The Promise – When In Rome | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#11) and Hot Dance/Disco – Club Play (#1); 1988
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Clive Farrington (bass), Andrew Mann (vocals), and Michael Floreale (keyboards) originally played together with fashion designer Corinne Drewery (vocals) in Beau Leisure around Manchester, England.
After Beau broke up, Corinne teamed up with Andrew Connell and Martin Jackson to form Swing Out Sister, while the remaining Leisure three continued on as When In Rome.
Signed to Virgin, WIR debuted with a 12″ disc of The Promise that topped the Hot Dance Music – Club Play chart in late Spring, 1988. Label execs quickly ushered the group into the studio to put together an album.
The lead-off track, a remixed 7″ version of The Promise, debuted on the pop chart in September, and peaked at #11 in early December: WIR’s only hit.
As for Drewery, she and Swing Out Sister had scored a Top 40/Dance/ Adult Contemporary smash a year earlier with Breakout; the first of four Top 10 AC hits.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Michael Brauer
- Ben Rogan
Lyrics Written by:
- Clive Farrington
- Michael Floreale
- Andrew Mann
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).