Take That & Party is the debut studio album by English boy band Take That. Released on 17 August 1992 on RCA Records, it reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and stayed in the UK Top 75 album chart for 73 weeks (almost 18 months). It was their only album not to reach number one until Wonderland also peaked at number two in 2017.
| Take That & Party | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 August 1992 | |||
| Recorded | 1991–92 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:30 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Take That chronology | ||||
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| Alternative covers | ||||
 Japanese cover | ||||
| Singles from Take That & Party | ||||
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The album has been certified two times platinum in the United Kingdom.[1]
Background, production and release
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In 1989, Manchester-based music mogul Nigel Martin-Smith sought to create a British male vocal group in the vein of New Kids On The Block and The Jackson 5, his vision being a teen-oriented group with multi-demographic appeal. Martin-Smith was introduced to young singer-songwriter Gary Barlow, and was so impressed with his catalogue of material he decided to build his new-look boy band around Barlow's musical abilities. A campaign to audition young males with abilities in dancing and singing ensued, taking place in Manchester and other surrounding cities, in 1990. At 22, Howard Donald was one of the oldest to audition, and was chosen after he got time off work as a vehicle painter to continue the process.[citation needed]
Martin-Smith soon managed to land them a slot on television series The Hit Man and Her in 1990. The group chose to perform two of Barlow's tracks, "Love" and "My Kind of Girl," neither of which has ever been commercially released. Shortly thereafter, Martin-Smith got the group a studio session with music producer Ray Hedges for which Barlow wrote "Do What U Like," "Take That and Party," and "Waiting Around," the first three tracks written specifically to be recorded by the group. "Do What U Like" was released as the lead single on Martin-Smith's own label Dance UK on 15 July 1991, with "Waiting Around" appearing as the B-side, and "Take That & Party" being sidelined for release on their debut album.[citation needed]
The single, despite peaking at #82, was enough for Take That to be noticed by RCA Records, who signed them to their label and put them in contact with one of their most prolific songwriters, Graham Stack. Stack and Barlow then co-wrote the group's debut single on RCA, "Promises," which was released 18 November 1991, with "Do What U Like" appearing as the B-side. Shortly after the single peaked at #38 the band began recording again, this time with producers Billy Griffin and Ian Levine, with "Once You've Tasted Love" being the first single released from those sessions. A remix and reprise of the track "Guess Who Tasted Love" appeared as the B-side. Although it peaked at #47, Take That was given one last chance by the record label. Levine and Griffin persuaded the group's handlers to release a cover of the 1975 Tavares hit "It Only Takes a Minute;" despite the group's apprehensions, it peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart. For the release, they recorded "I Can Make It" and "Never Want to Let You Go," two original tracks penned by Barlow, both of which later made the album release in slightly remixed form.[citation needed]
Riding the crest of this wave, "I Found Heaven," written by Griffin and Levine, was released as their next single. Group member Robbie Williams performed the lead vocal, a first for him. It was not as successful as its predecessor, however, peaking at #15. During the recording of this song, the group experienced a falling-out with Levine, and requested that they not record or write with him in the future. The single's B-side, "I'm Out," was written about this situation. RCA subsequently enlisted the services of executive producer Duncan Bridgeman, who decided to change the direction of the band's music style, and chose to record "A Million Love Songs," penned by Barlow when he was just fifteen years old. The single was a success, also peaking at #7 on the UK Singles Chart. After positive reception by critics, Bridgeman then decided to release as a single the group's cover of the Barry Manilow classic "Could It Be Magic," recorded shortly after their version of "It Only Takes a Minute." "Could It Be Magic" was the first song recorded featuring Williams on lead vocal. It peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]
During Bridgeman's time with the group they also recorded "Why Can't I Wake Up With You," a saxophone-assisted ballad, which was later reworked into an electronically advanced number and released as the lead single from their second album Everything Changes. The album's track list included "Satisfied" and "Give Good Feeling," two tracks recorded during the time with Levine and Griffin, which had remained unreleased until that point. The album was released on 17 May 1992 in various formats, including a limited-edition vinyl pressing and cassette, containing twelve tracks. "Could It Be Magic" was first released on the compact disc version of the album, made available on 17 August 1992, so vinyl and cassette copies do not contain the tracks. The album was re-issued in July 2006 to celebrate the group's 15th anniversary, complete with three bonus tracks, including the B-sides "Waiting Around" and "Guess Who Tasted Love," as well as "How Can It Be," one of three songs written to accompany the release of "A Million Love Songs".[citation needed]
Around the time of the original album release, a VHS videocassette titled Take That and Party was also released, containing eight music videos, two compilation videos, a live a cappella performance, plus footage and interviews with the group.
