Don't Sleep in the Subway
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| “Don't Sleep in the Subway” | |||||
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| Single by Petula Clark from the album 'These Are My Songs' |
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| B-side | "Here Comes the Morning" | ||||
| Released | April 1967 | ||||
| Recorded | 1967 | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros.(US)/Vogue (UK) | ||||
| Writer(s) | Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent | ||||
| Producer | Tony Hatch | ||||
| Petula Clark singles chronology | |||||
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"Don't Sleep in the Subway" was a 1967 single by Petula Clark. In it, the narrator advises her sweetheart against storming out after an argument due to his over-active male ego. If he does, he will "sleep in the subway" or "stand in the pouring rain" merely to prove his point.
The song was cobbled together from three different pieces of music previously composed by Hatch. As the tune progresses, its changes in musical style - from pop to symphonic to a Beach Boys-like melody for the chorus - are obvious. This song uses the chord progression most familiar from the classical piece Pachelbel's Canon.
Contrary to popular belief, the subway of the title doesn't refer to a mass transit system, but rather to underground pedestrian tunnels known as "subways" used to cross wide, heavily-trafficked streets in major United Kingdom cities.
The song, released in April 1967, peaked at #5 on the US charts in June and proved to be Clark's last US Top Ten single. It charted at #1 in Australia, #3 in Rhodesia, #5 in Canada, #7 in New Zealand, #10 in South Africa, #12 in the UK, and #16 in Germany [1]. It was later covered by Frank Sinatra.
The title was used as part of a candidate's name in the Monty Python Election Night Special sketch. It was sung by Michael Palin as Cardinal Richelieu impersonating Petula Clark on the show-within-a-show Historical Impersonations.
Clark frequently has cited it as her favorite Hatch composition and continues to include it in her concert repertoire.
