This month sees Kylie Minogue take to the stage in the Glastonbury Legends slot and also the release of her latest hits package Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection. To celebrate we will be picking our A to Z of Kylie singles each day this month as well as asking you to vote for your favourite Kylie album – here.
Let’s get to the letter B.
B is for Better The Devil You Know. It’s a Kylie classic from 1990 and the first time Kylie took control of her image, shocking fans by wearing a pixie cropped brunette wig in the video. Written by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the latter told Songwriting Magazine that not only was the song written in a rush when Kylie was heading to the studio but the idea came from a comment made before she arrived. Pete was telling the team Kylie had split with Jason Donovan and started dating INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and somebody replied ‘it’s better the devil you know’ and the song was born.
Single facts
- Better the Devil You Know was the lead single from Kylie’s third album Rhythm of Love
- The track spent two consecutive weeks at Number 2 on the UK Charts held off the top spot by Adamski’s Killer featuring Seal
- Better The Devil You Know was used in US spy comedy film Teen Agent (called If Looks Could Kill in the USA)
- In Australia the track was given a remix by Movers & Shakers and issued as a special single release to celebrate her record label, Mushroom’s 25th Anniversary
There was one other Kylie single beginning with B that nearly pipped BTDYK and that was 1998’s Breathe. This gorgeous ballad from Impossible Princess contains some of Kylie’s most open lyrics as she goes on a journey of self-exploration. There were several other choices including the Nerina Pallot penned Better than Today, the Shaggy assisted Black and White, Enrique Iglesias duet Beautiful and the US Light Years’ promo single (and absolute banger!) Butterfly.
Do you agree with our choice? Tell us @entfocusmusic
See our complete list of Kylie A to Z of singles.
