Wonderful Life (Black album)

Last updated

1⁄2/10 [4]
Wonderful Life
Wonderful Life Black.jpg
Studio album by
Black
Released18 September 1987 [1]
StudioPowerpoint Studios, London; Square One Studio, Bury
Genre
Length44:40
Label A&M
Producer
Black chronology
Wonderful Life
(1987)		 Black
(1987)
Singles from Wonderful Life
  1. "Wonderful Life"
    Released: September 1986
  2. "Everything's Coming Up Roses"
    Released: April 1987
  3. "Sweetest Smile"
    Released: June 1987
  4. "I'm Not Afraid"
    Released: October 1987
  5. "Paradise"
    Released: 4 January 1988

Wonderful Life is the debut album by English singer Black (the stage name of Colin Vearncombe). Released in 1987, it peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart in September of that year. Three of the songs were co-written with Vearncombe's friend and musical collaborator, keyboardist Dave "Dix" Dickie.

Contents

Background

In 1985 Vearncombe wrote the minor key song "Wonderful Life". It was released independently through Ugly Man Records, and got Black noticed by A&M Records who signed Vearncombe and launched his international career. Vearncombe said:

By the end of 1985 I had been in a couple of car crashes, my mother had a serious illness, I had been dropped by a record company, my first marriage went belly-up and I was homeless. Then I sat down and wrote this song called 'Wonderful Life'. I was being sarcastic. [5] [6]

Vearncombe suffered from the feeling of being a one-hit wonder, however, saying later:

Once you have had a hit, it's hard to write another song without having that in the back of your mind. For a long time, I would find myself hearing, 'I like it but it's not Wonderful Life'. [7]

The album's second single "Everything's Coming Up Roses" was also accompanied by a video, [8] but reached only No. 76 in the UK Singles Chart, although also making No. 8 in both the Austrian and German charts.[ citation needed ] The follow-up "Sweetest Smile", however, became a UK top-10 hit. The third single, a re-release of "Wonderful Life", was a massive hit worldwide. The album of the same name, released in 1987, had similar success, reaping commercial and critical acclaim. [9] [10]

When interviewed in 2013 for superdeluxeedition.com, Vearncome was asked if the album had turned out how he wanted and if the record company had forced producers on him. He replied:

No, we were very, very lucky. You see I’d already been through the mill with Warners and stuff, and then I’d been homeless. There wasn’t much you could scare me with. I was actually homeless when I wrote "Sweetest Smile" and "Wonderful Life," but I was couch-surfing, and nothing touches you when you’re that age. For a while you can get away with it. [11]

Ugly Man Records issue a double-pack single, in September 1986 (Cat. JACK 71D), featuring "Wonderful Life", "Birthday Night", "Sometimes for the Asking" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses". [12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Colin Vearncombe unless otherwise noted

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Wonderful Life" 4:46
2."Everything's Coming Up Roses" 4:04
3."Sometimes for the Asking" 4:09
4."Finder" 4:12
5."Paradise"Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie4:51
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."I'm Not Afraid"Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie5:00
7."I Just Grew Tired" 4:15
8."Blue"Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie3:38
9."Just Making Memories" 4:26
10."Sweetest Smile" 5:19
Total length:44:40
CD Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Ravel in the Rain"Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie3:47
12."Leave Yourself Alone" 4:32
13."Sixteens" 3:56
14."It's Not You Lady Jane"Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie3:25
15."Hardly Star-Crossed Lovers" 2:51
Total length:63:11

Singles

The album produced five singles: "Wonderful Life", "I'm Not Afraid" "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Sweetest Smile" and "Paradise".

Personnel

Musicians

Source: [13]

Production

Charts

Sales and certifications

Certifications for Wonderful Life
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP) [26] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [27] Gold250,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [28] [29] Platinum100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [29] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [30] Platinum300,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Circus</i> (Erasure album) 1987 studio album by Erasure

The Circus is the second studio album by the English synth-pop duo Erasure, released on 30 March 1987 by Mute Records in Germany and the United Kingdom and on 7 July 1987 by Sire Records in the United States. It was Erasure's second consecutive album to be produced by Flood.

