubblegum dance bands.
It came across as more awkward than silly and goofy, and Leigh's voice had too much timbre to be as playful as Aqua. What was done very well was this breakbeat cover of "Kids in America." Here, Leigh's voice fits perfectly.
Unlike the other versions I included on this list, I did not know this one before specifically searching for covers to ensure I didn't miss a good one. Apparently, this band had only recorded four songs in total, but this beautiful, dreamy ballad version really makes me wonder why.
I see a lot of potential there, and it again shows that you can turn almost any song into a graceful ballad.
Remember what I wrote about that awesome Nena album with all the exciting new versions of her classics that are sometimes even much better? It had a duet with Kim Wilde on it. Now, on her 2006 album "Never Say Never," Wilde recorded five new versions of her old classics, produced by the same producer as the Nena album and even featuring Nena as a guest star on one song.
Her new version of "Kids in America" is not as radically different as Nena's reinterpretations, but it is a really good version. It has the exact same energy and flow as the original, plus a more modern twist.
Oh yeah, I remember this version being played in the "Jimmy Neutron" movie. It's been more than ten years since I saw the movie, and actually, all I can remember is that this song was in it. It has a cool beat somewhere between pop and breakbeat.
I'm still not sure what to think of Cascada. They were among the most commercially successful European techno groups in the mainstream (not in specific techno scenes, but your everyday pop listener knew them well) in the 2000s. However, I still think Groove Coverage, who never were as big but had a similar style, were much more inventive. Even when they covered a song, they always had a certain atmosphere between the stomping kicks.
Cascada was club music. But as that, they actually worked fine, and you could listen to their techno covers even when not dancing. This cover is a perfect example: it's not genius, but it's okay and danceable.
Eight years passed between S.E.X. Appeal's first and second album, and it's barely the same group anymore. Gone is the novelty touch and goofy cartoonish sex, as well as the 90s eurodance beats. Now, the project around Lyane Leigh mixes techno with sensual, slightly mystical, and more atmospheric melodies, lyrics, and synth lines.
They covered "Kids in America" a second time, this time with their new techno style. However, it's not as outstanding as the 90s version, which had breakbeat elements. On their "Sensuality" album, it feels more like a filler, aimed more at the dance floors than the other tracks on it. While it's okay, it doesn't have the same poppy, stomping quality as Cascada's version.
The Newcomers
This German-language version only takes the melody of "Kids in America." The song itself is about the singer being in love with a cashier named Veronika.
This typical 90s/early 2000s techno mix is a bonus track on my Best of compilation by her, and I've known this version as long as the original. However, I have to say I don't like it as much anymore. Wilde's voice doesn't fit at all with a stomping beat.
Wow, the post-grunge vibe is strong in this one.
I must say I was extremely surprised when I found myself absolutely loving the movie, especially because I found that the protagonist isn't the brat you think she is. She's actually very kind-hearted in her own way. She tries her best to help and make people happy. Even though she is kind of superficial, she isn't mean to people who don't fit the popularity standards. In fact, she tries to help them become popular. It's kind of sweet - clumsy, yes, and not the best solution, but sweet.
For all the fun I had with this flick, I might as well add a song from the soundtrack, even though it's really not my style.