Key Largo (song)
Encyclopedia
"Key Largo" is a popular song recorded by Bertie Higgins
in 1981. Released as a single
in September 1981, the song became Higgins' only Top 40 hit in the United States
in early 1982, when it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. The song spent 17 weeks in the Top 40 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. In addition, "Key Largo" topped the adult contemporary chart
for two weeks. In the United Kingdom
, the song reached #60 on the UK Singles Chart
.
film Key Largo
, which starred Humphrey Bogart
and Lauren Bacall
, as is evident by the lyric: We had it all / Just like Bogie and Bacall / Starring in our own late late show / Sailing away to Key Largo. However, in the film Bogart and Bacall do not sail to Key Largo; Bogart arrives on a bus, and Bacall is already living there. The song also refers to the film Casablanca
, with the lines "Here's looking at you, kid" and "Please say you will / Play it again". The song "Key Largo" was included on Higgins' album, Just Another Day in Paradise
. The album's title track topped out at #46.
In 2009, VH1
ranked "Key Largo" #75 on its program 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.
Bertie Higgins
Elbert Joseph "Bertie" Higgins is an American singer-songwriter. In 1982, he had his only Top 40 album with Just Another Day in Paradise. It spawned the Top 10 romantic ballad "Key Largo", which referenced the Humphrey Bogart movie of the same name and reached #8 in the U.S...
in 1981. Released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in September 1981, the song became Higgins' only Top 40 hit in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in early 1982, when it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. The song spent 17 weeks in the Top 40 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. In addition, "Key Largo" topped the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
for two weeks. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the song reached #60 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Background and content
The song was heavily inspired by the 19481948 in film
The year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
film Key Largo
Key Largo (film)
Key Largo is a 1948 film noir directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, and Claire Trevor...
, which starred Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
and Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
, as is evident by the lyric: We had it all / Just like Bogie and Bacall / Starring in our own late late show / Sailing away to Key Largo. However, in the film Bogart and Bacall do not sail to Key Largo; Bogart arrives on a bus, and Bacall is already living there. The song also refers to the film Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
, with the lines "Here's looking at you, kid" and "Please say you will / Play it again". The song "Key Largo" was included on Higgins' album, Just Another Day in Paradise
Just Another Day in Paradise
Just Another Day in Paradise is a 1982 album by American singer-songwriter Bertie Higgins.The album spawned the Top 10 single "Key Largo" as well as the title track which was released as a follow up...
. The album's title track topped out at #46.
In 2009, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
ranked "Key Largo" #75 on its program 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.
Charts
| Chart (1981-1982) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 3 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 50 |