| Tear Down These Walls | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1988 | |||
| Studio | Battery (London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:57 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Billy Ocean chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Tear Down These Walls | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Record Mirror | [2] |
Tear Down These Walls is the seventh studio album by British singer Billy Ocean, released in February 1988 by Jive Records as the follow-up to Ocean's critically and commercially successful 1986 album Love Zone .
The album's title is a reference to then-President Ronald Reagan's "tear down this wall!" speech. It features guest backing vocals from artists including the Manhattans, Will Downing, Carroll Thompson, and Mary Cassidy, and is generally regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of Ocean's later work.
One of Ocean's most commercially successful studio albums, it went on to peak at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and reached number 18 on the US Billboard 200. The album launched four charting singles in the UK: "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart; "Calypso Crazy" peaked at 35; "The Colour of Love" at 65 and "Stand and Deliver" at 97.
"Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" was Ocean's third and final number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and his fourth and final number-one R&B hit in that country. The song topped pop charts in several other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway. "The Colour of Love" was a top 20 pop hit in the US and Canada, and Ocean's tenth and final top-10 hit on the US R&B chart.
Tear Down These Walls was released in 39 versions, including a unique Mini CD version (three 3" CDs) for the UK. [3]
The album was re-released on 16 June 2014 on Cherry Pop featuring rare bonus content. The reissue is a two-CD set with the original album digitally remastered from the original 1/2″ mix tapes; the bonus content consists of associated 7″ and 12″ mixes.
On release, the album received generally favourable reviews by music critics. In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Ron Wynn gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that "While he was still a successful attraction, this album wouldn't reach the multi-platinum levels of its predecessors." also noting that "Ocean's voice also lacked the resonance and authority it had on earlier dance tunes and wasn't as convincing or confident on ballads." [1]
All tracks are written by Wayne Braithwaite, Barry Eastmond, Billy Ocean, Jolyon Skinner, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tear Down These Walls" |
| 3:41 |
| 2. | "Gun for Hire" | 4:59 | |
| 3. | "Stand and Deliver" | 5:02 | |
| 4. | "The Colour of Love" | 4:26 | |
| 5. | "Calypso Crazy" |
| 4:55 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" |
| 5:37 |
| 7. | "Soon as You're Ready" | 4:38 | |
| 8. | "Pleasure" | 4:55 | |
| 9. | "Because of You" | 4:53 | |
| 10. | "Here's to You" | 4:14 | |
| Total length: | 46:57 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" (extended version) |
| 9:01 |
| 12. | "Showdown" | 5:00 | |
| 13. | "Calypso Crazy" (extended version) |
| 5:53 |
| 14. | "Let's Get Back Together" | 4:42 | |
| 15. | "Stand & Deliver" (extended version) | 6:57 |
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [4]
Musicians
Production and artwork
Weekly charts
| Year-end chart
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [23] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [24] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada) [25] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) [26] | Platinum | 700,000 [27] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
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