Picking up fame as a part of the popular 'new wave' movement, her second album, 'Select', was released in May 1982. It contained the hits "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge". Her third album (and last album with RAK), was 'Catch as Catch Can', which came out in November 1983. Sadly, it wasn't much of a success, though tracks "Love Blonde" and "Dancing In the Dark" from the album became minor hits.
When Kim signed with MCA records in 1984, many doubting critics believed that her run of hits were over. Simply put, they were wrong. Kim's first album with MCA, 'Teases & Dares', came out in November 1984. Though not a huge commercial success as an album, it earned praising critical reviews and much fan support while also including three hit singles. Popular tune "Rage To Love" became Wilde's first top 20 hit in two years.
In October 1986, Kim released a cover of The Supremes song You Keep Me Hangin' on - it was a huge hit, number 2 in the UK and in the singles chart for 14 weeks, even better the song got to number 1 in the USA. Kim was now a superstar around the globe. Another Step (her 5th studio album) was released in Nov 1986 and spent 5 weeks in the UK charts. The title track Another Step (Closer to You), (a duet with Junior) and Say You Really Want Me were also singles.
In June 1988, Kim released her most successful studio album to date Close which spent 38 weeks in the UK album charts. Close contained 3 top ten hits You Came, Never Trust A Stranger and Four Letter Word. Around this time Kim was the support act on Michael Jackson's huge Bad tour.
Her 7th and 8th albums, 1990's Love Moves and 1992's Love Is did not match the success of Close, however Love Is boasted another top 20 hit single with the Rick Nowels penned Love Is Holy.
In September 1993, MCA released the first 'official' greatest hits album called The Singles Collection 1981-1993 (which contained all her biggest hits from the RAK years as well as the more recent MCA hits and two brand new singles If I Can't Have You, a top twenty hit in July 1993 (a cover version of the Yvonne Elliman classic) and the Kim penned In My Life.
In 1995, Kim released her 9th studio album Now and Forever, it was not a hit album in the UK but suffered no promotion. It contained two top 50 hits Breakin' Away and This I Swear.
In 1996, Kim released Shame, a cover of the disco song made famous by Evelyn "Champagne" King. Unfortunately the song failed to dent the UK top 100.
In 2001, to celebrate the release of another greatest Hits album, Kim released a new song Loved, co-written by Ronald & Masterton who are famous for their work with Dannii Minogue. Sadly Loved failed to enter the UK singles chart.
Kim is still making music and is also equally famous for her gardening skills. She continues to have success in Europe and had a huge hit in 2003 with Anyplace Anywhere Anytime, a duet with Nena.
In 2006 Kim released a studio album, "Never Say Never." The album includes new tracks and some remixes and remakes of classic Kim songs such as You Came, Cambodia and Kids In America. Also for the new album called Never Say Never Kim has re-recorded You Keep Me Hangin' On as a duet with Nena.
In 2018 she released "Here Come The Aliens," which is in a pop-rock style. Reviewing the album for MusicPlayers.com, Scott Kahn states "There’s not a weak song to be found in this collection of pop rock songs. We love that Here Comes The Aliens has the vibe of a real rock record, with strong musical performances throughout."
Cambodia
Kim Wilde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was an airforce wife
He used to fly weekends
It was the easy life
But then it turned around
And he began to change
She didn't wonder then
She didn't think it strange
He had to leave that night
He couldn't say too much
But it would be alright
He didn't need to pack
They'd meet the next night
He had a job to do
Flying to Cambodia
And as the nights passed by
She tried to trace the past
The way he used to look
The way he used to laugh
I guess she'll never know
What got inside his soul
She couldn't make it out
Just couldn't take it all
He had the saddest eyes
The girl had ever seen
He used to cry some nights
As though he lived a dream
And as she held him close
He used to search her face
As though she knew the truth
Lost inside Cambodia
But then a call came through
They said he'd soon be home
She had to pack a case
And they would make a rendezvous
But now a year has passed
And not a single word
And all the love she knew
Has disappeared out in the haze
(Cambodia, don't cry now, no tears now)
And now the years have passed
With not a single word
But there is only one thing left
I know for sure
She won't see his face again
The song “Cambodia” by Kim Wilde tells the story of a woman whose lover is a pilot. He originally lived a comfortable life, flying on the weekends, and enjoying the easy life with her. However, this comfort is suddenly disrupted when he receives a call to fly to Cambodia. As the woman tries to make sense of the change in her lover's demeanor, she can only think of the sadness and longing in his eyes. She tries to hold him close and comfort him as he cries some nights, seemingly lost in a dream. Eventually, the pilot has to leave with the promise of coming back but never does, and the woman is left with a heart full of love but without her lover by her side.
The song is thought to be inspired by the war in Cambodia that lasted from 1975 to 1979. Kim Wilde has also stated that the song was about a real-life event involving a British helicopter pilot who was sent to Cambodia, never to return. The lyrics touch on themes such as the uncertainty and struggles of love, war, and the impact it has on those left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Well he was Thailand based
He was living in Thailand.
She was an airforce wife
She was married to someone in the airforce.
He used to fly weekends
He used to fly as a hobby on weekends.
It was the easy life
His life was simple and uncomplicated.
But then it turned around
Things took a turn for the worse.
And he began to change
He started to act differently.
She didn't wonder then
She did not question his behavior at the time.
She didn't think it strange
She did not find his behavior unusual.
But then he got a call
He received a phone call.
He had to leave that night
He had to leave immediately.
He couldn't say too much
He could not disclose the reason for his departure.
But it would be alright
He reassured her that everything would be okay.
He didn't need to pack
He did not need to pack a bag.
They'd meet the next night
They would be meeting the following night.
