What does it mean to be the “King Of Wishful Thinking”? You could look at it as someone who has conquered pessimism and goes through life with a smile on their face. Or you might consider this person delusional.
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The fellow at the heart of the 1990 hit single “King Of Wishful Thinking” probably skews a bit more to delusion, or, at the very least, denial. But Go West, the British duo that recorded the song, came out of it with a huge positive, as it proved to be their biggest single ever.
The Go West Wing
Where did the duo of Peter Cox, the vocalist, and Richard Drummie, the guitarist, derive the name Go West? Well, when they first got together in the early 80s, they felt that most British artists were ultra-focused on succeeding on the American scene. Hence, they’d have to Go West to get it done.
Originally, the duo hoped to find a steady band to help them record their music. They figured if they recorded a couple of songs on their own, it would attract a band. Instead, those songs, “We Close Our Eyes” and “Call Me”, attracted record companies and became hits in the UK in 1985.
Considering the origins of their name, it was somewhat ironic that neither of those songs made nearly as big an impact in the US as they did in England. A little help from a co-writer, as well as placement in a runaway hit movie, changed all that.
“Thinking” Out Loud
Martin Page knew Go West had a winning formula, but that they might need a little help to break big in the States. Page, a Brit himself, had proven his worth in that department by co-writing huge hits for Starship, Heart, and several others.
Page partially based the feel of the music for the song he pitched to Go West on the song “She Drives Me Crazy”, a huge hit at the time for Fine Young Cannibals. Cox and Drummie came up with lyrics about a guy who believed he could overcome, against all odds, the heartbreak he was facing following a breakup.
Nothing in the song’s lyrics correlated to the 1990 Julia Roberts-Richard Gere smash film Pretty Woman. But Go West’s label was connected to the soundtrack, so “King Of Wishful Thinking” found its way into the movie. With that huge boost in exposure, the song became a No. 8 hit in America. That proved to be the highest-charting song the duo would ever enjoy in the US.
Examining the Lyrics of “King Of Wishful Thinking”
The narrator begins by talking tough about his resilience after the breakup. “And I won’t miss,” Cox barks. “The way that you kiss me/We were never carved in stone.” He believes that isolating himself is the key. “If I don’t listen to the talk of the town,” he says. “Then maybe I can fool myself.”
As the song progresses, however, the cracks in the façade start to show. “And I deny,” Cox sings. “The tears in my eyes/I don’t want to let you see.” In the refrain, the title lets us know that he’s kidding himself and no one else. “I’ll pretend my ship’s not sinking,” he explains. “And I’ll tell myself I’m over you/’Cause I’m the king of wishful thinking.”
The music for the song, with its ebullient horns and sultry rhythm, tries to help this guy find his upbeat groove. But Go West’s “King Of Wishful Thinking” clearly details the plight of a great pretender.
Photo by Scott Campbell/Redferns via Getty Images
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