Wish (Feargal Sharkey album)
Wish is the second solo album of former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey. Released in 1988, three years after his successful self-titled solo debut, the album was considered to be somewhat disappointing and was not as successful as its predecessor.
| Wish | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 28 March 1988[1] | |||
| Studio | A&M (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Producer | Danny Kortchmar | |||
| Feargal Sharkey chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 U.S. album cover | ||||
Background
Upon release, Sharkey told the Sunday Independent: "I've never devoted myself so much to an album before, so if it comes out, and nobody gives a damn about it, I would be extremely disappointed, to say the least."[2]
"Blue Days" was inspired by the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Sharkey told the Sunday Independent: "It's about my last return to Derry, and how soul-destroying I found it, seeing what living there has done to all my old friends."[2] He added to Record Mirror: "I wrote the song because I believe that at the end of the day, despite sectarian differences, nobody is happy with what's going on in Ireland." The title was inspired by Rev Ian Paisley's comment: "We will never forsake the blue skies of Ulster for the grey mists of an Irish republic."[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Number One | [5] |
| Record Mirror |  [6] |
Upon release, John Aizlewood of Number One said: "So why is our Fearg hitless? One things for sure, it can't be the music. Wish is a steady grower which creeps up on you like exams, only it's fun to listen to! And does that voice fair quiver? It does indeed. Nice one Fearg, ignore the barrackers."[5] Billboard described the album as an "even-better follow-up" to Sharkey's debut, and one that "should soon be sitting firmly at the top of the charts".[7] Cash Box described the album as "a slickly-crafted collection of pop numbers that should finally enable the artist the edge at Top 40 radio he deserves"[8]
Stereo Review commented: "The first solo album by Feargal Sharkey was so subtle and understated that much of it barely registered. This time around, he's made a record that cannot go unnoticed. With the help of producer Danny Kortchmar, whose guitar playing is the instrumental heart of the album, Sharkey takes a measured soul turn." The reviewer praised five of the album's tracks as "gems", but then added the rest of material "gets thin". They concluded: "Five out of the ten tracks are hardly memorable, but the good ones are very good".[9]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cold, Cold Streets" | Danny Kortchmar, David Lasley, Feargal Sharkey | 5:16 |
| 2. | "More Love" | Benmont Tench | 4:35 |
| 3. | "Full Confession" | Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey, Tim Daly | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Please Don't Believe in Me" | David A. Stewart, Feargal Sharkey, Tim Daly | 4:49 |
| 5. | "Out of My System" | Eddie Chacon, Suzanne Valentine | 4:19 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "If This Is Love" | Feargal Sharkey, Maggie Lee, Tim Daly | 3:43 |
| 2. | "Strangest Girl in Paradise" | Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey | 4:20 |
| 3. | "Blue Days" | Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey, Waddy Wachtel | 4:09 |
| 4. | "Let Me Be" | Feargal Sharkey, Mark Goldenberg | 3:13 |
| 5. | "Safe to Touch" | Feargal Sharkey, Steve Jordan | 4:10 |
The CD release contains three changes to the track listing.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Strangest Girl in Paradise" | Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey | 4:20 |
| 7. | "Let Me Be" | Feargal Sharkey, Mark Goldenberg | 3:13 |
| 9. | "If This Is Love" | Feargal Sharkey, Maggie Lee, Tim Daly | 3:43 |
Charts
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] | 66 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[11] | 22 |
Personnel
- Feargal Sharkey – vocals
- Beverly D'Angelo – backing vocals (6)
- Charley Drayton – guitar, backing vocals (10)
- Mike Finnigan – organ (2)
- Bob Glaub – bass (2, 8)
- Mark Goldenberg – organ, synthesizer, guitar (9)
- Steve Jordan – drums (1–10)
- Danny Kortchmar – guitar (1–10), bass (1, 3, 7, 8)
- Russ Kunkel – percussion (4)
- David Lasley – backing vocals (1–3, 5–7, 9)
- Maggie Lee – synthesizer, backing vocals (6)
- Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (1-3, 6, 7, 9)
- David Paich – synthesizer, piano (4)
- Keith Richards – guitar (2)
- Jack Sherman – electric 12-string (6)
- Leland Sklar – bass (4, 6)
- Myna Smith Schilling – backing vocals (5)
- Benmont Tench – organ (2, 5, 7)
- Waddy Wachtel – guitar (2, 4, 6, 8)
- Jimmy "Z" Zavala – saxophone (2), harmonica (2)
- Anthony J. Davies – backing vocals, cello (4), keyboards (7, 9), dube (3)
- Technical
- Richard Haughton – photography
- Gary Wathen – art direction
References
- Smith, Robin (26 March 1988). "News: Wishful Thinking". Record Mirror. p. 4. ISSN 0144-5804.
- Hand, Lise (24 January 1988). "Feargal the Fiery". Sunday Independent.
- Dickson, Ian (23 January 1988). "The return of the native". Record Mirror.
- "Wish – Feargal Sharkey". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- Number One magazine - Albums - John Aizlewood - 9 April 1988 - page 48
- Paisley, Pete (9 April 1988). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 32. ISSN 0144-5804.
- Billboard magazine - April 16, 1988 - Album reviews - page 64
- Cash Box magazine - April 9, 1988 - Album Releases - page 9
- "Stereo Review - Google Books". 26 May 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 270. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- Steffen Hung. "Feargal Sharkey - Wish". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 23 June 2012.