Nobody's Diary

"Nobody's Diary" is a song recorded by British synth-pop band Yazoo. It was released in May 1983 as the first and only single from their second and last album, You and Me Both (1983). The song was written by Alison Moyet and produced by Yazoo, Eric Radcliffe and Daniel Miller. "Nobody's Diary" peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart.[1]

"Nobody's Diary"
Single by Yazoo
from the album You and Me Both
B-side"State Farm"
Released9 May 1983
Recorded1983
GenreSynth-pop
Length4:31
Label
Songwriter(s)Alison Moyet
Producer(s)
Yazoo singles chronology
"The Other Side of Love"
(1982)		 "Nobody's Diary"
(1983)		 "Situation 1990"
(1990)
Alternative cover
limited edition 12" vinyl cover (L12 YAZ 003)

Background

Moyet wrote "Nobody's Diary" around the age of 16, at a time when she was playing in bands in the South East Essex area.[2] It was one of the last songs to be recorded for You and Me Both. Vince Clarke recalled in 2008: "It immediately stood out to be the track that should be released as a single."[3]

Production

"Nobody's Diary" was recorded at Radcliffe's Blackwing Studios and mastered at Townhouse Studios.[4] The song has a tempo of 129 beats per minute.[5]

Release

The single's cover—designed by Steven Appleby with the sleeve produced by Acrobat Design—depicts a "rather hip young man in a bathtub [who] seems to have forgotten to turn off the water, so intent is he on his private thoughts."[6]

Mute Records released an additional second and limited edition 12-inch single of the song in the UK with "Situation" on the flip side. "Situation" appears on the U.S. version of the band's previous album Upstairs at Eric's (although it was added to the UK track list in later pressings).

Sire Records released "Nobody's Diary" in the United States with You and Me Both album track "State Farm" as a double A-side. "State Farm" was not included on the UK version of You and Me Both. The double A-side hit number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart in July 1983.[7]

Reception

Upon release, Simon Tebbutt of Record Mirror described the song as "more restrained" than some of Yazoo's previous work, but also "a sneaker and grabber that goes for the jugular".[8] Neil Tennant, writing for Smash Hits, commented: "Strong on emotion and weak on melody but the combination of ringing synths and bluesy singing is still a winner."[9] Debbi Voller of Number One wrote: "It sounds like all the rest, and yet, it doesn't! Somehow they keep coming up with enough hit variations on their theme. Can't fail."[10]

In 1985, the 12" single version was described by The Absolute Sound as "[typifying] all the neat features of 12 inch 45 rpm. The sound is glorious. [The song] is quite wonderful. The musical textures are fascinating. The sound is open, and the soundstage is huge. The bass is tight."[6] In CMJ's 1999 New Music Report (coinciding with the release of the group's greatest hits compilation), "Nobody's Diary" was described as "[a] poignant offering, rife with emotional fervor that remains fresh and undated despite the limiting musical technology of the time."[11]

Promotion

A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Chris Gabrin.[3] Yazoo also performed the song twice on Top of the Pops.[12][13]

Track listing
  • UK 7-inch vinyl (Mute YAZ 003)
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (3:58)
  2. "State Farm" (3:34)
  • UK 12-inch vinyl (Mute 12 YAZ 003)
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (6:07)
  2. "State Farm" (6:37)
  • UK 12-inch vinyl limited edition (Mute L12 YAZ 003)
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (4:30)
  2. "Situation" (Re-Recorded Remix) (7:30)
  • US 12-inch vinyl (Sire 0-20121)
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (6:07)
  2. "State Farm" (6:37)

Charts
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 17
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 20
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 15
Italy (Musica e dischi)[17] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 14
Spain (AFYVE)[19] 10
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 3
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[22] 1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 18

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Nobody's Diary EP
Nobody's Diary
EP by
Yazoo
Released12 May 2008
Recorded1983
GenreSynthpop
LabelMute
ProducerEric Radcliffe
Yazoo

"Nobody's Diary" was remastered as part of the 2008 In Your Room Yazoo box set and released as a separate EP to promote it.[25] The 2008 release featured a slew of new remixes, including one by Vince Clarke's current Erasure partner Andy Bell.[26]

"Nobody's Diary" was reissued by Mute Records in the UK on 12 May 2008. It is available in 12" vinyl and digital download formats. An exclusive remix of the song is available online directly through Mute's online shop.

Track listing
  • UK 12-inch vinyl EP (Mute 12YAZ7)
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (Andy Bell & JC Remix)
  2. "Nobody's Diary" (Original Remaster)
  3. "Nobody's Diary" (Koishii & Hush Remix)
  • UK digital download
  1. "Nobody's Diary" (Original Remaster)
  2. "Nobody's Diary" (Andy Bell & JC Remix)
  3. "Nobody's Diary" (Koishii & Hush Remix)
  4. "Nobody's Diary" (GRN's 12" Remix)
  5. "Nobody's Diary" (Soil in the Synth Remix)

Charts
Chart (2008) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[27] 100

References
  1. "Yazoo". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  2. electricityclub (2013-06-10). "ALISON MOYET Interview". The Electricity Club. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  3. 2 Albums, 4 Singles, and that was it... (documentary). Mute Records. 2008.
  4. "Yazoo – Nobody's Diary". Discogs. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  5. Brusca, Donald (2005). The Bpm List: A Music Reference Guide For Mobile Djs. Lulu. p. 674. ISBN 1411642112.
  6. Absolute Sound (1985). "The Absolute Sound". The Absolute Sound. 9 (35–36): 149. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 285.
  8. Tebbutt, Simon (14 May 1983). "Singles". Record Mirror.
  9. Tennant, Neil (12 May 1983). "Singles". Smash Hits.
  10. Voller, Debbi (14 May 1983). "Singles". Number One.
  11. CMJ (8 February 1999). "CMJ New Music Report". New Music Report: 27. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  12. "BBC One - Top of the Pops, 19/05/1983". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  13. "Bad Connection Website - In Your Room box set details". Yazoo. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. "Yazoo – Nobody's Diary" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  16. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Yazoo". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 285. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  17. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 8 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Yazoo".
  18. "Yazoo – Nobody's Diary". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  19. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  20. "Yazoo – Nobody's Diary". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  22. "Yaz Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  23. "Offiziellecharts.de – Yazoo – Nobody's Diary" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  24. "British single certifications – Yazoo – Nobody's Diary". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  25. Yazoo official site
  26. Mute Bank / Official Mute website
  27. Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: Rachael Yamagata – Malik Yusef". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
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