"King of My Castle" is a song by American electronic music producer Chris Brann under his Wamdue Project alias, with vocals by Gaelle Adisson. It was originally released in 1997 as a downtempo song but became a worldwide club hit in 1999 when it was remixed by Italian house producer Roy Malone (real name Mauro Ferrucci) and included on the 1998 album Program Yourself. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart, topped the UK Singles Chart, and peaked within the top 10 in at least 12 other countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway.

Song information

The song's title and lyrics reference Sigmund Freud's theory of the unconscious which holds that the human ego is not free and is instead controlled by its own unconscious id—in Freud's own words, "das Ich ist nicht Herr im eigenen Hause" ("the ego is not king of its own castle"). One of the song's two music videos consists of footage from the 1995 anime film Ghost in the Shell, where people with cyborg implants have their actions controlled against their will by a hacker criminal known in the film as "puppetmaster".

Track listings

1998 release

UK CD single "King of My Castle" (original edit) "King of My Castle" (Beef Injection mix) "King of My Castle" (original version) "King of My Castle" (S' Man's Comin 4 Ya Castle mix) "King of My Castle" (Charles Schillings Toboggan mix) "King of My Castle" (Bronx Dogs mix) UK 12-inch single A1. "King of My Castle" (original version) B1. "King of My Castle" (S' Man's Comin 4 Ya Castle mix) B2. "King of My Castle" (Beef Injection mix)European CD single "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King radio edit) – 3:40 "King of My Castle" (S' Man's Comin 4 Ya Castle radio edit) – 3:11 Australian CD single "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King edit) "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King mix) "King of My Castle" (original mix) "King of My Castle" (S' Man's Comin 4 Ya Castle mix) "King of My Castle" (Charles Schilling Toboggan mix)

1999 release

US 12-inch single A1. "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King mix) – 4:56 A2. "King of My Castle" (Armins Gimmick dub) – 6:19 B1. "King of My Castle" (Bini & Martini 999 mix) – 6:27 B2. "King of My Castle" (Bini & Martini 999 dub) – 7:44 UK CD single "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King radio edit) – 3:25 "King of My Castle" (Armin van Buuren remix) – 6:22 "King of My Castle" (Bini & Martini 999 mix) – 6:25 "King of My Castle" (original radio edit) – 3:37 UK 12-inch single A1. "King of My Castle" (Bini & Martini 999 mix) – 7:44 AA1. "King of My Castle" (Armin van Buuren remix) – 6:22 AA2. "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King mix) – 4:56UK cassette single "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King radio edit) "King of My Castle" (Armin van Buuren remix) "King of My Castle" (S' Man's Comin 4 Ya Castle) Dutch CD single "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King radio edit) – 3:42 "King of My Castle" (original version) – 8:11 Australian and New Zealand CD single "King of My Castle" (Armin van Buuren radio edit) – 3:43 "King of My Castle" (Roy Malone's King radio) – 3:33 "King of My Castle" (Armin van Buuren remix) – 6:22 "King of My Castle" (Bini & Martini 999 mix) – 6:25 "King of My Castle" (original radio edit) – 3:37

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "King of My Castle"
Chart (1999–2000)Peak position
Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "King of My Castle" Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australia (ARIA) 26 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 3 Belgium Dance (Ultratop) 3 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) 17 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM) 4 Denmark (IFPI) 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 9 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 15 France (SNEP) 6 Germany (GfK) 3 Greece (IFPI) 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 5 Ireland (IRMA) 5 Italy (Musica e dischi) 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 21 Norway (VG-lista) 2 Scotland Singles (OCC) 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 31 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 7 UK Singles (OCC) 1 UK Dance (OCC) 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) 1 Weekly chart performance for 2008 version Chart (2008–2009) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 14 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 37Year-end charts Annual chart rankings for "King of My Castle" Chart (1999) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 32 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 36 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 14 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 15 Europe (Radio Top 50) 97 Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media) 11 France (SNEP) 27 Germany (Media Control) 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 21 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 24 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 37 UK Singles (OCC) 28 UK Club Chart (Music Week) 21 Chart (2000) Position US Dance Club Play (Billboard) 13 Annual chart rankings for 2008 version Chart (2008) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 82
Australia (ARIA)26
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)3
Belgium Dance (Ultratop)3
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)17
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)4
Denmark (IFPI)3
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)9
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)15
France (SNEP)6
Germany (GfK)3
Greece (IFPI)5
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)5
Ireland (IRMA)5
Italy (Musica e dischi)3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)2
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)21
Norway (VG-lista)2
Scotland Singles (OCC)1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)31
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)7
UK Singles (OCC)1
UK Dance (OCC)1
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)1
Chart (2008–2009)Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)37
Chart (1999)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)32
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)14
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)15
Europe (Radio Top 50)97
Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media)11
France (SNEP)27
Germany (Media Control)10
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)24
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)37
UK Singles (OCC)28
UK Club Chart (Music Week)21
Chart (2000)Position
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)13
Chart (2008)Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)82

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "King of My Castle"
RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)Platinum50,000*
France (SNEP)Gold250,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)Gold50,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)Gold
United Kingdom (BPI)Gold400,000^
Summaries
Worldwide2,000,000
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Street dates for "King of My Castle"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
United StatesMay 24, 1997—N/aStrictly Rhythm
United KingdomJune 22, 199812-inch vinylCDEruption
United Kingdom (re-release)November 15, 199912-inch vinylCDcassetteAM:PM
United StatesJuly 5, 2000Rhythmic contemporarycontemporary hit radioRepublicUniversal