Bucks Fizz is the eponymous debut studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 26 July 1981, it features their Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up" as well as the two follow-up singles "Piece of the Action" and "One of Those Nights". The album was produced by Andy Hill and released on RCA Records. Bucks Fizz has been re-released twice on CD, first in 2004 with bonus tracks and as a two-disc edition in 2015.
In late 1980, songwriter Andy Hill and his partner Nichola Martin came up with a song that was to be entered into the Eurovision Song Contest. Martin quickly set about bringing a group together to perform it. In January 1981, Bucks Fizz were formed from auditionees Bobby G and Jay Aston along with the already chosen Mike Nolan and Cheryl Baker. The song "Making Your Mind Up" not only won the Contest, but went on to reach No. 1 in the UK singles chart, as well as many other countries in Europe.[5][6] This launched the group on a run of success that would last for much of the decade.[7]
In May the follow-up single, also written and produced by Hill, was released. "Piece of the Action" proved that Bucks Fizz were not one-hit wonders, despite the reputation of the Contest, and quickly became another worldwide hit.[8] The record company, RCA were keen to get an album out, and Bucks Fizz was released in late July 1981.
Recorded between promotional tours and a hectic schedule, the album featured ten pop tracks, most of them quite different to "Making Your Mind Up", the song that had made their name.[9] Of the remaining nine tracks, only "The Right Situation" mirrored the Eurovision winner in terms of structure and style. Other variations were the disco-styled "Took It to the Limit" and the funk-influenced "Shine On". Ballads were present in the form of "It's Got to Be Love", "One of Those Nights" and "Getting Kinda Lonely". The album was released in a glossy gatefold sleeve, depicting head and shoulders shots of the group both inside and outside.[10] Produced and largely written by Hill, the album also became a success when it reached the UK top 20 the following month and was certified gold.[11] A third single was released in August, the ballad "One of Those Nights". This, like the others also reached the top 20 in the UK and secured Bucks Fizz as one of the top acts of the year.
No more singles were released from the album, although their next single "The Land of Make Believe" (released in November 1981) went to No.1 and revived the album in the early months of 1982, where it went as far as 34 in the charts and spent more weeks in the top 100 than it had originally done - eventually clocking up 28 in total.[12] Outside of the UK, the album reached number 20 in New Zealand and number 29 in Sweden.[13]
A year later, the group recorded the songs "It's Got to Be Love" (which was their second biggest hit in the Philippines, after "Making Your Mind Up"), "One of Those Nights", "Getting Kinda Lonely" and "Shine On" in Spanish for an album released in Latin America. Tracks "Piece of the Action" and "One of Those Nights" were included on their debut album in North America, released in 1982.[14]
The album was re-issued on Compact disc in 2004 with bonus tracks.[15] In 2008, demos and early versions of tracks "Piece of the Action", "One of Those Nights", "Getting Kinda Lonely" and "The Right Situation" were included on The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut compilation. In June 2015 the album was re-released again on CD as a two-disc edition featuring bonus tracks and their 1982 Spanish album El Mundo De Ilusion.[16]
Reviews and reception
The Bucks Fizz album received average to good reviews from magazines. Record Mirror gave the album three out of five stars and said; "I think Bucks Fizz are bunch of gutless wonders who can perhaps sing in tune but don't know the meaning of singing with emotion...[The album] is a big production job with slick session musicians, ten ready-made songs for them to warble, and yet the whole shebang still can't spark Bucks Fizz into action...Bucks Fizz could be good if they only learned to FEEL their songs", citing track "Shine On" as the only song to display any feeling.[1] The same journalist went on to review their following album a year later saying that the songs had "a generous dash of emotion, something that was conspicuous by its absence on their debut".[17] Short-lived music magazine Chart Songwords said in another three out of five review; "Whether they'll be in the public eye as long as Kim Wilde or Duran Duran, to name just two recently emerging stars, is difficult to decide, but on the strength of their debut LP, they have a fair chance", but also complained that some songs sounded like "sub Brotherhood of Man, or even worse - Guys 'n' Dolls".[2] Irish magazine RTE Guide was more favourable by giving the album five out of five and said "Bucks Fizz is an excellent pop album. Of the seven non-single tracks, about four would easily make top-class single releases... Bucks Fizz is an instantly appealing album with some tracks registering immediately and other tracks growing on you".[3]
At the time of release, the members of the group listed their favourite tracks on the album with Nolan favouring "Making Your Mind Up", Aston: "Piece of the Action", G: "One of Those Nights" and Baker: "Midnight Reservation".[18][19][20][21] Baker herself has since stated that she didn't particularly like the tracks "One of Those Nights" and "The Right Situation", while all members (including Nolan) have been quoted as saying "Making Your Mind Up" was one of their weaker singles. While recording the album Baker said that they were aiming for various styles; "It's not 'Making Your Mind Up' mark I, II, III and IV".[22] On its 2015 release, Music-News.com labelled tracks "One of Those Nights" and "Piece of the Action" as "classy" and mentioned that it was clear that this album was a bid to quickly steer themselves away from the Eurovision Song Contest.[4]
In 2017, Classic Pop magazine reviewed the album favourably saying the tracks were "great" and mentioned "the Moroder-ised 'Took it to the Limit', the Abba-esque 'Lady of the Night' and the disco-funky 'Shine On'."[23]
^ abSoave, Daniela (August 1981). Record Mirror, album reviews. UK.