<i>Savage</i> (Eurythmics album) 1987 studio album by Eurythmics

Savage is the sixth studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics, released on 9 November 1987 by RCA Records.

<i>Second Coming</i> (The Stone Roses album) 1994 studio album by the Stone Roses

Second Coming is the second and final studio album by English rock band the Stone Roses, released through Geffen Records on 5 December 1994 in the UK. It was recorded at Forge Studios in Oswestry, Shropshire and Rockfield Studios near Monmouth, Wales between 1992 and 1994. It went platinum in the UK, sold over 1 million copies worldwide and was dedicated to Philip Hall, the band's publicist, who died of cancer in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black (singer)</span> English singer-songwriter (1962–2016)

Colin Vearncombe, known by his stage name Black, was an English singer-songwriter. He emerged from the punk rock music scene and achieved mainstream pop success in the late 1980s, most notably with the 1986 single "Wonderful Life", which was an international hit the next year.

Amazulu were a British reggae/ska/pop band from the 1980s comprising five women and one man. They achieved success in the UK charts with four top-20 hits, the biggest being "Too Good to Be Forgotten" in 1986.

<i>Everything</i> (The Bangles album) 1988 studio album by the Bangles

Everything is the third studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles. It was released on October 18, 1988 through Columbia Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Depeche Mode discography</span>

The discography of English electronic music band Depeche Mode consists of 15 studio albums, seven live albums, 10 compilation albums, 16 box sets and 59 singles. The band's music has been released on several labels, including Some Bizzare, Mute Records, Sire Records, Reprise Records, and Columbia Records. Formed in Basildon, Essex, England in 1980, the group's original line-up was Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke. Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album Speak & Spell and was replaced by Alan Wilder, who was a band member from 1982 to 1995. Following Wilder's departure, Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher continued as a trio until Fletcher's death in 2022.

<i>Silk & Steel</i> (Five Star album) 1986 studio album by Five Star

Silk & Steel is the second studio album by British pop group Five Star, released on 18 August 1986. The album was the group's biggest seller, reaching number one in the UK. It was also successful in France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland. In the United States, it was less successful than their first album, Luxury of Life, peaking at number 80 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Alphabet City</i> (album) 1987 studio album by ABC

Alphabet City is the fourth studio album by English pop band ABC. It was originally released in October 1987, on the labels Mercury, Phonogram and Neutron, two years after their previous album How to Be a ... Zillionaire! Following a hiatus in which singer Martin Fry was being treated for Hodgkin's disease, it was recorded over a period of nine months between November 1986 and August 1987, in sessions that took place at Marcus Recording Studios in London, assisted by Bernard Edwards, best known for his work with the American band Chic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashanti discography</span>

As of March 2014, American pop and R&B singer Ashanti has released six studio albums, twenty-four singles, and twenty-one music videos on her record labels Murder Inc., Def Jam, and Motown.

<i>Dancing with Strangers</i> 1987 studio album by Chris Rea

Dancing with Strangers is the ninth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1987. It became Rea's first major success in the UK, peaking at No. 2 behind Michael Jackson's Bad, and spent 46 weeks in the charts before going platinum. The album entered the Top 10 in six other European countries, and topped the chart in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wonderful Life (Black song)</span> 1986 song by Black

"Wonderful Life" is a song by English singer Black from his 1987 debut album, Wonderful Life. The song was released twice as a single and was successful the second time, becoming a top-10 hit in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Black, who wrote the song while broke, commented: "I was really being ironic... Most people took it at face value."

<i>Whenever You Need Somebody</i> 1987 studio album by Rick Astley

Whenever You Need Somebody is the debut studio album by English singer Rick Astley released on 16 November 1987 by RCA Records. It is his best-selling album, which, according to his own official website, has sold 15.2 million copies worldwide. The album is listed as the 136th best-selling album in Spain and was the seventh best-selling album of 1987 in the United Kingdom. A remastered version, containing rare remixes and extended versions, was released on 12 April 2010.

