Man of Colours
Man of Colours | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | AUS: 21 September 1987 United States: 22 September 1987 | |||
Recorded | February - May 1987 | |||
Studio | E.M.I. Studios 301 and Trash Studios, Sydney, Australia and Crescent Studios, Bath, England | |||
Genre | Rock, new wave | |||
Length | 44:36 AUS 1987 LP 56:45 AUS 1987 CD | |||
Label | Regular / Chrysalis | |||
Producer | David Lord | |||
Icehouse chronology | ||||
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Singles from Man of Colours | ||||
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Man of Colours | ||||
![]() 1988 Black-sleeve release (Regular Records) |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Man of Colours is the sixth studio album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse, released locally on 21 September 1987 on Regular Records / Chrysalis Records.[2][3][4]
Cover art[]
The cover artwork, designed by Iva Davies and Robert Kretschmer, depicts a human figure holding three different coloured flowers.[5] An alternate Limited Black Sleeve release depicted the cover art on a reversed background from Regular Records in Australia but had the same track listing.
Release and reception[]
The album peaked at #1 on the Australian album charts for 11 weeks from 5 October 1987[6] and has sold over 700,000 copies.[4] "Electric Blue" was their only Australian #1 single,[6] the release of the album and its five singles marked the zenith of Icehouse's commercial success, both locally and internationally. Several other songs from the album also charted well.
It was the first Australian album to supply five top 30 hit singles "Crazy" (#4 in July), "Electric Blue" (co-written by Davies and John Oates of US band Hall & Oates)[7] (#1, October), "My Obsession" (#12, December), "Man of Colours" (#28, February 1988) and "Nothing Too Serious" (#29, May 1988).[6] With US chart success for "Crazy", which reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #10 on its Mainstream Rock chart, and "Electric Blue" (#7 Hot 100, #10 Mainstream), the album Man of Colours reached #43 on the Billboard 200.[8][9]
Man of Colours was lauded in Australia during 1988. The album won two ARIA Awards, 'Album of the Year' and 'Highest Selling Album';[10] the associated song "Electric Blue" won 'Most Performed Australasian Popular Work' at the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Music Awards for its writers Davies and Oates.[11]
Reissues[]
Different versions of the album have been released, the initial Australian release by Regular Records (see infobox above right) was as a ten track vinyl LP or as a music cassette or as a twelve track CD with two additional mixes of "Crazy". The US / UK release by Chrysalis Records had a different track order from the Australian LP, and the track lengths for the two big singles ("Crazy" and "Electric Blue") are longer on this version of the album. The 1997 Japanese CD version released by For Life Records had two different tracks added. In 2002, Warner Music Australia re-released Man of Colours, with Davies and Ryan Scott digitally remastering, including five bonus tracks.[5] In Australia, the album was also offered on three limited edition coloured vinyl pressings, which were the colours of the flowers that the human figure on the cover was holding.
Track listing[]
Songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).[12]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Crazy" (Iva Davies, Robert Kretschmer, Andy Qunta) | 3:24 |
2. | "Electric Blue" (Davies, John Oates) | 4:24 |
3. | "Nothing Too Serious" (Davies) | 3:28 |
4. | "Man of Colours" (Davies) | 5:12 |
5. | "Heartbreak Kid" (Davies, Kretschmer) | 5:19 |
6. | "Kingdom" (Davies) | 4:52 |
7. | "My Obsession" (Davies) | 4:09 |
8. | "Girl in the Moon" (Davies, Kretschmer) | 4:01 |
9. | "Anybody's War" (Davies) | 4:05 |
10. | "Sunrise" (Davies, Kretschmer) | 5:45 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Crazy (12" Version)" | 7:21 |
12. | "Crazy (Midnight Mix)" | 4:48 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
13. | "Shakin' the Cage" (Davies, Kretschmer, Qunta, Simon Lloyd) | 4:00 |
14. | "Over My Head" (Davies, Kretschmer, Qunta, Lloyd) | 3:47 |
15. | "Touch the Fire" (Davies) | 3:46 |
16. | "Jimmy Dean" (Davies, Kretschmer) | 4:00 |
17. | "Electric Blue (Extended Mix)" | 7:34 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Crazy" | 4:48 |
2. | "Electric Blue" | 4:38 |
3. | "My Obsession" | 4:07 |
4. | "Man Of Colours" | 5:09 |