^ ab"Album Reviews". Chart Songwords Magazine. No.31. August 1981.
^ abBrendan Martin, RTÉ Guide. Album reviews, August 1981
^ ab"Bucks Fizz, The Definitive Editions". Music-News.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
^Gearchange. . Archived from gearchange.org the original on 4 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
^Eurovision.tv. . Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
^"Bucks Fizz article". BBC News. BBC. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
^Raffem. "Bucks Fizz history - 1981". Retrieved 18 July 2008.
^Ian Bairnson. "Guitarist's site with song clips". Retrieved 10 December 2008.
^Raffem. "Bucks Fizz gatefold sleeve". Retrieved 18 July 2008.
^BPI. . Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
^"bucks fizz | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
^Swisscharts. . Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
^Raffem. "Bucks Fizz history - 1982". Retrieved 18 July 2008.
^Early years. . Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
^Cherry Red records. . Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
^Daniela Soave, Record Mirror, Are You Ready album review, May 1982
^"Cheryl Baker Collect-a-page". Look-in. No.41: 32. 12 September 1981.
^"Mike Nolan, Collect-a-page". Look-in. No.42: 32. 19 September 1981.
^"Bobby G, Collect-a-page". Look-in. No.43: 32. 26 September 1981.
^"Jay Aston, Collect-a-page". Look-in. No.44: 32. 3 October 1981.
^Reid, Maggie (4 July 1981). "Bubbling Over". Look-In. No.28: 12.
^Lester, Paul (October 2017). "Never mind the Bollocks, here's the Fizz". Classic Pop Magazine. No.33: 58.
May 08, 2023
bucks, fizz, album, bucks, fizz, eponymous, debut, studio, album, british, group, bucks, fizz, released, july, 1981, features, their, eurovision, winning, song, making, your, mind, well, follow, singles, piece, action, those, nights, album, produced, andy, hil. Bucks Fizz is the eponymous debut studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz It was released on 26 July 1981 it features their Eurovision winning song Making Your Mind Up as well as the two follow up singles Piece of the Action and One of Those Nights The album was produced by Andy Hill and released on RCA Records Bucks Fizz has been re released twice on CD first in 2004 with bonus tracks and as a two disc edition in 2015 Bucks FizzStudio album by Bucks FizzReleased26 July 1981RecordedMarch July 1981StudioMayfair London Morgan London GenrePopLength37 26LabelRCAProducerAndy HillBucks Fizz chronologyBucks Fizz 1981 Are You Ready 1982 Singles from Bucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up Released 12 March 1981 Piece of the Action Released 17 May 1981 One of Those Nights Released 7 August 1981Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingRecord Mirror 1 Chart Songwords 2 RTE Guide 3 Music News 4 Contents 1 Overview 2 Reviews and reception 3 Track listing 3 1 Original album 3 2 2004 CD re issue 4 Personnel 5 Chart performance 6 ReferencesOverview EditIn late 1980 songwriter Andy Hill and his partner Nichola Martin came up with a song that was to be entered into the Eurovision Song Contest Martin quickly set about bringing a group together to perform it In January 1981 Bucks Fizz were formed from auditionees Bobby G and Jay Aston along with the already chosen Mike Nolan and Cheryl Baker The song Making Your Mind Up not only won the Contest but went on to reach No 1 in the UK singles chart as well as many other countries in Europe 5 6 This launched the group on a run of success that would last for much of the decade 7 In May the follow up single also written and produced by Hill was released Piece of the Action proved that Bucks Fizz were not one hit wonders despite the reputation of the Contest and quickly became another worldwide hit 8 The record company RCA were keen to get an album out and Bucks Fizz was released in late July 1981 Recorded between promotional tours and a hectic schedule the album featured ten pop tracks most of them quite different to Making Your Mind Up the song that had made their name 9 Of the remaining nine tracks only The Right Situation mirrored the Eurovision winner in terms of structure and style Other variations were the disco styled Took It to the Limit and the funk influenced Shine On Ballads were present in the form of It s Got to Be Love One of Those Nights and Getting Kinda Lonely The album was released in a glossy gatefold sleeve depicting head and shoulders shots of the