Constant Craving

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"Constant Craving"
Single by k.d. lang
from the album Ingénue
B-side
Released27 April 1992 (1992-04-27)
GenrePop[1]
Length4:38
Label
Songwriters
  • k.d. lang
  • Ben Mink
Producers
K.d. lang singles chronology
"Barefoot"
(1991)		 "Constant Craving"
(1992)		 "Miss Chatelaine"
(1992)
Music video
"Constant Craving" on YouTube

"Constant Craving" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang and Ben Mink, performed by lang and included on her second solo album, Ingénue (1992).[2][3] The song was released in the United Kingdom in April 1992, by Sire and Warner Records, and won lang a Grammy Award in the category for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1993,[4] as well as an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek.

"Constant Craving" peaked at number eight on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving lang her only US top-40 hit. It also reached number two on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. In the United Kingdom, the song was a modest hit when released in 1992, but following a reissue in 1993 in the wake of its American success, it reached a new peak of number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

Song information

English rock band the Rolling Stones used a refrain very similar to that of "Constant Craving" in their 1997 single "Anybody Seen My Baby?" They later gave writing credits on that song to k.d. lang and Mink, shared with the original authors Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.[5]

Critical reception

John T. Davis from Austin American Statesman complimented "Constant Craving" as "a song graced by a compelling melody and a vocal brimming with yearning."[6] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine stated, "There is no denying the rootsy, down-home quality of this wonderfully produced tune. Lang's distinctive voice is woven into spiraling multitracked harmonies, wafting over a base of acoustic guitar strumming and subtle accordian [sic] and xylophone interludes."[7] Steve Morse from Boston Globe named it the best song of the album, declaring it as "a romantic number that's also the only rhythmic tune of the bunch."[8] Clark and DeVaney from Cash Box named it Pick of the Week and a "standout" of the album.[9] A reviewer from Daily Mirror described it as "haunting".[10] Rufer and Fell from the Gavin Report commented, "k.d.'s forsaken country for a straight pop format that will finally win her the mass audience she's deserved. This track showcases her wonderful voice in solo and multi-part harmonies."[11]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media described it as "a Brecht/Weil on the prairie type of song—is likely to be lang's first hit in the UK and in Ireland".[12] On the album review, a Music & Media editor wrote, "Tales from the new west. La lang has changed her position on horseback for a more comfortable seat on the coach. In mind, she's singing in some Paris café in the decadent '20s."[13] John Milward from Rolling Stone felt the song is "more elusive", "but there's no denying the lift of its propulsive rhythms and joyful harmonies."[14] David Bauder from The Salt Lake Tribune praised "Constant Craving" as one of lang's best songs, remarking that it "concludes that a sense of longing is an inevitable part of life."[15]

Retrospective response

Mark Deming from AllMusic felt that the "emotional core" of songs like "Constant Craving", "was obvious even when their surfaces were evasive."[16] In 2008, the Daily Vault's Jason Warburg viewed it as a "dynamite single", that "manages to meld the spiritual with the physical while conveying a feverish desire for both kinds of fulfillment." He also remarked its "upbeat", "expansive and full of simmering appeal".[17] In 2019 and 2025, Billboard magazine included "Constant Craving" in its lists of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs" and "100 Greatest LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time".[18][19]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Constant Craving" was directed by American filmmaker and photographer Mark Romanek and filmed in black-and-white. It presents a fanciful recreation of the premiere of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot in Paris, 1953. Here, she is depicted singing backstage while the actors perform. The director says the song's lyrics of desperation and waiting fit well with the themes of Beckett's play.[20] VH1 added the video to its playlist in mid-April 1992.[21] The clip won Best Female Video at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.[22]

Track listings

1992 release

A. "Constant Craving" (album version) – 4:38
B. "Season of Hollow Soul" (album version) – 4:56
  1. "Constant Craving" (edit)
  2. "Barefoot" (rhythmic version)
  3. "Season of Hollow Soul"
  1. "Constant Craving" (edit)
  2. "Barefoot" (rhythmic version)
  • European CD single[29]
  1. "Constant Craving" (radio edit) – 3:45
  2. "Constant Craving" (album version) – 4:38
  3. "Tears of Love's Recall" – 3:48

1993 release

  1. "Constant Craving" (edit) – 3:45
  2. "Miss Chatelaine" (live) – 4:28
  • UK CD1 and Australian CD single[32]
  1. "Constant Craving" (edit) – 3:45
  2. "Wash Me Clean" (live) – 3:28
  3. "The Mind of Love" (live) – 3:17
  1. "Constant Craving" (live) – 4:18
  2. "Miss Chatelaine" (live) – 4:28
  3. "Big Boned Gal" (live) – 3:47
  4. "Outside Myself" (live) – 5:03

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Constant Craving"
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[34] 38
Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (The Record)[35] 18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[36] 8
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[37] 2
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[38] 46
Europe (European Hit Radio)[39] 36
Europe Northwest Airplay (Music & Media)[40] 1
Germany (GfK)[41] 61
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[42] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[43] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[44] 52
UK Singles (OCC)[45]
1993 re-release		 15
UK Airplay (Music Week)[46] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[47] 38
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[48] 2
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[49] 22

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Constant Craving"
Chart (1992) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[50] 54
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[51] 13
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[52] 24

