Blue (Simply Red album)

Blue is the sixth studio album by British band Simply Red. It was released by East West Records on 19 May 1998 in the United Kingdom. Initially conceived as a cover album,[5] it features production from lead singer Mick Hucknall as well as Andy Wright, Gota Yashiki, Stevie J, and Joe "Jake" Carter. Hucknall, Wright, and Yashiki are the only musicians featured in the Blue CD booklet's photography; this is a first for a Simply Red album, as all prior albums featured photos of the various band members credited.

Blue
Studio album by
Simply Red
Released19 May 1998
StudioWestpoint Recording Studios, Funny Bunny Studios, Whitfield Street Studios and Abbey Road Studios (London, UK)
Archer Studios (Kingston, Jamaica)
The Hit Factory (New York City, New York, US)
Genre
Length46:59
LabelEast West
Producer
Simply Red chronology
Life
(1995)		 Blue
(1998)		 Love and the Russian Winter
(1999)
Singles from Blue
  1. "Night Nurse"
    Released: September 1997 [1]
  2. "Say You Love Me"
    Released: 27 April 1998 [2]
  3. "The Air That I Breathe"
    Released: 10 August 1998 [3]
  4. "Ghetto Girl"
    Released: November 1998 [4]
  5. "To Be Free"
    Released: 1998

The album includes five cover versions: "Mellow My Mind" from the 1975 Neil Young album Tonight's the Night; two versions of the frequently covered "The Air That I Breathe", written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood; the Gregory Isaacs hit "Night Nurse"; and "Ghetto Girl" by Dennis Brown, from whom the band would cover another song in 2003. New versions of previously recorded Simply Red songs also appear here: "Come Get Me Angel" is a rewritten version of the 1996 single "Angel" (an Aretha Franklin cover), and "Broken Man" was first released as a B-side in 1987. "The Air That I Breathe Reprise" samples "Jack and Diane" by John Mellencamp. "So Jungiful", found on the Japanese edition of the album, is a jungle remix of "So Beautiful" from the band's previous album, Life.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The Baltimore Sun(favorable)[6]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine found that Blue "is weak on original material. However, Mick Hucknall makes up for the deficits by assembling a good collection of outside material [...] Initially, Blue was going to be a covers album, and judging by these numbers [...] it would have been a great, sultry listen. Instead, he's followed through on an album that accentuates his weaknesses as a writer. Granted, he can oversing on occasion, but if Blue does anything, it proves that his voice is his greatest talent and that he should dedicate himself to material that serves it well."[5]

Track listing
Standard version
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Mellow My Mind"Neil Young
3:55
2."Blue"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:38
3."Say You Love Me"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
3:43
4."To Be Free"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:04
5."The Air That I Breathe"
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:24
6."Someday in My Life"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:03
7."The Air That I Breathe Reprise"
  • Jordan
  • Joe "Jake" Carter[a]
4:35
8."Night Nurse"
  • Gregory Isaacs
  • Sylvester Weise
Hucknall3:57
9."Broken Man"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
3:34
10."Come Get Me Angel"
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:02
11."Ghetto Girl"Dennis BrownHucknall3:31
12."Love Has Said Goodbye Again"HucknallHucknall3:14
13."High Fives"HucknallHucknall2:49
Japan bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."So Jungiful"HucknallHucknall4:46
2008 Special Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Ghetto Girl" (Blood & Fire Sound System Mix)Brown
  • Hucknall
  • Blood & Fire Sound System[a]
3:31
15."To Be Free" (Livin' Joy A-Hanetta Mix)Hucknall
4:04
16."Love Has Said Goodbye Again" (Rae & Christian Mix)Hucknall
3:14
17."So Jungiful"HucknallHucknall4:46
18."Tu Sei Dentro Di Me"Hucknall
  • Wright
  • Yashiki
  • Hucknall
4:03