group both inside and outside 10 Produced and largely written by Hill the album also became a success when it reached the UK top 20 the following month and was certified gold 11 A third single was released in August the ballad One of Those Nights This like the others also reached the top 20 in the UK and secured Bucks Fizz as one of the top acts of the year No more singles were released from the album although their next single The Land of Make Believe released in November 1981 went to No 1 and revived the album in the early months of 1982 where it went as far as 34 in the charts and spent more weeks in the top 100 than it had originally done eventually clocking up 28 in total 12 Outside of the UK the album reached number 20 in New Zealand and number 29 in Sweden 13 A year later the group recorded the songs It s Got to Be Love which was their second biggest hit in the Philippines after Making Your Mind Up One of Those Nights Getting Kinda Lonely and Shine On in Spanish for an album released in Latin America Tracks Piece of the Action and One of Those Nights were included on their debut album in North America released in 1982 14 The album was re issued on Compact disc in 2004 with bonus tracks 15 In 2008 demos and early versions of tracks Piece of the Action One of Those Nights Getting Kinda Lonely and The Right Situation were included on The Lost Masters 2 The Final Cut compilation In June 2015 the album was re released again on CD as a two disc edition featuring bonus tracks and their 1982 Spanish album El Mundo De Ilusion 16 Reviews and reception EditThe Bucks Fizz album received average to good reviews from magazines Record Mirror gave the album three out of five stars and said I think Bucks Fizz are bunch of gutless wonders who can perhaps sing in tune but don t know the meaning of singing with emotion The album is a big production job with slick session musicians ten ready made songs for them to warble and yet the whole shebang still can t spark Bucks Fizz into action Bucks Fizz could be good if they only learned to FEEL their songs citing track Shine On as the only song to display any feeling 1 The same journalist went on to review their following album a year later saying that the songs had a generous dash of emotion something that was conspicuous by its absence on their debut 17 Short lived music magazine Chart Songwords said in another three out of five review Whether they ll be in the public eye as long as Kim Wilde or Duran Duran to name just two recently emerging stars is difficult to decide but on the strength of their debut LP they have a fair chance but also complained that some songs sounded like sub Brotherhood of Man or even worse Guys n Dolls 2 Irish magazine RTE Guide was more favourable by giving the album five out of five and said Bucks Fizz is an excellent pop album Of the seven non single tracks about four would easily make top class single releases Bucks Fizz is an instantly appealing album with some tracks registering immediately and other tracks growing on you 3 At the time of release the members of the group listed their favourite tracks on the album with Nolan favouring Making Your Mind Up Aston Piece of the Action G One of Those Nights and Baker Midnight Reservation 18 19 20 21 Baker herself has since stated that she didn t particularly like the tracks One of Those Nights and The Right Situation while all members including Nolan have been quoted as saying Making Your Mind Up was one of their weaker singles While recording the album Baker said that they were aiming for various styles It s not Making Your Mind Up mark I II III and IV 22 On its 2015 release Music News com labelled tracks One of Those Nights and Piece of the Action as classy and mentioned that it was clear that this album was a bid to quickly steer themselves away from the Eurovision Song Contest 4 In 2017 Classic Pop magazine reviewed the album favourably saying the tracks were great and mentioned the Moroder ised Took it to the Limit the Abba esque Lady of the Night and the disco funky Shine On 23 Track listing EditOriginal album Edit Side One Time1 Piece of the Action Writers Andy Hill Producer Andy Hill 3 382 Midnight Reservation Writers Andy Hill Pete Sinfield Producers Andy Hill 3 423 It s Got to Be Love Writers Andy Hill A Nicholas Producer Andy Hill 3 054 Took It To the Limit Writer Andy Hill Nichola Martin Producer Andy Hill 3 485 One of Those Nights Writer Steve Glen Mike Burns Dave Most Producers Andy Hill 4 26 Side