Between Two Fires (album)
Between Two Fires | ||||
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Studio album by Paul Young | ||||
Released | 20 October 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Studio | Lark Studios, Carimate & Logic Studios, Milan, Italy (also mixed at Logic Studios - mastering at Masterdisk) | |||
Genre | Pop rock, soul | |||
Length | 44:45 | |||
Label | Columbia/CBS Records | |||
Producer | Hugh Padgham Paul Young Ian Kewley | |||
Paul Young chronology | ||||
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Singles from Between Two Fires | ||||
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Rolling Stone | (3.5/5)[6] |
Between Two Fires is the third solo album by the English singer Paul Young. Released in October 1986, it reached #4 on the UK Album Chart, and #77 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The album has been certified Platinum (300,000 copies) by the British Phonographic Industry.[7]
Three singles were taken from the album; "Wonderland", "Some People", and "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong", though none of these made the UK Top 20 unlike Young's previous singles. "Wonderland", written by Betsy Cook who also provided backing vocals on the album, reached #24 in the UK (Cook would later release her own version of the song on her 1992 album The Girl Who Ate Herself). "Some People" reached #56 in the UK and #65 in the U.S., while "Why Does a Man have to be Strong" reached #63 in the UK.
The album followed the pattern of Young's first two albums combining cover versions with original songs written by Young and keyboard player Ian Kewley. However, after the numerous covers contained in the previous two works there were only two on this album with the Young/Kewley partnership contributing eight of the tracks, two co-written with bass player Pino Palladino.
Extract from Rolling Stone album review[]
"Through the first few listens, the album seems muted and reticent, a bashful mishmash of pop riffs and references. But after those initial plays, Between Two Fires takes on remarkable colours, as if its ten tracks were strips of film coming to life in a photographer's darkroom. The record finally reveals itself to be a detailed portrait of the problems human beings have with sharing things – whether it's a whole planet or just a queen-size bed." (from Laura Fissinger's album review on RollingStone.com)
Track listing[]
All tracks composed by Paul Young and Ian Kewley; except where indicated.
- "Some People" 4:42
- "Wonderland" (Betsy Cook) 4:56
- "War Games" (Andrew Barfield) 4:16
- "In the Long Run" (Young, Kewley, Pino Palladino) 4:14
- "Wasting My Time" 5:11
- "Prisoner of Conscience" (Young, Kewley, Pino Palladino) 4:18
- "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong?" 4:19
- "A Certain Passion" 4:12
- "Between Two Fires" 3:48
- "Wedding Day" 4:49
Note: some CD releases contained the extra track "Steps To Go" 5:12
Singles taken from the album[]
- 1986 - "Wonderland" (UK #24)
- 1986 - "Some People" (UK#56, U.S. #65)
- 1987 - "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong?" (UK #63)
Personnel[]
- Paul Young - vocals, arrangement, production
- David Palmer - drums, programming
- Pino Palladino - bass guitar
- Matt Irving - keyboards
- Steve Boltz - guitar, sitar
- Ian Kewley - keyboards, Hammond organ
- Tony Jackson - background vocals
- Hamish Stuart - background vocals
- Betsy Cook - background vocals
- - percussion
Production[]
- Hugh Padgham - production, engineering
- Ian Kewley: production, arrangement
- Pino Palladino - arrangement, production assistance
- Croydon - assistant sound engineer
- Bob Ludwig - mastering
Staff[]
- Ged Doherty, Renegade Artists Management: management
- John Swannell: sleeve photography
- Rob O'Connor/Stylorouge: design & art direction
References[]
- 1986 albums
- Paul Young albums
- Albums produced by Hugh Padgham
- Columbia Records albums