I Will Cure You

Last updated

I Will Cure You
I Will Cure You.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1991
Length44:40
Label Island
Producer
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

I Will Cure You is the only album by English comedian Vic Reeves. It was released in 1991 by Island Records, produced by Steve Beresford, Andy Metcalfe and Philip Oakey and re-released in 1999 by Universal Music's Spectrum label. The album peaked at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and features the number-one single "Dizzy", which was a collaboration with the Wonder Stuff.

Contents

Content

The album includes a mixture of covers and original songs in a variety of musical styles, many of which were originally introduced on Reeves' debut Channel 4 comedy show Vic Reeves Big Night Out . Reeves' comedy partner Bob Mortimer sings alongside him on "Summer of '75", with Jonathan Ross providing whistling on "I Remember Punk Rock". Reeves has said that he did not want to make a novelty or comedy album but something more serious, and that for him being a singer is secondary as his comedy will always come first. [2]

The sleeve and insert of the album features artwork and text created and written by Reeves. The sleeve notes also contain reproductions of three photographs with the legend "Where are Vic's boots?". Along with accompanying Ordnance Survey grid references they apparently pointed to three pairs of Chelsea boots that had been hidden by Reeves and Mortimer during an extended road trip around the UK. The grid references point to locations in Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District in Cumbria and the Wash in East Anglia. One pair of boots, containing an original Polaroid photograph of Reeves with the boots, was located in Glen Etive by two Scottish fans. [3]

Singles

Three singles were released from the album: "Born Free", "Dizzy" and "Abide with Me", with various bonus tracks on each. The three singles were released on cassette, CD and 7", 10" and 12" records, with "Born Free" also being released as a picture disc.

"Born Free" was the first single to be released from the album, billed as 'Vic Reeves and the Roman Numerals' and reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. [4] It is a cover of the Matt Monro song written by John Barry, which Reeves directly mentions in the song via a spoken-word section in the middle of the track. Although there are no musician credits on the sleeve, Reeves claims the track was created by members of Swing Out Sister and he just turned up for a few hours to do the vocal. [5] The single's bonus track was a reworking of "Oh! Mr Songwriter", an original song by Reeves and Steve McGuire, with which Reeves ended each episode of Vic Reeves Big Night Out .

The second single to be released was "Dizzy", a collaboration with the Wonder Stuff which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and remained there for two weeks. Mark E. Smith claimed Reeves had previously asked him if he and his band the Fall would do the collaboration, offering a £30,000 payment. Smith was up for it, but the rest of the band were unsure, with guitarist Craig Scanlon declining. [6] As the song is a cover, neither Reeves nor the Wonder Stuff received any publishing royalties. [7]

The final track to be released as a single was "Abide with Me", a dance reworking of a Christian hymn, produced by The Grid. It was the least successful of the album's singles, reaching number 47 on the UK Singles Chart. The single's bonus track was a cover of "Black Night" by Deep Purple, produced by Philip Oakey of the Human League. Oakey went on to appear in Reeves and Mortimer's television pilot The Weekenders. The sleeve of the single features an oil self-portrait by Reeves entitled "Bishop", which was later exhibited at the Britart Gallery, London. [8]

Music videos

The music video for "Born Free" shows Reeves singing on stage with his name in lights. Two female singers provide backing vocals and dance behind him throughout. During the video, various dogs jump onto the stage and by the end, the stage is littered with them. Reeves is also seen riding a motorbike in front of a green screen video. [9] This is the only video which does not feature Bob Mortimer. During Reeves' performance of "Born Free" on Top of the Pops , he is seen turning the pages of a flip chart which contains various images of birds. [10]

"Dizzy"'s music video shows Reeves trying unsuccessfully to get into the building where he and the Wonder Stuff will be performing. He ends up breaking in via the roof and falls onto the stage where he immediately begins to sing. The stage is stacked with a number of washing machines, one of which Reeves opens. The Top of the Pops performance of "Dizzy" also featured washing machines, with Reeves opening many machine doors in an attempt to find a camera inside one which he was meant to sing into, but it had been removed without his knowledge. [11] Bob Mortimer appears in the background of the music video with Wonder Stuff frontman Miles Hunt, playing a tambourine and singing backing vocals. The music video was directed by Tony Van Den Ende and produced by Cathy Hood. [12]

