| Hand Cut | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 March 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1982-83 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 40:44 | |||
| Label | RCA Records | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Bucks Fizz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Hand Cut | ||||
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Hand Cut is the third studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 1 March 1983 and features the UK top 20 hits, "If You Can't Stand the Heat" and "Run for Your Life".
Hand Cut continued the group's success, which had been building for two years since their Eurovision win.
The first single from the album was "If You Can't Stand the Heat" in November 1982, which became their fourth consecutive top ten hit in the UK charts. [1] This was followed in March 1983 by "Run for Your Life", which reached UK#14. [2] [3] Along with this came the album's release, which received favourable reviews and became their third UK top 20 album. [4] Remaining on the chart for three months, Hand Cut was certified silver by the BPI. [5] The album also coincided with a successful 40 date UK tour.
Despite this, the group's management were concerned that the singles hadn't performed as well as the ones on their previous album and took the decision not to release any further singles from Hand Cut. Realising that their fans were now slightly older, they made a move for a more adult market - a factor which would remain for the rest of the group's recording career, but would ultimately provide their downfall. The following single became the hard edged "When We Were Young", which in the Summer of 1983 returned Bucks Fizz to the top ten, and a Greatest Hits compilation followed. [6]
Some time after the group had fallen out of vogue, their record company, RCA made one last attempt to revive fortunes by releasing a single taken from this album six years after its release. The song was the ballad "You Love Love". [7] It failed to chart and remains the group's last ever UK single release.
Other notable tracks from the album include "10,9,8,7,6,5,4" which was later covered by another Eurovision-winning group, Herreys. While today, fans of the group bemoan the lack of a third single from the album and cite "I'd Like to Say I Love You" as the perfect choice, which was voted in a poll as the group's all-time best song. [8]
Hand Cut was released on compact disc for the first time in June 2004. [9] In 2008, alternate versions of tracks "Run for Your Life", "If You Can't Stand the Heat", "I'd Like to Say I Love You" and "You Love Love" were featured on The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut compilation.
As with the previous album, Hand Cut received many good reviews in the media. Smash Hits gave the album a 7 out of 10 rating, but thought that the over production was sometimes overpowering and preferred the quieter songs on the album (referencing "Where the Ending Starts"). The review stated that the album was well-produced however, saying it was "...another busy Andy Hill-directed epic. The trademarks are all here: ferocious production, terrific drum sound and booming choruses". [10] Record Mirror claimed that "Run for Your Life" was too similar to a previous single "My Camera Never Lies", but did state that the group were now making "exceedingly good pop music". Writing for Irish magazine, RTÉ Guide , reviewer Brendan Martin gave the album a positive review, saying "Hand Cut follows the formula of their previous albums. There are two singles along with a selection of good pop songs". [11] The New Straits Times gave the album a largely negative review saying that it was "overly clean, lacking a rough hewn edge". It did however single out two tracks which rose above "the mundane", namely "10,9,8,7,6,5,4" and "If You Can't Stand the Heat" calling them "catchy". [12]
NME gave "Run for Your Life" a particularly good review, saying that the group were at their peak and singling out praise to producer, Andy Hill. Member Mike Nolan has listed track "You Love Love" as the best of their own songs. [13]
In 2017, Classic Pop magazine reviewed the album positively, saying that it was "state-of-the-art pop", mentioning tracks "10,9,8,7,6,5,4" and "Running Out of Time". [14]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Run for Your Life" | Andy Hill, Ian Bairnson | Andy Hill | 4:12 |
| 2. | "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4" | Steve Glen, Matthew James, Bill Edwards | Brian Tench with Bobby G | 4:29 |