Notes

  • ^a signifies an additional producer

Personnel

Simply Red

  • Mick Hucknall – lead vocals, backing vocals
  • Tim Vine – keyboards
  • Andy Wright – programming
  • Mark Jaimes – guitars
  • Steve Lewinson – bass
  • Velroy Bailey – drums
  • Gota Yashiki – drums, programming
  • Ian Kirkham – saxophones
  • John Johnson – trombone
  • Sarah Brown – backing vocals
  • Dee Johnson – backing vocals

Additional musicians

Production

  • AGM – album producers
  • Stevie J – co-producer (7)
  • Roland Herrington – recording
  • Femi Jiya – recording
  • John Lee – recording, mix engineer
  • Alex Marou – recording
  • Lynford "Fatta" Marshall – recording
  • Dave Tyler – recording
  • Ted Wohlson – recording
  • Paul Logas – mix engineer, mixing (7)
  • Tony Maserati – mix engineer, mixing (7)
  • Ali Staton – mix engineer
  • Douglas Blair – assistant engineer
  • Jake Davies – assistant engineer
  • Andrew Dudman – assistant engineer
  • Ricky Graham – assistant engineer
  • Derek Grey – assistant engineer
  • Neil Mason – assistant engineer
  • Dave Russell – assistant engineer
  • Andy Scade – assistant engineer
  • Mak Togashi – assistant engineer
  • Mick Hucknall – mixing (1-5, 8-12)
  • Andy Wright – mixing (1, 2, 8, 9, 12)
  • Gota Yashiki – mixing (1-6, 8-10, 12)
  • Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
  • Merv Pearson – pre-production programming
  • Intro – design
  • Carolyn Quartermaine – art direction, photography
  • Zanna – photography

Studios

  • Recorded at Westpoint Recording Studios, Funny Bunny Studios, Whitfield Street Studios and Abbey Road Studios (London, UK); Archer Studios (Kingston, Jamaica); The Hit Factory (New York City, New York, US).
  • Mastered at The Town House (London, UK).

Charts

Certifications and sales
Certifications and sales for Blue
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[27] Platinum 50,000*
Belgium (BEA)[28] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[29] Platinum 50,000^
Germany (BVMI)[30] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[31] Gold 7,500^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[32] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[33] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] 2× Platinum 600,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[35] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide — 1,200,000[36]

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

References
  1. "Simply Red singles".
  2. "Simply Red singles".
  3. "Simply Red singles".
  4. "Simply Red official".
  5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Blue". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  6. Considine, J.D. (12 June 1998). "New On Record". The Baltimore Sun. p. Scene 7. Retrieved 7 January 2023 – via Gainesville Sun.
  7. "Australiancharts.com – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  8. "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – Blue" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Simply Red – Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Simply Red – Blue" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  12. "Lescharts.com – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  14. "Classifica settimanale WK 21 (dal 15.05.1998 al 21.05.1998)" (in Italian). FIMI. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  15. "Charts.nz – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  16. "Norwegiancharts.com – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  17. "Swedishcharts.com – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Simply Red – Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  19. "Simply Red | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  20. "Simply Red Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  21. "Jahreshitparade Alben 2001". austriancharts.at (in German). Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  22. "Jaaroverzichten 1998". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  23. "Rapports Annuels 1998". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  24. "European Top 100 Albums 1998" (PDF). Music & Media. 19 December 1998. p. 8. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  25. "Longplayer Jahrescharts 1998". offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  26. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1998". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  27. "Austrian album certifications – Simply Red – Blue" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  28. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  29. "Simply Red - Platinum in Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 October 1998. p. 6. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  30. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simply Red; 'Blue')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  31. "New Zealand album certifications – Simply Red – Blue". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  32. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 948. ISBN 8480486392.
  33. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Simply Red; 'Blue')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  34. "British album certifications – Simply Red – Blue". British Phonographic Industry.
  35. "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1998". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  36. Pride, Dominic (6 June 1998). "Global Music Pulse". Billboard.
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