Swings and Roundabouts

Swings and Roundabouts is the debut album by the British dance duo Shanks & Bigfoot.[5] The album was released on 31 July 2000 but failed to break the UK top 75 despite the success of its two singles. It is best known for the 1999 hit single "Sweet Like Chocolate", which reached No. 1 in the UK as well as being a top 10 hit in Australia and New Zealand.[6]

For a definition of the phrase "swings and roundabouts", see the Wiktionary entry swings and roundabouts.
Swings and Roundabouts
Studio album by
Shanks & Bigfoot
Released31 July 2000
Recorded1998–2000
GenreUK garage, dance, R&B
LabelJive
Pepper Records[1]
ProducerSteven Meade, Danny Langsman[2]
Shanks & Bigfoot chronology
Swings and Roundabouts
(2000)		 Ayia Napa – The Album
(2000)
Singles from Swings and Roundabouts
  1. "Sweet Like Chocolate"
    Released: 17 May 1999
  2. "Sing-A-Long"
    Released: 17 July 2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
NME[3]
The Times4/10[4]

Released a year after the runaway success of "Sweet Like Chocolate", the follow-up single "Sing-A-Long" failed to meet popular expectation, reaching No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The majority of the female vocals for the album were provided by Terri Walker.[7]

Critical reception

The Guardian called the album "surprisingly palatable", writing that the duo "offer amiable kid's-party fare, now and then sneaking out a great pop song such as 'Like You'."[8] The Scotsman wrote that "Walker's vocals are clear, vivid pop treats, but the album as a whole is so obviously directed at the commercial rewards of a string of top-ten hits that it loses all credibility."[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Steven Meade and Danny Langsman.

  1. "Sing-A-Long" – 3:31
  2. "Spinning Wheel" – 3:24
  3. "Five Miles Wide" – 3:22
  4. "Sweet Like Chocolate" – 3:37
  5. "King of Winter" – 3:32
  6. "Like You" – 4:02
  7. "Flower Without You" – 3:23
  8. "Our Way" – 3:43
  9. "Step to My Beat" – 4:56
  10. "Trust in Me" – 4:04

Bonus tracks
  1. "Sing-A-Long" (Wideboys Vocal Remix) – 4:45
  2. "Sweet Like Chocolate" (Metro 7" Mix) – 3:14

References
  1. Dibdin, Thom (21 July 2000). "Shanks & Bigfoot Swings & Roundabouts". The Scotsman. p. 14.
  2. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 378.
  3. "Swings & Roundabouts". 12 September 2005.
  4. Mellor, Rupert (29 July 2000). "New album releases". The Times. p. 9.
  5. "Shanks & Bigfoot | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  6. "Sweet Like Chocolate". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  7. Perry, Tim (29 July 2000). "Album Reviews". The Independent. Features. p. 37.
  8. Kabuubi, Maxine. "Music: Pop CD releases: Shanks & Bigfoot Swings & Roundabouts". The Guardian. Friday. p. 18.
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