Boyfriend is the third solo studio album by English singer Boy George, released in April 1989 by Virgin Records, just six months after his previous album, Tense Nervous Headache, which Virgin Records decided to not release in the United Kingdom, due to its lead-single "Don't Cry" performing poorly.[1]
Upon a suggestion from Sharon Heyward, head of the Black Music department of Virgin, American producers Gene Griffin and Teddy Riley flew over to London during sessions for Tense Nervous Headache to record four tracks which Boy George disliked. "I thought Teddy and I would write together," he'd later tell in his autobiography Take It Like a Man.[2] "I agreed to sing them if I could work on the lyrics, which I did with little success. I convinced myself the fat beats and production would compensate for the lack of substance. I was wrong. When I received the final mixes I went into depression (...) They'd invested a ridiculous $75,000 and didn't care about my artistic integrity." The tracks were left off the Headache album. Virgin, now refusing to have anything more to do with that album, went ahead and released "Don't Take My Mind on a Trip" in February 1989 in an attempt to recoup their money. Despite it continuing Boy George's disappointing charts performances when it only made No. 68 in the UK Singles Chart,[3] it peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard R&B Charts and No. 26 on the Billboard Dance Charts,[4] prompting Virgin to go ahead and put a new album together, assembling the four Riley/Griffin tracks on side one, and two previously unreleased tracks on side two as well as two previously released tracks "Girlfriend" from the soundtrack Slaves of New York and "No Clause 28" protest single (No. 57 UK charts, June 1988).[5] The artwork from Headache was simply recycled for the new package, although a slightly different shot from the same photo sessions was chosen.
Commercial performanceEdit
The album failed to chart anywhere. A second single "Whether They Like It or Not" was released in Europe in June 1989. "I did the rounds on automatic," Boy George admitted. "It was enough misery to make me finally realize that I knew better."[6] In America, Virgin Records decided to put together the album High Hat, combining the Griffin/Riley recordings with five of the tracks from Headache.
(*)"Don't Take My Mind on a Trip" is an unnamed remix that appears as 'Main Club Mix' or 'U.S. Club Mix' on 'Trip' singles. The 'original' version appears on the North American album counterpart, High Hat.
(+)"No Clause 28" appears as 'Hi Energy Mix' which had appeared as 'Emilio Pasquez Space Face Full Remix' on 'Clause' singles. The same mix would also be included on Boy George's next album, The Martyr Mantras, as 'Pascal Gabriel Mix'.
^"Boy George Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
^"Boy George Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
September 01, 2023
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Boyfriend is the third solo studio album by English singer Boy George released in April 1989 by Virgin Records just six months after his previous album Tense Nervous Headache which Virgin Records decided to not release in the United Kingdom due to its lead single Don t Cry performing poorly 1 BoyfriendStudio album by Boy GeorgeReleasedApril 1989Recorded1988 89GenreDancenew jack swingLength39 52LabelVirginProducerGene GriffinTeddy RileyBobby Z Jeremy HealyVlad NaslasBoy George chronologyTense Nervous Headache 1988 Boyfriend 1989 The Martyr Mantras 1990 Singles from Boyfriend No Clause 28 Released June 1988 Don t Take My Mind on a Trip Released 2 February 1989 You Found Another Guy Released 1989 Whether They Like It or Not Released June 1989 Contents 1 Background and release 2 Commercial performance 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 4 1 Musicians Trk 1 to 4 4 2 Musicians Trk 5 to 8 4 3 Production 5 Charts 5 1 Singles 6 Release history 7 ReferencesBackground and release EditUpon a suggestion from Sharon Heyward head of the Black Music department of Virgin American producers Gene Griffin and Teddy Riley flew over to London during sessions for Tense Nervous Headache to record four tracks which Boy George disliked I thought Teddy and I would write together he d later tell in his autobiography Take It Like a Man 2 I agreed to sing them if I could work on the lyrics which I did with little success I convinced myself the fat beats and production