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.
| Wonderful Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 September 1987[1] | |||
| Studio | Powerpoint Studios, London; Square One Studio, Bury | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:40 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Black chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Wonderful Life | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Record Mirror | [3] |
| Smash Hits | 71⁄2/10[4] |
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
| No. | Title | Writer(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 Dickie | 4:51 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "I'm Not Afraid" | Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie | 5:00 |
| 7. | "I Just Grew Tired" | 4:15 | |
| 8. | "Blue" | Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie | 3:38 |
| 9. | "Just Making Memories" | 4:26 | |
| 10. | "Sweetest Smile" | 5:19 | |
| Total length: | 44:40 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Ravel in the Rain" | Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie | 3:47 |
| 12. | "Leave Yourself Alone" | 4:32 | |
| 13. | "Sixteens" | 3:56 | |
| 14. | "It's Not You Lady Jane" | Colin Vearncombe, Dave Dickie | 3:25 |
| 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
- Colin Vearncombe – vocals, guitar
- Roy Corkill – fretless bass
- Jimmy Hughes – drums
- Martin Green – saxophone
- Dave "Dix" Dickie – keyboards, programming
- The Creamy Whirls (Tina Labrinski, Sara Lamarra) – backing vocals
- Jimmy Sangster – electric bass
- Doreen Edwards – additional backing vocals
- The Sidwell Brothers – brass section
Source:[13]
Production
Charts
Sales and certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[26] | Gold | 100,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[27] | Gold | 250,000^ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[28][29] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29] | Gold | 25,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[30] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
External links
- Information at Colin Vearncombe's official website
- Wonderful Life at Discogs (list of releases)
- Black - Everything Is Coming Up Roses on YouTube