The King of Kissingdom was the third single released on Parlophone. It's original release date was to be February 10th, however like the other two singles before it, it was put back a week. This was so the release would coincide with a Valentines Day performance at ULU in London. It entered the U.K Top 40 at number 35.

The first of 2CD singles contained 2 cards from a set of My Life Story Top Trump cards featuring Jake, the orchestra and other characters such as April 1st and Mr Boyd. There was also a "radio friendly" promotional version recorded with the line "go to work on an e" changed to "go to work on an ego".

The single received mixed reviews in the music press, Melody Maker had Noddy Holder from Slade providing the reviews...
"Jake Shillingford mines such a fine vein of Manilow camp that a silver staircase must soon be a requisite feature of any My Life Story show.
Noddy (counting the number of MLS band members on the sleve with growing amazement): Are they all in the band? 7-8-9-10-11 people? Bloody Hell! They'll have to sell a good few records to make any money! That record couldn't be anything but English, could it? It's a great single though. It reminds me of what The Small Faces and The Kinks used to do in the sixties. Very quaint. I do like a nice orchestral section. Even Slade used to occasionally dabble in 'em. Our first number one single in 1971, "Coz I Luv You", had a violin solo..."

New Musical Express, on the other hand took a different view...
Sometimes, it's the people who care the most about pop that get it the most wrong. Just look at Oasis: they're not even trying, yet classic song after classic song drips from Noel's Union Jack guitar. Then look at Jake Shillingford. He tries so hard - brass bands! Strings! Spangly suits! - but couldn't write a classic if you locked him in an attic for 30 years. And believe me, the thought has occurred.
To whit: 'The King of Kissingdom' sees Jake scurry into the jaunty, music-hall barrowboy pitch on pop's marketplace hastily vacated by Blur. Which would be a good thing of course, if only MLS hadn't missed all the great things about 'Parklife' and instead taken all the irritating bits and magnified them 150 times.
We're on your side, Jake, we really are. It's just you've been playing rubbish for a long time now, so we've decided to drop you.