would compensate for the lack of substance I was wrong When I received the final mixes I went into depression They d invested a ridiculous 75 000 and didn t care about my artistic integrity The tracks were left off the Headache album Virgin now refusing to have anything more to do with that album went ahead and released Don t Take My Mind on a Trip in February 1989 in an attempt to recoup their money Despite it continuing Boy George s disappointing charts performances when it only made No 68 in the UK Singles Chart 3 it peaked at No 5 on the US Billboard R amp B Charts and No 26 on the Billboard Dance Charts 4 prompting Virgin to go ahead and put a new album together assembling the four Riley Griffin tracks on side one and two previously unreleased tracks on side two as well as two previously released tracks Girlfriend from the soundtrack Slaves of New York and No Clause 28 protest single No 57 UK charts June 1988 5 The artwork from Headache was simply recycled for the new package although a slightly different shot from the same photo sessions was chosen Commercial performance EditThe album failed to chart anywhere A second single Whether They Like It or Not was released in Europe in June 1989 I did the rounds on automatic Boy George admitted It was enough misery to make me finally realize that I knew better 6 In America Virgin Records decided to put together the album High Hat combining the Griffin Riley recordings with five of the tracks from Headache Track listing EditNo TitleWriter s Length1 Don t Take My Mind on a Trip Gene Griffin6 142 You Found Another Guy GriffinBernard BelleWilliam Middleton4 293 Whether They Like It or Not GriffinO DowdBelle4 424 I m Not Sleeping Anymore GriffinO Dowd4 225 Lies O DowdVlad Naslas4 326 Big Dark Man Waiting O DowdAmanda VincentJoseph Hornof4 037 Girlfriend O DowdNaslas5 038 No Clause 28 Hi Energy Mix O DowdCaron GearyNightingaleDewar6 22 Don t Take My Mind on a Trip is an unnamed remix that appears as Main Club Mix or U S Club Mix on Trip singles The original version appears on the North American album counterpart High Hat No Clause 28 appears as Hi Energy Mix which had appeared as Emilio Pasquez Space Face Full Remix on Clause singles The same mix would also be included on Boy George s next album The Martyr Mantras as Pascal Gabriel Mix Personnel EditMusicians Trk 1 to 4 Edit Boy George lead vocals Lee Drakeford backing vocals Zan backing vocals Marsha McClurkin backing vocals Mauricette Martin backing vocals Teddy Riley all instruments backing vocals arrangements Bernard Belle acoustic guitar amp backing vocals Dennis Mitchell engineer Bill Esses assistant engineer Gene Griffin productionMusicians Trk 5 to 8 Edit Boy George lead vocals Glenn Nightingale guitars and other voices Ian Maidman bass keyboards Amanda Vincent keyboards Vlas Naslas keyboards Derek Green backing vocals Carroll Thompson backing vocals Helen Terry backing vocals Beverley Skeete backing vocals Belva Haney backing vocals David Ulm Carol Steel percussionProduction Edit Gene Griffin producer side 1 track 1 to 4 Vlad Naslas producer track 5 7 Mike Pela producer track 6 Bobby Z amp Jeremy Healy producer track 8Charts EditSingles Edit Year Single Chart Position1988 No Clause 28 UK Singles OCC 7 571989 Don t Take My Mind on a Trip UK Singles OCC 7 68US Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard 8 5US Dance Club Songs Billboard 9 26Release history EditCountry Year Label Format CatalogueEurope 1989 Virgin Records CD 259 762Europe 1989 Virgin Records MC 409 762Europe 1989 Virgin Records LP 209 762References Edit George Boy 1995 Take It Like A Man Sidgwick amp Jackson pp 447 451 ISBN 9780060173685 George Boy 1995 Take It Like A Man Sidgwick amp Jackson pp 447 451 ISBN 9780060173685 Boy George UK charts Officialcharts com Retrieved 3 May 2021 Boy George AllMusic Awards AllMusic Archived from the original on 23 April 2014 Retrieved 3 May 2021 Boy George UK charts Officialcharts com Retrieved 3 May 2021 George Boy 1995 Take It Like A Man Sidgwick amp Jackson p 456 ISBN 9780060173685 a b Boy George Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Retrieved May 3 2021 Boy George Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Retrieved May 3 2021 Boy George Chart History Dance Club Songs Billboard Retrieved May 3 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boyfriend Boy George album amp oldid 1128392479, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
