One of the most memorable songs from the 1980s, for better or worse.
Kronomyth 4.01: Wading 4, a song you like.
Old Macdonald and the forest green were gone, replaced by an apprenticing wizard of great promise, Thomas Dolby, and an old mage for hire, Michael Fonfara. Also blowing into the studio was the legendary Junior Walker. With such mercenary magic, the core four soldiered on with the spectacular 4, produced by the high priest of studio rock himself, Mutt Lange.
The opening single from Foreigner’s fourth reached a felicitous 4 on the US charts, arriving with less urgent sea on the other side of the ocean, and remains one of the most readily identifiable tracks from the 80s. The single edit trims about half a minute from the ending to keep it under the 4-minute mark. The B side, “Girl on the Moon,” is identical to the album version. Note that the single was re-released in the UK in 1982 with a different B side, a live version of “Head Games.”
Original 7-inch single version
A1. Urgent (Mick Jones) (3:57)
B1. Girl on the Moon (Mick Jones/Lou Gramm) (3:50)
7-inch single version reissue (UK)
A1. Urgent (Mick Jones)
B1. Head Games (live) (Lou Gramm/Mick Jones)
12-inch single version reissue (UK)
A1. Urgent (Mick Jones)
B1. Head Games (live) (Lou Gramm/Mick Jones)
B2. Hot Blooded (live) (Lou Gramm/Mick Jones)
Back-to-back hits 7-inch single version
A1. Urgent (Mick Jones) (3:57)
B1. Waiting for a Girl Like You (Mick Jones/Lou Gramm) (4:35)
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch single on June 22, 1981 in the US and Canada (Atlantic, 3831), Australia (Atlantic, 45 3831) and Japan (Atlantic, P-1552A) and on 7-inch and 12-inch single in August 1981 in the UK (Atlantic, K 11655) and Germany (Atlantic, ATL-11665) with regional picture sleeve. Reached #4 on the US charts (charted on July 4, 1981 for 23 weeks) and #54 on the UK charts (charted on August 29, 1981 for 4 weeks). Also released as promotional 7-inch single in 1981 in the US (Atlantic, 3831) feat. A only.
- Re-issued on 7-inch and 12-inch single in April 1982 in the UK (Atlantic, K11728/T) with picture sleeve. Re-charted to #45 on the UK charts (charted on May 8, 1982 for 5 weeks).
- Re-packaged with “Waiting for a Girl Like You” on back-to-back hits 7-inch single in the US (Atlantic Oldies Series, OS 13232).