| 3. | "I Do It All for You" | Andy Hill, Alan Coates | Andy Hill | 3:58 |
| 4. | "Where the Ending Starts" | Andy Hill | Andy Hill | 3:57 |
| 5. | "Surrender Your Heart" | Bobby G | Brian Tench with Bobby G | 4:09 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "If You Can't Stand the Heat" | Andy Hill, Ian Bairnson | Andy Hill | 3:35 |
| 7. | "I'd Like to Say I Love You" | Warren Harry | Andy Hill | 4:30 |
| 8. | "You Love Love" | Andy Sells | Andy Hill | 3:40 |
| 9. | "Shot Me Through the Heart" | Andy Hill, Nichola Martin | Andy Hill | 4:25 |
| 10. | "Running Out of Time" | Andy Hill, Ian Bairnson | Andy Hill | 3:45 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (12" version) | Andy Hill, Ian Bairnson | Andy Hill | 5:39 |
| 12. | "Stepping Out" (B-side of "If You Can't Stand the Heat") | Bucks Fizz | Bucks Fizz | 3:28 |
| 13. | "When the Love Has Gone" (Extra track on 12" of "When We Were Young) | Andy Hill, Nichola Martin | Andy Hill | 5:50 |
| 14. | "London Town" (Extended Club Mix) | Andy Hill | Andy Hill | 6:38 |
| 15. | "Identity" (B-side of "London Town") | Bucks Fizz | Bobby G | 2:40 |
| 16. | "When We Were at War" (B-side of "Rules of the Game) | Bucks Fizz | Bobby G | 6:00 |
| 17. | "Pinball Wizard / Hot Stuff / Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Knock on Wood / Rockin' All Over the World" (hidden track) | Pete Townshend / Pete Bellotte, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey / Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice / Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper / John Fogerty | Bucks Fizz | 5:50 |
| Release date | Single title | UK Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| November 1982 | "If You Can't Stand the Heat" | 10 |
| March 1983 | "Run for Your Life" | 14 |
| May 1989 | "You Love Love" | - |
| Release date | Album title | UK Chart position |
| March 1983 | Hand Cut | 17 |
| June 2004 | Hand Cut (re-release) | - |
| June 2015 | Hand Cut (double CD edition) | - |
Bucks Fizz were an English pop group that achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston. They received attention for the dance routine which accompanied the song, in which the male members of the group ripped the female members' outer skirts off to reveal much shorter mini-skirts beneath. The group went on to have a successful career around the world, but the UK remained their biggest market, where they had three No.1 singles with "Making Your Mind Up" (1981), "The Land of Make Believe" (1981) and "My Camera Never Lies" (1982) and became one of the top-selling groups of the 1980s. They also had UK Top 10 hits with "Now Those Days Are Gone" (1982), "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (1982), "When We Were Young" (1983) and "New Beginning " (1986). Bucks Fizz have sold over 50 million records worldwide.
Bucks Fizz is the eponymous debut studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 26 July 1981, it features their Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up" as well as the two follow-up singles "Piece of the Action" and "One of Those Nights". The album was produced by Andy Hill and released on RCA Records. Bucks Fizz has been re-released twice on CD, first in 2004 with bonus tracks and as a two-disc edition in 2015.
Are You Ready is the second studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 26 April 1982 and features the UK No. 1 singles "The Land of Make Believe" and "My Camera Never Lies" as well as the follow-up "Now Those Days Are Gone". It was produced by Andy Hill and released by RCA Records. It was the group's most successful album. It went on to be re-released on compact disc three times between 2000 and 2015.
I Hear Talk is the fourth studio album by the pop group Bucks Fizz and their last under contract to RCA Records. Released in November 1984, the album featured the singles "Talking in Your Sleep", "Golden Days" and "I Hear Talk".
Writing on the Wall is the fifth and final studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 24 November 1986 and featured the comeback top ten single "New Beginning ". It was their first and only album to feature then new member Shelley Preston and their only album released on Polydor Records. Despite the album being initially unsuccessful in the charts, it was re-released twice — first in 2004 and again in 2012, both times with different track listings. It was the group's final studio album until The Lost Masters series (2006–2013).
