Life (Simply Red album)
Life | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 9 October 1995 | |||
Recorded | September 1994 – July 1995 | |||
Studio | Planet 4 Studios (Manchester, England) AIR Studios (London, England) Downtown Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa) | |||
Genre | Blue eyed-soul, pop, dance, funk | |||
Length | 47:18 | |||
Label | East West Records | |||
Producer | Mick Hucknall, Stewart Levine | |||
Simply Red chronology | ||||
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Singles from Life | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Los Angeles Times | |
Music & Media | Favorable |
Music Week | |
Rolling Stone |
Life is the fifth studio album by British pop and soul band Simply Red, released in 1995. The lead single "Fairground" became their first number 1 hit in the UK. Due to this success, the album also made #1 on the UK album chart. It also included "We're in This Together", the official theme song for Euro '96. This was also the last album to feature band members Fritz McIntyre and Heitor TP.
Track listing
All songs composed by Mick Hucknall
- "You Make Me Believe" – 3:51
- "So Many People" – 5:19
- "Lives and Loves" – 3:21
- "Fairground" – 5:33
- "Never Never Love" – 4:19
- "So Beautiful" – 4:58
- "Hillside Avenue" – 4:45
- "Remembering the First Time" – 4:43
- "Out on the Range" – 6:00
- "We're in This Together" – 4:14
2008 Special Edition bonus tracks
- "Fairground" (Rollo and Sister Bliss Remix) – 9:06
- "Remembering the First Time" (Satoshi Tomie Classic 12" Mix) – 8:53
- "Never Never Love" (Too Precious Club Radio Mix) – 4:22
- "We're in This Together" (Universal Feeling Mix) – 4:15
- "You Make Me Believe" (Howie B Mix) – 4:01
Personnel
Simply Red
- Mick Hucknall – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass, string arrangements
- Fritz McIntyre – keyboards, backing vocals
- Ian Kirkham – keyboards, saxophones, EWI
- Heitor TP – guitars
- Dee Johnson – backing vocals
Guest musicians
- Andy Wright – keyboards, programming, string arrangements
- Robbie Shakespeare – bass
- Bootsy Collins – bass
- Sly Dunbar – drums, programming
- Ritchie Stevens – drums
- Danny Cummings – percussion
- Hugh Masekela – flugelhorn
- Umoja Singers Chorale – choir
- The London Metropolitan Orchestra – strings
- Caroline Dale – string arrangements and conductor
The video for "Never Never Love" featured several women, including British actresses Billie Whitelaw and Stephanie Beacham, and fashion models like Kirsten Owen, for example.
Production
- Producers – Mick Hucknall and Stewart Levine
- Album coordinator – Merv Pearson
- Engineered and mixed by Roland Herrington and Femi Jiya
- Assistant engineers – Jake Davies, Aiden Love, Bernard O'Reilly and Andy Strange.
- Recorded at Planet 4 Studios (Manchester, England); AIR Studios (London, England); Downtown Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa)
- Mixed at Whitfield Street Studios (London, England)
- Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
- Art direction – Mat Cook and Zanna
- Design – Mat Cook
- Photography – Zanna
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) | Platinum | 50,000* |
Belgium (BEA) | Gold | 25,000* |
France (SNEP) | Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI) | Platinum | 500,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) | 2× Platinum | 200,000* |
Netherlands (NVPI) | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) | 5× Platinum | 1,500,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000* |
Worldwide | — | 5,500,000 |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |