Along with co-writing some of KISS‘ biggest hits with Starchild Paul Stanley, including “Shout It Out Loud,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” and “Strutter,” Gene Simmons also penned a collection of songs for the band on his own.
“Calling Dr. Love,” “Deuce,” “Only You,” “Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em,” “Domino,” “Got Love for Sale,” and “Larger Than Life,” are some of the KISS songs penned solely by Simmons.
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Simmons also wrote two solo albums—Gene Simmons in 1978 and 2004 follow-up Asshole—and always contributed his recipe to KISS songs for five decades.
[RELATED: 9 of Gene Simmons’ Favorite Songs—Including KISS and Van Halen]
Here’s a look at just five songs Simmons wrote solo for KISS.
1. “Nothin’ to Lose” (1974)
Released on the band’s eponymous debut in 1974, “Nothin’ to Lose” was KISS’ first single and was released with their rock instrumental B-Side “Love Theme from KISS.” The lyrics follow Simmons’ “sexual exploration” with a girlfriend and was one of the first songs the band performed on national television.
The song was written entirely by Simmons, who sang it with Stanley. Drummer Peter Criss is also featured offering some scar vocals on the chorus. Original members of KISS reunited to perform “Nothin’ to Lose” during MTV Unplugged in 1995,
So now I’ve got a baby
And we’ve tried every way
You know she wants to do it
And she does anyway
But baby please don’t refuse
You know you got nothin’ to lose
2. “Deuce” (1974)
Simmons co-wrote most of the KISS album with Stanley, including “Strutter,” but he wrote “Deuce” on his own. It was also the first song former guitarist Ace Frehley, who called the song one of his favorites, played with the band when he auditioned to be in KISS.
“Deuce” was written on a bus by Simmons in the winter of 1972, while he and Stanley were preparing to split their band Wicked Lester and form KISS. The parts started coming to Simmons in his head. First, he heard the riff, then the melody, and the entire song, and wrote it on bass. While composing the song, Simmons was inspired by The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers track “Bitch.”
Baby, if you’re feeling good
And baby if you’re feeling nice
You know your man is workin’ hard
He’s worth a deuce
“It was a very linear song,” said Simmons.”As soon as the riff came, the first verse came, then I wrote the bridge, and then I wrote the chorus. We arranged it right on the spot and knew that it would be a staple for years.”
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He continued, “In fact, when we first went on tour with our first record, it was the opening song of the show and we would come back for encores and not have any songs left and do ‘Deuce’ again. Then if we got a second encore we would do ‘Deuce’ again. Lyrically, I had no idea what I was talking about. Sometimes stuff means a lot, sometimes it means nothing.”
KISS played “Deuce” during their final live performance at Madison Square Garde on December 2, 2023.
3. “Calling Dr. Love” (1976)
Released on KISS’ fifth album Rock and Roll Over in 1976, Simmons’ signature “Calling Dr. Love” was written at a Holiday Inn in Evansville, Indiana. Simmons was inspired by the Three Stooges’ 1934 film Men in Black and the announcements of “Calling Doctor Howard, Doctor Fine…” Simmons created his own Doctor Love.
[RELATED: KISS’ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons Talk Songwriting]
The band also released a live version of “Calling Dr. Love” on their 1977 album Alive II and, along with “Deuce,” remained on their setlist through their final show together in 2023.
On Rock and Roll Over, Simmons also wrote the harder “See You in Your Dreams,” “Ladies Room,” and “Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em” solo.
They call me (Dr. Love)
They call me Dr. Love (calling Dr. Love)
I’ve got the cure you’re thinkin’ of (calling Dr. Love)
And even though I’m full of sin
In the end, you’ll let me in
You’ll let me through, there’s nothin’ you can do
You need my lovin’, don’t you know it’s true
4. “Plaster Caster” (1977)
Cynthia Plaster Caster famously cast the penises of famous rock stars, including Jimi Hendrix. Though she never actually worked with any members of KISS, she made it onto the band’s sixth album, Love Gun, with a song in her honor. “Plaster Caster” was written by Simmons for the artist.
Simmons also penned “Christine Sixteen,” “Got Love For Sale,” and “Almost Human” for Love Gun.
Along with KISS, Caster, who died in 2022 at 74 was also honored in Jim Croce‘s 1973 song “Five Short Minutes.”
Baby’s getting anxious
The hour’s getting late
The night is almost over
She can’t wait
The things are complicating
My love is in her hands
And there’s no more waiting
She understands
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5. “X-Ray Eyes” (1979)
Dynasty was the final album KISS released in the 1970s and had some disco inflections with the band’s hit “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” and went to No. 9 on the Billboard 200. For the album, Simmons co-wrote the track “Charisma” with Howard Marks and also penned “X-Ray Eyes” by himself.
I’ve got X-Ray eyes
And I can see right through your lies
One day you’ll see, you’ll come crawling back to me
I’m your one and only, that’s a fact, yeah
I’m the one, the one and only, in the the end, baby you’ll be lonely
I’ve got no time for silly goodbyes, yeah
Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
