Label: UMC – 0865657, UMC – 00602508656576
Format:
2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 180g
Country: Europe
Released: 17 Jul 2020
Genre: Electronic, Jazz, Pop, Stage & Screen
Style: Contemporary Jazz, Soundtrack
A1 David Bowie– Absolute Beginners
A2 Sade– Killer Blow
A3 The Style Council– Have You Ever Had It Blue?
A4 Ray Davies– Quiet Life
A5 Gil Evans– Va Va Voom
B1 David Bowie– That's Motivation
B2 Eighth Wonder Featuring Patsy Kensit– Having It All
B3 Working Week– Rodrigo Bay
B4 Slim Gaillard– Selling Out
B5 Jerry Dammers– Riot City
C1 Gil Evans– Boogie Stop Shuffle (Rough And The Smooth)
C2 Tenpole Tudor– Ted Ain't Ded
C3 David Bowie– Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)
C4 Clive Langer– Napoli
C5 Jonas (24)– Little Cat (You Never Had It So Good)
C6 Gil Evans– Absolute Beginners (Slight Refrain)
D1 Gil Evans– Better Git It In Your Soul (The Hot And The Cool)
D2 Laurel Aitken– Landlords And Tenants
D3 Ekow Abban– Santa Lucia
D4 Gil Evans– Cool Napoli
D5 Smiley Culture– So What? (Lyric Version)
D6 Gil Evans– Absolute Beginners (Refrain)
17th July 2020 sees the reissue a collection of twenty-two original songs recorded for Julian Temple's 1986 cult classic film 'Absolute Beginners' on 2LP vinyl.
This release will also mark the first time that all 22 songs have been available on CD, previous versions being highlights only.
The album features three songs by David Bowie that weren't included on any of his studio albums, along with exclusive tracks recorded for the film by Sade, The Style Council, Ray Davies and Jerry Dammers and more. The soundtrack was much more warmly received than the film was at the time, while the reviews for the film were mixed, the album had good write-ups in the best selling ‘inkies’ of the day NME & Sounds.
Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, whose many credits include No. 1 singles for Madness and Dexys Midnight Runners, produced the album and it also features arrangements by Gil Evans, widely recognised as one of the key orchestrators in jazz, acclaimed for his collaborations with Miles Davis.
Both the title track by Bowie and ‘Have You Ever Had It Blue’ by The Style Council were significant UK hits and Bowie was kept off the #1 slot by Diana Ross’s Chain Reaction, and he would have to wait another six years before he hit the top ten again.
The album features four tracks that are unavailable elsewhere; Sade’s 'Killer Blow', Ray Davies first solo single 'Quiet Life', Riot City', an eight-and-a-half minute Jazz instrumental that marked a first solo outing for Jerry Dammers and an extended version of The Style Council single 'Have You Ever Had It Blue?’. All four are unique to this album.
The sleeve notes for the album feature new interviews with Julien Temple, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley, Edward Tudor Pole, Simon Emmerson, Mick Talbot and Nick Lowe.
Disc: 1
1. Absolute Beginners - David Bowie [SIDE A] - David Bowie
2. Killer Blow - Sade [SIDE A] - Sade
3. Have You Ever Had It Blue? - The Style Council [SIDE A] - The Style Council
4. Quiet Life - Ray Davies [SIDE A] - Ray Davies
5. Va Va Voom - Gil Evans [SIDE A] - Gil Evans
6. That's Motivation - David Bowie [SIDE B] - David Bowie
7. Having It All - Eighth Wonder ft Patsy Kensit [SIDE B] - Eighth Wonder
8. Rodrigo Bay - Working Week [SIDE B] - Working Week
9. Selling Out - Slim Gaillard [SIDE B] - Slim Gaillard
10. Riot City - Jerry Dammers [SIDE B] - Jerry Dammers
Disc: 2
1. Boogie Stop Shuffle (Rough & The Smooth) - Gil Evans [SIDE A] - David Bowie
2. Ted Ain't Dead - Tenpole Tudor [SIDE A] - Eighth Wonder
3. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) - David Bowie [SIDE A] - Working Week
4. Napoli - Clive Langer [SIDE A] - Slim Gaillard
5. Little Cat (You Never Had It So Good) - Jonas (24) [SIDE A] - Jerry Dammers
6. Absolute Beginners (Slight Refrain) - Gil Evans [SIDE A] - Gil Evans
7. Better Git It In Your Soul (The Hot & The Cool) - Gil Evans [SIDE B] - Gil Evans
8. Landlords And Tenants - Laurel Aitken [SIDE B] - Laurel Aitken
9. Santa Lucia - Ekow Abban [SIDE B] - Ekow Abban
10. Cool Napoli - Gil Evans [SIDE B] - Gil Evans
11. So What? (Lyric Version) - Smiley Culture [SIDE B] - Smiley Culture
12. Absolute Beginners (Refrain) - Gil Evans [SIDE B] - Gil Evans