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Constant Craving"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 27 April 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [53]
United Kingdom (re-release) 15 February 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [54]
Australia 7 March 1993 CD [55]

Abigail version

"Constant Craving"
Single by Abigail
from the album Feel Good
B-side"Don't Tell Me Why"
Released1993
GenreHi-NRG[56]
Length4:06 (radio version)
LabelKlone
Songwriters
Abigail singles chronology
"Could It Be Magic"
(1992)		 "Constant Craving"
(1993)		 "Losing My Religion"
(1993)
"Constant Craving '95"
Single by Abigail
from the album Feel Good
B-side"What Goes Around Comes Around"
Released1995
GenreHi-NRG
Length4:04 (radio edit)
LabelZYX Music
Songwriters
  • k.d. lang
  • Ben Mink
Abigail singles chronology
"Don't You Wanna Know"
(1994)		 "Constant Craving '95"
(1995)		 "Night Moves On"
(1996)

English singer Abigail covered the song on her 1994 debut album, Feel Good. It was first released as a single in 1993 on Klone Records. A 1995 release titled "Constant Craving '95" featuring new mixes of the song was released on the ZYX label.

Track listings

  • 12-inch vinyl single (Klone Records – 1993)
  1. "Constant Craving" (vocal version)
  2. "Constant Craving" (instrumental)
  3. "Don't Tell Me Why" (vocal version)
  4. "Don't Tell Me Why" (instrumental)
  • CD maxi-single (Klone Records – 1993)
  1. "Constant Craving" (radio version) – 4:06
  2. "Constant Craving" (original mix) – 6:24
  3. "Constant Craving" (Trade mix) – 9:34
  4. "Don't Tell Me Why" – 4:50
  • 12-inch vinyl single - "Constant Craving '95" (ZYX Music – 1995)
  1. "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive mix) – 8:01
  2. "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce mix) – 8:01
  3. "Constant Craving '95" (original mix)
  4. "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace mix) – 6:03
  • CD maxi-single (ZYX Music – 1995)
  1. "Constant Craving '95" (radio edit) – 4:04
  2. "Constant Craving '95" (Illusive mix) – 8:01
  3. "Constant Craving '95" (Gailforce mix) – 8:01
  4. "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Ace mix) – 6:03

Other versions

References

  1. Christensen, Thor (1998). "k.d. Lang". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 657–658.
  2. Blair Jackson. "Classic Track: "Constant Craving," k.d. lang" – MixOnline.com – 1 August 2013.
  3. Simpson, Dave (26 September 2017). "kd lang and Ben Mink: how we made Constant Craving". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  4. "Past Winners Search | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  5. Richards, Keith. Life. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2010. p. 457.
  6. Davis, John T. (23 April 1992). "lang album is transitional". Austin American Statesman.
  7. Flick, Larry (2 May 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 84. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  8. Morse, Steve (15 March 1992). "Etheridge rocks; k.d. lang flounders". Boston Globe.
  9. Clark, Randy; DeVaney, Bryan (11 April 1992). "Music Reviews: Albums - Pick Of The Week" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  10. Daily Mirror. 15 March 1993. p. 9.
  11. Rufer, Diane; Fell, Ron (17 April 1992). "A/C: Reviews" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 36. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  12. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 10. 6 March 1993. p. 11. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  13. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 20. 16 May 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  14. Milward, John (30 April 1992). "Recordings". Rolling Stone.
  15. Bauder, David (30 April 1992). "Ingenue' K.D. Lang Carries Torch -- But Not For Country". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  16. Deming, Mark. "k.d. lang – Ingénue". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  17. Warburg, Jason (13 February 2008). "Ingenue – k.d. lang". The Daily Vault. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. Russell, Erica (13 February 2019). "30 Lesbian Love Songs: Women Singing About Women (Updated 2019)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  19. Lynch, Joe; Daw, Stephen; Dailey, Hannah; Rowley, Glenn; Jocelyn, Hannah; Villa, Lucas (4 June 2025). "The 100 Greatest LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  20. Director's commentary on The Work of Director Mark Romanek DVD.
  21. "The Clip List". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 16. 18 April 1992. p. 36.
  22. Kaufman, Gil (21 August 2014). "Here's What the VMAs Looked Like the Year Ariana Grande Was Born (Spoiler: They Were Really Weird)". MTV. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
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  25. Constant Craving (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. W0100T, 9362-404550-2.
  26. Constant Craving (UK CD single liner notes). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. W0100CD, 9362-40455-2.
  27. Constant Craving (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. W0100, 5439-18884-7.
  28. Constant Craving (UK cassette single sleeve). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. W0100C, 5439-18884-4.
  29. Constant Craving (European CD single liner notes). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. W0087CD, 9362-40432-2.
  30. Constant Craving (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1993. W 0157, 5439-18589-7.
  31. Constant Craving (UK cassette single sleeve). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1993. W0157C, 5439-1859-4.
  32. Constant Craving (UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1993. W0157 CD, 9362-40773-2.
  33. Constant Craving (UK CD2 liner notes). Sire Records, Warner Bros. Records. 1993. W0157 CDX, 9362-40774-2.
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  35. Lwin, Nanda (1999). "Lang, k.d.". Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Research. p. 151, 161. ISBN 1896594131.
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  42. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (19.–25. mars)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 18 March 1993. p. 29. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
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