The music video for "Abide With Me" shows a muddy Reeves riding a horse around a farmyard where Bob Mortimer appears to be working. Reeves remains on horseback for the entirety of the video and also appears to perform several trick riding feats (performed by a stunt double). At the end of the video, the animals in the farmyard have a disco and Reeves rides the horse into the distance, stopping to rear in silhouette in front of the moon. The video was directed by Peter Christopherson, who allowed Reeves to choose what he'd like to do in the video. Reeves requested "a lectern, and a horse. I intend to ride a horse." [13]

Four Golden Memories, a VHS containing the music videos to I Will Cure You's three singles, was released by Island Records in 1991. It also contains a live performance of "Meals on Wheels" and "Dizzy", as part of Vic Reeves Big Night Out On Tour, the latter of which features the Wonder Stuff.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Big Night Out" (theme)
0:34
2."Dizzy" (featuring the Wonder Stuff)3:17
3."I Remember Punk Rock"Reeves3:08
4."Black Night"4:03
5."Meals on Wheels"Reeves2:45
6."Oh! Mr Songwriter"
  • Reeves
  • McGuire
4:10
7."Born Free"4:57
8."Sing Hi! The New Romantic"2:53
9."Empty Kennel"Reeves2:34
10."Summer of '75"Reeves3:53
11."Oh! Mr Hairdresser"
  • Reeves
  • McGuire
3:47
12."Abide with Me"Traditional5:17

Certifications

Certifications for I Will Cure You
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [14] Silver60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Human League</span> English synth-pop band

The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album Dare in 1981 after restructuring their lineup. The album contained four hit singles, including the UK/US number one hit "Don't You Want Me". The band received the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act in 1982. Further hits followed throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, including "Mirror Man", "(Keep Feeling) Fascination", "The Lebanon", "Human" and "Tell Me When".

<i>Travelogue</i> (The Human League album) 1980 The Human League album

Travelogue is the second full-length studio album released by British synthpop group The Human League, released in May 1980. It was the last album with founding members Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, as they would leave to form Heaven 17 later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic and Bob</span> British double act

Vic and Bob, also known as Reeves and Mortimer, are a British double act consisting of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. They have written and starred in several comedy programmes on British television since 1990, with Reeves having made his first TV appearance in 1986. They have often been referred to as the modern day Morecambe and Wise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Moir</span> English comedian

James Roderick Moir, also known by his stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian and artist. He has a double act with Bob Mortimer as Reeves & Mortimer. He is known for his surreal sense of humour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wonder Stuff</span> British alternative rock band

The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band. Originally based in Stourbridge in the West Midlands, England, the band's first lineup released four albums and nearly 20 singles and EPs, enjoying considerable chart and live success in the UK. The band have continued to tour and record since 2000.

<i>If The Beatles Had Read Hunter...The Singles</i> 1994 compilation album by The Wonder Stuff

If The Beatles Had Read Hunter...The Singles (1994) is a singles compilation released after The Wonder Stuff's original demise in 1994, which reached number 8 on the UK album charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Oakey</span> English singer-songwriter and producer

Philip Oakey is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and co-founder of the synth-pop band the Human League. Aside from the Human League, Oakey has enjoyed an extensive solo music career and has collaborated with numerous other artists and producers.

<i>Dare</i> (album) 1981 studio album by the Human League

Dare is the third studio album by English synth-pop band the Human League, first released in the United Kingdom in October 1981 then subsequently in the US in mid-1982. The album was recorded between March and September 1981 following the departure of founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, and saw the band shift direction from their previous avant-garde electronic style toward a more pop-friendly, commercial sound led by frontman Philip Oakey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't You Want Me</span> 1981 single by the Human League

"Don't You Want Me" is a song by British synth-pop group the Human League. It was released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album, Dare (1981). The band's best known and most commercially successful song, it was the best selling UK single of 1981, that year's Christmas number one, and has since sold over 1,560,000 copies in the UK, making it the 23rd-most successful single in UK Singles Chart history. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on 3 July 1982, where it stayed for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovesong (The Cure song)</span> 1989 single by the Cure

"Lovesong" is a song by English rock band The Cure, released as the third single from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989), on 21 August 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it reached the number-two position in October 1989 and became the band's only top-10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the single charted at number 18, and it peaked within the top 20 in Canada and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pictures of You (The Cure song)</span> 1990 single by the Cure