"The Land of Make Believe" is a 1981 single by British band Bucks Fizz. It reached No.1 in the UK in early 1982 - the second single by the band to do so. The song was produced by Andy Hill with music by Hill and lyrics by ex-King Crimson member Peter Sinfield. Despite the apparent sugar-coated style of the song, Sinfield later claimed it was a subtle attack on Margaret Thatcher and her government's policy at the time. "The Land of Make Believe" became a big hit across Europe in early 1982, topping the charts in Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland as well as the UK. The song was later covered by pop band allSTARS* for a 2002 single release.
The Lost Masters is the name given to an album project to release unheard, rare and extended remixes of songs by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. Two albums were originally released: The Lost Masters in 2006, and The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut in 2008. A third single-disc volume was released in April 2012 as a double-pack which included a re-release of the group's 1986 album Writing on the Wall. Finally, The Best of The Lost Masters, a 25-track compilation was released in April 2013, which also included a number of previously unreleased mixes.
"Love the One You're With" is a song by American folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971. David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stills' fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. Also providing the backups are Rita Coolidge, her sister Priscilla Jones, and John Sebastian. They all sing the "Do Dos" that come before the instrumental portion and the Outro. The song was also recorded by the Isley Brothers, The Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross, Bob Seger and Richard Clapton, among others.
Andrew Gerard Hill is an English record producer and songwriter who worked with Bucks Fizz and Celine Dion during the 1980s and 1990s.
"When We Were Young" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. The track features lead vocals by band member Jay Aston. The song became their sixth top-ten-hit in the UK and it is one of their biggest hits in Europe.
"Piece of the Action" is the second single by pop group Bucks Fizz, the follow-up to the Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up". It was released in May 1981 and became a UK top 20 hit.
The Very Best of Bucks Fizz is a compilation album of the hits of pop group Bucks Fizz. The album was released in 2007 and was coupled with a DVD of the group's Promotional Videos. This was the first time the group's videos had been available on DVD. The album reached No.40 in the UK Charts - the first time Bucks Fizz had appeared on the album charts since 1986. Allmusic gave the album a favourable three and a half stars out of five, but commented on the fact that Bucks Fizz were always more successful as a singles band. A review in the Nottingham Post bemoaned the fact that while Bucks Fizz are usually remembered for their Eurovision winner, their later songs were much better, naming "My Camera Never Lies", "I Hear Talk" and "New Beginning" as particularly strong.
Live at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon is a live album released in 1991 by pop group Bucks Fizz. It was their first and only release with Jet Records.
The Story So Far is a compilation album by British pop group Bucks Fizz, released in 1988. The album collects together 18 of the group's biggest hit singles spanning the years 1981 to 1988, including their three number ones.
"New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)" (often referred to as simply "New Beginning") is a song by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released as a single in 1986 (their first release on Polydor Records) and was a comeback hit, achieving their highest chart placing for four years.
"If You Can't Stand the Heat" is a single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released in November 1982 and became the group's fifth top 10 single in the UK. The song was written by Andy Hill and guitarist Ian Bairnson. It was also produced by Hill.
"Run for Your Life" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It was written by Andy Hill and Ian Bairnson and became the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit in the UK. It featured on the group's third album Hand Cut.
"London Town" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It was their first single not to reach the UK top 20, breaking a run of nine consecutive top 20 hits. The song was written and produced by Andy Hill.
"I Hear Talk" is a 1984 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz, written by Andy Hill and Peter Sinfield, the team responsible for the group's biggest hit in the UK, "The Land of Make Believe". It was also produced by Hill. Released as a single in December 1984, it is the title track from the group's fourth studio album. In 2010, the song was chosen as the first single by the Original Bucks Fizz in a live jazz-style reworking.
"Now Those Days Are Gone" is a single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It became a UK top ten hit in July 1982 and featured on the group's album Are You Ready. The song was nominated for an Ivor Novello award the following year.