It is notable that the album does not feature Howard Donald and Mark Owen performing lead vocals on any of the tracks.[citation needed]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| The Gazette | C[5] |
In a contemporary review, The Gazette gave the album a C rating, noting that although "This album starts with '90s dance music but sometimes takes you back to the era of disco and polyester, a time that most people would rather forget, [it] is tolerable only because the rest of the album is good."[5]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Gary Barlow, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Found Heaven" (lead vocals: Williams, Barlow) |
| 4:01 | |
| 2. | "Once You've Tasted Love" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Duncan Bridgeman | 3:43 | |
| 3. | "It Only Takes a Minute" (lead vocals: Barlow, Williams) |
| Nigel Wright | 3:46 |
| 4. | "A Million Love Songs" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
| 3:52 | |
| 5. | "Satisfied" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Bridgeman | 4:29 | |
| 6. | "I Can Make It" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Bridgeman | 4:09 | |
| 7. | "Do What U Like" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
| 3:06 | |
| 8. | "Promises" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
| Pete Hammond | 3:33 |
| 9. | "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Bridgeman | 4:12 | |
| 10. | "Never Want to Let You Go" (New Studio Mix) (lead vocals: Barlow) | Bridgeman | 4:55 | |
| 11. | "Give Good Feeling" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Bridgeman | 4:22 | |
| 12. | "Could It Be Magic" (lead vocals: Williams) |
| 4:24 | |
| 13. | "Take That And Party" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
|
| 2:54 |
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Waiting Around" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
| 2:56 |
| 15. | "How Can It Be" (lead vocals: Barlow, Owen) | Barlow | 4:03 |
| 16. | "Guess Who Tasted Love" (Edit) | Bridgeman | 5:21 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Found Heaven" |
|
| 4:01 |
| 2. | "Once You've Tasted Love" | Bridgeman | 3:43 | |
| 3. | "It Only Takes a Minute" |
|
| 3:45 |
| 4. | "A Million Love Songs" |
| 3:52 | |
| 5. | "Satisfied" | Bridgeman | 4:29 | |
| 6. | "I Can Make It" | Bridgeman | 4:10 | |
| 7. | "Do What U Like" |
|
| 3:06 |
| 8. | "Promises" |
| Hammond | 3:34 |
| 9. | "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" (Everything Changes version) |
| 3:38 | |
| 10. | "Never Want to Let You Go" | Bridgeman | 4:56 | |
| 11. | "Give Good Feeling" | Bridgeman | 4:23 | |
| 12. | "Could It Be Magic" (Radio Rapino mix) |
|
| 3:30 |
| 13. | "Take That and Party" |
| 2:54 |
| No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Take That and Party" (music video) | Phillip Ollerenshaw | 2:56 |
| 2. | "Do What U Like" (music video) | Rosemary Barratt | 3:06 |
| 3. | "Promises" (music video) | Willy Smax | 3:41 |
| 4. | "Once You've Tasted Love" (music video) | James Lebon | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" (music video) | Liam Kan | 3:45 |
| 6. | "It Only Takes a Minute" (music video) | Smax | 3:45 |
| 7. | "Satisfied" (music video) | Ollerenshaw | 4:29 |
| 8. | "Why Can't I Wake Up with You" (live a capella performance) | Michael Max | 3:32 |
| 9. | "I Found Heaven" (music video) | Smax | 4:06 |
| 10. | "A Million Love Songs" (music video) | Brad Longford | 3:52 |
| 11. | "Could It Be Magic" (music video) | Saffie Ashanty | 3:30 |
Notes[6]
- ^[a] signifies a remixer
- ^[b] signifies an additional vocal producer
- "Could It Be Magic" is inspired by "Prelude in C minor" by Chopin. The track is omitted from the LP version. Later 1992 pressings replace the original album version with the Radio Rapino mix; the album version was reinstated in the 2006 reissue.
Personnel
edit- Gary Barlow – vocals, songwriting
- Howard Donald – vocals
- Jason Orange – vocals
- Mark Owen – vocals
- Robbie Williams – vocals
- Duncan Bridgeman – producer
- Tobin Sellars – engineer
- Nigel Stock – arranger
- Pete Hammond – DJ
- Ian Levine – co-producer
- Billy Griffin – co-producer
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | — | 100,000[17] |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[1] | 2× Platinum | 870,000[18] |
| Summaries | ||
| Worldwide | — | 1,500,000[19] |
References
edit- ^ a b "British album certifications – Take That – Take That & Party". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "could it be magic | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ Fawthrop, Peter. "Take That and Party > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1992.
- ^ a b Makridis, Aris (25 April 1993). "Review; Music". The Gazette. Montreal. p. F5. ISSN 0384-1294.
- ^ Take That & Party (booklet). Take That. RCA Records. 1992. 74321 10923 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing March 16, 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Hits of the World - Belgium". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 23 January 1993. p. 65. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Take That – Take That & Party" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Hits of the World - Eurochart". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 23 January 1993.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Take That". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 254. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
- ^ "Take That & Party in Various Charts". Hung Medien.
- ^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/106788/ranking/cd_album/ Oricon Archive. Take That & Party. 24 March 1993
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Take That – Take That & Party". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Billboard. 16 April 1994. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ Eames, Tom (30 January 2016). "Take That: All 8 albums ranked from worst to best". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 7 October 1995. p. 119. ISSN 0006-2510.