He had a job to do
He had an objective to accomplish.
Flying to Cambodia
He was traveling to Cambodia, most likely for work.
And as the nights passed by
As time went on.
She tried to trace the past
She attempted to recapture their past relationship.
The way he used to look
Trying to remember what he used to look like.
The way he used to laugh
Trying to remember the way he used to have fun.
I guess she'll never know
She will never know.
What got inside his soul
She will never know what changed him.
She couldn't make it out
She could not understand it all.
Just couldn't take it all
It was overwhelming.
He had the saddest eyes
He looked dejected and sorrowful.
The girl had ever seen
It was the saddest sight the girl had ever witnessed.
He used to cry some nights
He used to cry sometimes.
As though he lived a dream
As though he was living in a state of surrealism.
And as she held him close
As she embraced him.
He used to search her face
He used to look at her face intently.
As though she knew the truth
As though she had some sort of knowledge of what was happening.
Lost inside Cambodia
He was lost in Cambodia, either physically or mentally.
But then a call came through
A phone call was received.
They said he'd soon be home
They informed her that he would be returning soon.
She had to pack a case
She had to pack her things in preparation for his return.
And they would make a rendezvous
They had arranged a meeting.
But now a year has passed
A year has gone by.
And not a single word
She has not heard from him at all.
And all the love she knew
All the love she had known.
Has disappeared out in the haze
Has dissipated without a trace.
(Cambodia, don't cry now, no tears now)
This phrase is meant to comfort Cambodia, it does not add any new information to the story.
And now the years have passed
Years have gone by.
With not a single word
She has still not heard from him.
But there is only one thing left
Only one thing remains.
I know for sure
I am confident.
She won't see his face again
She will never see him again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Iricom US Ltd
Written by: Marty Wilde, Ricky Wilde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexandru
Bravo Kim. O melodie şi voce Dumnezeiască !!!
Cambodia
Well he was Thailand based
She was an airforce wife
He used to fly weekends
It was the easy life
But then it turned around
And he began to change
She didn't wonder then
She didn't think it strange
But then he got a call
He had to leave that night
He couldn't say too much
But it would be alright
He didn't need to pack
They'd meet the next night
He had a job to do
Flying to Cambodia
And as the nights passed by
She tried to trace the past
The way he used to look
The way he used to laugh
I guess she'll never know
What got inside his soul
She couldn't make it out
Just couldn't take it all
He had the saddest eyes
The girl had ever seen
He used to cry some nights
As though he lived a dream
And as she held him close
He used to search her face
As if she knew the truth
Lost inside Cambodia
But then a call came through
They said he'd soon be home
She had to pack a case
And they would make a rendez-vous
But now a year has passed
And not a single word
And all the love she knew
Has disappeared out in the haze
Cambodia, don't cry now, no tears now
And now the years have passed
With not a single word
But there is only one thing left
I know for sure
She won't see his face again
Writer(s): M Wilde, R Wilde
비정한세상
Cambodia – Kim Wilde
Well he was Thailand based
She was an airforce wife
He used to fly weekends
It was the easy life
But then it turned around
And he began to change
She didnt wonder then
She didnt think it strange
But then he got a call
He had to leave that night
He couldnt say too much
But it would be alright
He didnt need to pack
They'd meet the next night
He had a job to do
Flying to cambodia
And as the nights passed by
She tried to trace the past
The way he used to look
The way he used to laugh
I guess shell never know
What got inside his soul
She couldnt make it out
Just couldnt take it all
He had the saddest eyes
The girl had ever seen
He used to cry some nights
As though he lived a dream
Ans as she held him close
He used to search her face
As though she knew the truth
Lost inside cambodia
But then a call came through
They said hed soon be home
She had to pack a case
And they would make a rendez-vous
But now a year has passed
And not a single word
And all the love she knew
Has disappeared out in the haze
And now the years have passed
With not a single word
But there is only one thing left
I know for sure
She wont see his face again
Erik Skifte
41 YEARS HAS PASSED, SINCE I BOUGHT THIS MASTERPIECE, ON 7" VINYL. IT'S SOOO CATCHY. KIM, STILL ONE OF MY FAVE SINGERS 🤩
Franco Specchia
✋ GOOD EVENING Mr ERIK... WE ARE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING ... 🤔 ... CRAZY ... IT'S TRUE, 40 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THEN ..IT SEEMS YESTERDAY, YOU TURN AND TURN AND IT HAPPENED MANY TIME A.. GREETINGS FROM ITALY ✋🇮🇹✋
Erik Skifte
@Franco Specchia SOOO TRUE. YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING. STAY SAFE 🤗🤩🥰
Franco Specchia
@Erik Skifte RECEIVED Mr CLAPTON !!!! ... AHAH 😁 AHA 😜 AHAH 😊 ... LET'S JOKE A LITTLE .. GREETINGS FROM ITALY ✋🇮🇹✋ ITALY
Bo McGillacutty
Poignant to ME as a child during Vietnam War, a single mom in our neighborhood lost her only son there...got shot out of a hammock over the jungle while being evacuated wounded slung under a Huey.
alexecgooi
Everything about this song is epic, that amazing spine tingling intro, the music, Kim Wilde’s beautiful voice, the lyrics. I loved it the first time I heard it, and never stop loving it. For me this is one of the great anthems of the 80’s.
Bo McGillacutty
Sort of new to me amazingly. Resonates extremely strong from when I was very young and big bro was explaining Vietnam war horrors to me, he was way precocious and next in line for the draft, lucky it ended just before his turn.
Hank
I love this performance. She just comes out there and slays it. No extra fluff needed.
Cranky Yankee Fan
except for the hairspray ;)
Hank
@Cranky Yankee Fan haha yup, love that look