Free (Rick Astley album)

Last updated

Free
Free (Rick Astley album).jpg
Studio album by
Rick Astley
Released12 March 1991
Length51:33
Label RCA
Producer
  • Gary Stevenson
  • Rick Astley
Rick Astley chronology
Dance Mixes
(1990)		Free
(1991)		 Body & Soul
(1993)
Singles from Free
  1. "Cry for Help"
    Released: 20 January 1991
  2. "Move Right Out"
    Released: 24 March 1991
  3. "Never Knew Love"
    Released: 23 June 1991

Free is the third studio album by English singer Rick Astley, released on 12 March 1991 by RCA Records. It was his first album not to be produced by the noted production team of Stock Aitken Waterman. It gave Astley another hit single in the ballad "Cry for Help", which became a Top 10 in both the UK and US. Further singles "Move Right Out" and "Never Knew Love" were less successful. Free reached the UK Top 10 and the US Top 40 and marked the end of a successful four-year period for Astley.

Contents

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
MSN Music Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
NME 3/10 [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Vancouver Sun Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

Track listing

  1. "In the Name of Love" - 4:27 (Michael McDonald)
  2. "Cry for Help" - 4:54 (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher)
  3. "Move Right Out" - 3:50 (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher)
  4. "Be with You" - 4:07 (Rick Astley, Mark King)
  5. "Really Got a Problem" - 4:15 (Rick Astley, Mark King)
  6. "Is This Really Love"† - 3:26 (Rick Astley)
  7. "This Must Be Heaven" - 4:42 (Nicky Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Jon Lind)
  8. "Never Knew Love" - 3:07 (Derek Bordeaux, John Paul Taylor)
  9. "The Bottom Line" - 5:13 (Rick Astley)
  10. "Some Kinda Love" (Japan bonus track) - 4:30 (Rick Astley)
  11. "Wonderful You" - 5:08 (Rick Astley)
  12. "Behind the Smile" - 4:33 (Rick Astley)

Note

2010 re-issue

On 3 May 2010 an expanded edition of Free was released in a package containing both newly expanded and remastered editions of Free and Body and Soul. [7]

  1. "In the Name of Love" – 4:27
  2. "Cry for Help" – 4:54
  3. "Move Right Out" – 3:50
  4. "Be With You" – 4:07
  5. "Really Got a Problem" – 4:15
  6. "Is This Really Love" – 3:26
  7. "This Must Be Heaven" – 4:42
  8. "Never Knew Love" – 3:07
  9. "The Bottom Line" – 5:13
  10. "Wonderful You" – 5:08
  11. "Behind the Smile" – 4:33
  12. "Some Kinda Love" – 4:26
  13. "So Glad" – 3:23
  14. "Cry for Help" (Single Edit) – 4:19
  15. "Move Right Out" (7" Version) – 3:53
  16. "Never Knew Love" (7" Remix) – 3:08
  17. "Cry for Help" (12" Version) – 6:27
  18. "Move Right Out" (Vox/Strings/Piano Version) – 3:35

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Free
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [18] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Free – Rick Astley". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  2. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0857125958.
  3. ↑ "Free by Rick Astley on Msn Music". MSN Music . Archived from the original on 23 May 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Maconie, Stuart (2 March 1991). "Long Play". NME . p. 35. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  5. ↑ Bloom, Steve (30 May 1991). "Rick Astley: Free : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Mackie, John (9 May 1991). "Pop". The Vancouver Sun .
  7. ↑ O'Brien, Neil. "Free…plus + Body & Soul plus". Rickastley.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Rick Astley – Free" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rick Astley – Free" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Rick Astley – Free" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 3 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Hold me in your arms".
  13. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "Rick Astley | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rick Astley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  18. ↑ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano.
  19. ↑ "British album certifications – Rick Astley – Free". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 25 July 2012.
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