<i>Stolen Apples</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Paul Kelly

Stolen Apples is the twenty fifth album by Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly and was released in July 2007 on EMI Music. The album was Kelly's first solo album since Ways & Means in 2004, and features religious themes throughout. It peaked at No. 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

<i>Black</i> (singer Black 1987 album) 1987 compilation album by Black

Black is a self-titled album by Black, the musical vehicle of Colin Vearncombe. It is a retrospective album released in 1987 by Black's former label Warner Music Group after his commercial breakthrough with the album Wonderful Life and comprises several singles recorded while Vearncombe was signed to Warner.

<i>F.L.M.</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Mel and Kim

F.L.M. is the only studio album by British pop duo Mel and Kim, released on 13 April 1987 by Supreme Records. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also reached the top five in Australia, Finland and Switzerland, the 10 in Norway and the top 20 in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Three successful singles are included on the album: "Showing Out", "Respectable" and "F.L.M.".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweetest Smile</span> 1987 single by Black

"Sweetest Smile" is a song by English singer Black, released in June 1987 as the third single from his debut album Wonderful Life. It became his first UK top ten hit, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. On the back of its success, "Wonderful Life" was re-released, becoming an international hit.

<i>The White Stripes Greatest Hits</i> 2020 greatest hits album by the White Stripes

The White Stripes Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the White Stripes, released through Third Man Records in America on December 4, 2020. The album comprises 26 songs from all six of the band's studio albums, including two songs originally released on standalone singles. On December 22, 2020, the band released an accompanying yule log video; a 90-minute animation directed by Noah Sterling featuring the artwork of Blue J.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Not Afraid (Black song)</span> 1987 single by Black

"I'm Not Afraid" is a song by English singer-songwriter Black, which was released in 1987 as the fourth single from his debut studio album Wonderful Life. The song was written by Black and Dave "Dix" Dickie, and produced by Robin Millar. "I'm Not Afraid" reached number 78 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for three weeks.

This is the discography of English singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe, better known by his stage name Black.

References

  1. ↑ "Index". Record Mirror . 12 September 1987. p. 4. ISSN   0144-5804.
  2. ↑ Black: Wonderful Life – Review at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Cohen, Lysette (12 September 1987). "Albums". Record Mirror . p. 12. ISSN   0144-5804.
  4. ↑ Patterson, Sylvia (9–22 September 1987). "Albums" (PDF). Smash Hits . Vol. 9, no. 17. p. 68. ISSN   0260-3004 . Retrieved 21 November 2023– via World Radio History.
  5. ↑ The Daily Telegraph , [paper only] (28 Jan 2016), p.27
  6. ↑ Roche, Barry (3 February 2016). "Funeral of singer 'Black' to take place in Co Cork". The Irish Times .
  7. ↑ The Daily Telegraph , ibid., p.27
  8. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Black - Everything Is Coming Up Roses. YouTube .
  9. ↑ Sweeting, Adam (26 January 2016). "Colin Vearncombe obituary" – via www.theguardian.com.
  10. ↑ "Colin Vearncombe: Singer known as Black who wrote Wonderful Life". The Independent. 28 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "Wonderful Life: The 'lost' interview with Colin Vearncombe RIP - superdeluxeedition".
  12. ↑ "Black - Wonderful Life".
  13. ↑ "Wonderful Life - Black" – via www.allmusic.com.
  14. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Black – Wonderful Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Black – Wonderful Life" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Black – Wonderful Life" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  17. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Black". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 31. ISBN   978-952-7460-01-6.
  18. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Black – Wonderful Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "Charts.nz – Black – Wonderful Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  20. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Black – Wonderful Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  21. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Black – Wonderful Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "Black | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1987". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  24. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1988". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  25. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "French album certifications – Black – Wonderful Life" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 22 July 2022.Select BLACK and click OK. 
  27. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Black; 'Wonderful Life')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  28. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 924. ISBN   84-8048-639-2 . Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  29. 1 2 Stratton, Sally (28 October 1989). "Spotlights - Black's Future Looks Bright" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 6, no. 43. p. 40. OCLC   29800226 . Retrieved 15 August 2023– via World Radio History.
  30. ↑ "British album certifications – Black – Wonderful Life". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 July 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.