"Pictures of You" is a song by English rock band the Cure. It was released on 19 March 1990 by Fiction Records as the fourth and final single from the band's eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). The song has a single version which is a shorter edit of the album version. The single reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Close to Me (The Cure song)</span> 1985 single by the Cure

"Close to Me" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released in September 1985 as the second and final single from their sixth album, The Head on the Door.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stereotypes (song)</span> 1996 single by Blur

"Stereotypes" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur and is the opening track to their fourth studio album, The Great Escape (1995). It was released on 12 February 1996 as the third single from that album, charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. It also became a minor hit in Australia, peaking at number 95 on the ARIA Singles Chart in June 1996. The accompanying UK B-sides—"The Man Who Left Himself", "Tame" and "Ludwig"—demonstrated a dramatic change in style for Blur, being stark and raw, foreshadowing the stylistic shift that would realize itself on their eponymous follow-up album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dizzy (Tommy Roe song)</span> 1968 single by Tommy Roe

"Dizzy" is a song originally recorded by Tommy Roe that became an international hit single in 1969. Instrumental backing was provided by the Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Man in My Heart</span> 1995 single by the Human League

"One Man in My Heart" is a song by English synth-pop band the Human League, written by Neil Sutton and Philip Oakey. It was released as the second single from the band's seventh album, Octopus (1995), on 6 March 1995 by East West Records. A ballad, the song differs from all previous Human League tracks as the lead vocal is performed by band member Susan Ann Sulley, with spoken-word refrains from Oakey and contrasting backing from the third member, Joanne Catherall. The song received positive reviews from music critics and peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, spending eight weeks in the top 100. Its music video was directed by Andy Morahan. In 2001, The Guardian newspaper named "One Man in My Heart" one of the best love songs of the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Together in Electric Dreams</span> 1984 single by Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey

"Together in Electric Dreams" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and Italian composer and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the original soundtrack of the film Electric Dreams (1984). It later formed part of the joint album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, released in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boys and Girls (The Human League song)</span> 1981 single by The Human League

"Boys and Girls" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. It was released as a stand-alone single in the UK in February 1981 and peaked at number 48 in the UK Singles Charts. It was written by lead singer Philip Oakey and the band's visual director / keyboard player Philip Adrian Wright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open Your Heart (The Human League song)</span> 1981 single by The Human League

"Open Your Heart" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. It was released as a single in the UK in October 1981 and peaked at number six in the UK Singles Chart. It was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player Jo Callis. The song features a lead vocal by Oakey and female backing vocals by Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall, analogue synthesizers by Jo Callis, Philip Adrian Wright and Ian Burden. Drum machines, sequencing and programming were provided by producer Martin Rushent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Jupiter</span> 1996 song by Tori Amos

"Hey Jupiter" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album, Boys for Pele (1996), and was her first extended play (EP) since Crucify in 1992. The US EP Hey Jupiter features a re-recorded version of "Hey Jupiter" followed by four live tracks recorded during her Dew Drop Inn Tour of 1996. The song is also featured on the double A-side CD singles released in the UK and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ressurection Joe</span> 1984 single by The Cult

"Ressurection Joe" is a single by the English rock band The Cult, it was released on 14 December 1984 and wasn't found on any previous studio album by the group.

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. Wilde, Jon (1991). "He Wouldn't Let it Lioness". Melody Maker: 8–9.
  3. Dessau, Bruce (1998). Reeves & Mortimer. London: Orion Books. pp.  109–110. ISBN   0-75281-781-7.
  4. "Born Free chart position".
  5. Vic Reeves/Jim Moir - RHLSTP #234. November 2019. Event occurs at 15m10s.
  6. The Fall - Unreleased Documentary. 1994. Event occurs at 12m55s.
  7. Dessau, Bruce (1998). Reeves & Mortimer. London: Orion Books. p.  115. ISBN   0-75281-781-7.
  8. "Doings, Vic Reeves exhibition".
  9. Four Golden Memories (VHS). Island Records.
  10. "Born Free on Top of the Pops".
  11. Dessau, Bruce (1998). Reeves & Mortimer. London: Orion Books. p.  111. ISBN   0-75281-781-7.
  12. "Dizzy music video cast and crew".
  13. Brown, James (7 December 1991). "Hangin' With the Hummus Boys". NME: 11.
  14. "British album certifications – Vic Reeves – I Will Cure You". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 23 October 2023.