The Official Secrets Act (album)

The Official Secrets Act
Studio album by M
Released	7 November 1980 [1]
Genre	New wave
Length	40:02
Label	Sire
Producer	Robin Scott
M chronology
New York • London • Paris • Munich (1979) The Official Secrets Act (1980) Famous Last Words (1982)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Smash Hits	8/10 [3]

The Official Secrets Act is the second studio album by the English band M, released in 1980 on Sire Records. The track "Official Secrets" was released as a single and charted in the UK at No. 64 in November 1980. The follow-up single was "Keep It To Yourself". The track "Maniac" featured Level 42 members Phil Gould on drums and Mark King on bass.

The album title is a reference to the various UK Official Secrets Acts.

Track listing

LP: MCF 3085

Side one

1. "Transmission (The World Is at Your Fingertips)" – 4:30
2. "Join the Party" – 3:39
3. "Working for the Corporation" – 3:35
4. "Your Country Needs You" – 3:20
5. "M'aider" – 5:26

Side two

1. "Relax" – 3:42
2. "Maniac" – 3:22
3. "Keep it to Yourself" – 3:34
4. "Abracadabra" – 2:51
5. "Official Secrets" – 6:03

1997 Westside CD Reissue: WESM 502

1. "Transmission" – 4:30
2. "Join the Party" – 3:39
3. "Working for the Corporation" – 3:35
4. "Your Country Needs You" – 3:20
5. "Mayday" – 5:26
6. "Relax" – 3:42
7. "Maniac" – 3:22
8. "Keep it to Yourself" – 3:34
9. "Abracadabra" – 2:51 ⁽¹⁾
10. "Official Secrets" – 6:03
11. "Abracadabra (Sunset–Sunrise Mix) – 2:51
12. "Danube" – 3:33 ⁽¹⁾
13. "The Wedding Dance" – 3:37 ⁽¹⁾
14. "Mambo La" – 2:29 ⁽²⁾
15. "Don't Believe What the Papers Say" – 1:12
16. "The Bride of Fortune" – 4:20 ⁽³⁾

All tracks written by Robin Scott except,
⁽¹⁾ "Abracadabra", "Danube" & "The Wedding Dance" written by Scott/Novik
⁽²⁾ "Mambo La" written by Unknown
⁽³⁾ "The Bride of Fortune" written by Scott/Westwood

Personnel

• Robin Scott – vocals, guitar
• Brigit Vinchon – vocals
• David Vorhaus, Wally Badarou – synthesizer
• Julian Scott – bass guitar
• Philip Gould – drums
• Mark King – guitar, drums; bass on "Maniac"
• Gary Barnacle – saxophone

with:

• Paddy Keenan – Uilleann pipes on "Keep It to Yourself"
• Dónal Lunny – arrangement on "Keep It to Yourself"
• Bill Whelan – arrangements on "Relax" and "Official Secrets"
• The Dublin Symphony Orchestra – orchestra on "Relax" and "Official Secrets"; Audrey Parkes – leader
• Billy Brown, Brigit Vinchon, Deidre Costello, Denis Blackham, Des Smith, John Keogh, Mog Aherne, Robin Scott – vocals and whistling on "Working for The Corporation"

Technical

• Dave Aston, Denis Blackham, Philip Begley – engineer
• Peter Ashworth – front cover photography

References

1. "New Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 29.
2. LeRoy, Dan. The Official Secrets Act at AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
3. Deane, Geoffrey (27 November – 10 December 1980). "Albums: M – The Official Secrets Act (MCA)". Smash Hits . Vol. 2, no. 24. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 29. ISSN   0260-3004 . Retrieved 11 December 2024.