5. | "Heartbreak Kid" | 5:18 |
6. | "The Kingdom" | 4:51 |
7. | "Nothing Too Serious" | 3:25 |
8. | "Girl in the Moon" | 4:00 |
9. | "Anybody's War" | 4:05 |
10. | "Sunrise" | 5:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Crazy (12" Mix)" | 7:22 |
12. | "Crazy (Midnight Mix)" | 4:49 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Crazy" | |
2. | "Electric Blue" | |
3. | "Nothing Too Serious" | |
4. | "Man of Colours" | |
5. | "Heartbreak Kid" | |
6. | "Kingdom" | |
7. | "My Obsession" | |
8. | "Girl in the Moon" | |
9. | "Anybody's War" | |
10. | "Sunrise" |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Man of Colours (6 am Mix)" | |
12. | "Shakin' the Cage (D. Lord Mix)" |
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
Year | Chart | Peak |
---|---|---|
1987 | Australian Chart | 1 |
New Zealand Chart | 1 | |
Billboard 200 | 43 | |
UK Album Chart | 49 |
Year-end charts[]
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] | 18 |
Personnel[]
Credited to:[5]
Icehouse members
- Iva Davies – vocals, guitars, keyboards, Fairlight CMI, cor anglais
- Robert Kretschmer – guitars
- Simon Lloyd – reeds, brass, keyboards, programming
- Stephen Morgan – bass guitar
- Andy Qunta – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
- Paul Wheeler – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Andy Cichon – bass guitar
- Stuart Gordon – strings
- David Lord – additional keyboards
- Glenn Tommey – guitar, percussion
- John Oates – backing vocals on "Electric Blue"
- Shena Power – backing vocals
- Tommy Dassolo – Triangle
- Karl Chandler – Tuba
Recording details
- Producer – David Lord
- Engineer – David Hemming, David Wright
- Assistants – Carrie Motzing, Greg Henderson
- Studio – E.M.I. Studios 301 and Trash Studios, Sydney, Australia and Crescent Studios, Bath, England
- Mixer – David Lord, assisted by Raine Shine @ Crescent Studios, except:
- "Crazy", mixed by David Lord, assisted by David Hemming @ E.M.I. Studios 301, Sydney
- "Man Of Colours" mixed by Iva Davies, assisted by David Hemming @ Albert Studios, Sydney
- "Electric Blue" and "My Obsession" mixed by Michael Brauer @ Sigma Sound Studios, New York City, United States
- Mastering: Don Bartley, assisted by David Hemming @ E.M.I. Studios, Sydney
- Digital remastering (2002) – Iva Davies, Ryan Scott
Art work
- Artwork – Iva Davies, Robert Kretschmer
- Art Direction & Layout – Sue Goff
- Photography – Hugh Stewart
Covers[]
Australian-born classical-crossover soprano, Grace Bawden released a version of "Man of Colours" as her debut single.[14] Her rendition of the track received Davies' blessing and was aired on national television program, Rage on 4 September 2009.[15][16][17]
Australian progressive rock band Unitopia covered the single "Man of Colours" and an album they called a tribute to the bands that influenced them.
References[]
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (doc). Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ Grech, Jason (23 July 2004). "An interview with Iva Davies". Countdown Memories. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Artist: Icehouse". Warner Music Australia. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Man of Colours (import bonus tracks) credits". allmusic guide. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
- ^ ""Electric Blue" search result". Australasian Performing Right Association. Retrieved 25 June 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Billboard singles charts". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
- ^ "Billboard albums charts". Allmusic. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
- ^ "ARIA Awards winners by artist". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ "APRA Music Awards – winners 1988". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-02. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. CRAZY
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 438. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Man of Colours, Debut Single https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_edMrnWIRFk. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - ^ ReverbNation http://www.reverbnation.com/gracebawden. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - ^ Vlach,Anna,Adelaide Confidential,"Iva shows good grace", 25 August 2009
- ^ Rage Playlist http://www.abc.net.au/rage/archive/s2676589.htm. Missing or empty
|title=
(help)
- 1987 albums
- ARIA Award-winning albums
- Icehouse (band) albums
- Chrysalis Records albums