"Cool on Your Island" is a song by American synth-pop band Y Kant Tori Read, commercially released by Atlantic Records in 1988 as a 7" vinyl single and a cassette single. Two versions of a promotional 7" vinyl were also released, one with light blue labels and one with dark blue labels. The song was a commercial failure and received absolutely no critical comment. After the failure of the first single by the band, the label did not feel expenses were warranted to film a music video.
The promotional 7" vinyl singles feature a double A-side of an edited version of the track. There was also a promotional CD single issued for the Phil Collins song "A Groovy Kind of Love". Inexplicably it featured "Cool on Your Island" as tracks 2 and 3; the album and edit versions. The track would go on to be a favorite for Amos to perform at live concerts later in her career.
Amos has told a story on The Rosie O'Donnell ShowYoutube: Tori Amos Interview Rosie O Donnell 1999 regarding an incident where the release of this single may have kept her out of harm. She states that between the failure of Y Kant Tori Read and her successful solo career she was detained by German police while travelling because a friend (and co-traveller) had marijuana on her person. When the police were interrogating her, she stated she was a musician and that she had been "on a record with Phil Collins". As he was extremely popular there at the time, she was set free.
Track listing 7" single (Atlantic 7-89021) and cassette single (Atlantic 89021-4) "Cool on Your Island" – 4:57 "Heart Attack at 23" – 5:16
7" promo single (Atlantic 7-89021) "Cool on Your Island" (edit) – 4:05 "Cool on Your Island" (edit) – 4:05
CD promo single (Atlantic PR2452) "A Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins – 3:25 "Cool on Your Island" (edit) – 4:05 "Cool on Your Island" (LP version) – 4:57
References
External links Official Tori Amos website The Y Kant Tori Read FAQ