Two Time6 Making Your Mind Up Writers Andy Hill John Danter Producer Andy Hill 2 387 Lady of the Night Writer Nichola Martin Producer Andy Hill 3 388 Getting Kinda Lonely Writer Mike Burns Robert Parr Producer Andy Hill 5 239 Shine On Writers Andy Hill Nichola Martin Producer Andy Hill 3 4510 The Right Situation Writers Andy Hill Pete Sinfield Buick Producer Andy Hill 3 23 2004 CD re issue Edit Bonus tracks Song title and credits Time11 Don t Stop Writers Andy Hill Nichola MartinProducer Andy Hill 4 0612 Always Thinking of You Writers Andy Hill Nichola Martin Producers Andy Hill 3 5613 Noches Sin Ti One of Those Nights Spanish version Writers Steve Glen Mike Burns Dave Most Biddy amp Mary McCluskyProducer Andy Hill 4 2614 Via Libre One Way Love Spanish version Writer Andy Hill Pete Sinfield Biddy amp Mary McCluskyProducer Andy Hill 4 5015 Eso Fue Ayer Now Those Days Are Gone Spanish version Writers Andy Hill Nichola Martin Biddy amp Mary McCluskyProducer Andy Hill 3 3316 Otra Noche Another Night Spanish version Writers Andy Hill Nichola Martin Biddy amp Mary McCluskyProducer Andy Hill 3 3917 El Mundo de Ilusion The Land of Make Believe Spanish version Writers Andy Hill Pete Sinfield Biddy amp Mary McClusky Producers Andy Hill 3 5018 I Used to Love the Radio Writers Andy HillProducer David Motion 3 2519 Love in a World Gone Mad Writer Pete Sinfield Billy LiveseyProducer David Motion 3 5820 Heart of Stone 12 version Writers Andy Hill Pete SinfieldProducer Andy Hill 4 29Personnel EditBobby G vocals lead vocals on One of Those Nights Jay Aston vocals lead vocals on Getting Kinda Lonely Mike Nolan vocals joint lead vocals on It s Got to Be Love Cheryl Baker vocals joint lead vocals on It s Got to Be Love MusiciansAndy Hill producer keyboards bass acoustic guitar backing vocals Graham Broad drums Ian Bairnson guitar bass Mel Collins and Howie Casey saxophones Nichola Martin backing vocals Alan Carvell backing vocals Shelley Preston additional vocals on Heart of Stone bonus track ProductionJohn Hudson and Martin Webster engineers Recorded at Mayfair Studios and Morgan Studios Dean Murphy executive producer of CD re issue Brian Aris photography Rory Kee logo design Andrew Christian art directionChart performance EditRelease date Single title UK Chart positionMarch 1981 Making Your Mind Up 1May 1981 Piece of the Action 12August 1981 One of Those Nights 20Release date Album title UK Chart positionJuly 1981 Bucks Fizz 14June 2004 Bucks Fizz CD re issue June 2015 Bucks Fizz double CD edition References Edit a b Soave Daniela August 1981 Record Mirror album reviews UK a b Album Reviews Chart Songwords Magazine No 31 August 1981 a b Brendan Martin RTE Guide Album reviews August 1981 a b Bucks Fizz The Definitive Editions Music News com Retrieved 30 April 2017 Gearchange Making Your Mind Up feature Archived from gearchange org the original on 4 October 2008 Retrieved 10 October 2008 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help Eurovision tv Eurovision Song Contest 1981 Archived from the original on 28 August 2008 Retrieved 2 January 2009 Bucks Fizz article BBC News BBC 7 May 2007 Retrieved 18 July 2008 Raffem Bucks Fizz history 1981 Retrieved 18 July 2008 Ian Bairnson Guitarist s site with song clips Retrieved 10 December 2008 Raffem Bucks Fizz gatefold sleeve Retrieved 18 July 2008 BPI Certified awars Search Bucks Fizz Archived from the original on 15 January 2013 Retrieved 22 September 2009 bucks fizz full Official Chart History Official Charts Company officialcharts com Retrieved 14 September 2019 Swisscharts Sweden NZ album chart details Archived from the original on 14 June 2011 Retrieved 18 November 2009 Raffem Bucks Fizz history 1982 Retrieved 18 July 2008 Early years BMG Re release information Archived from the original on 3 December 2008 Retrieved 10 December 2008 Cherry Red records Cherry Red Re release information Archived from the original on 6 September 2015 Retrieved 29 June 2015 Daniela Soave Record Mirror Are You Ready album review May 1982 Cheryl Baker Collect a page Look in No 41 32 12 September 1981 Mike Nolan Collect a page Look in No 42 32 19 September 1981 Bobby G Collect a page Look in No 43 32 26 September 1981 Jay Aston Collect a page Look in No 44 32 3 October 1981 Reid Maggie 4 July 1981 Bubbling Over Look In No 28 12 Lester Paul October 2017 Never mind the Bollocks here s the Fizz Classic Pop Magazine No 33 58 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bucks Fizz album amp oldid 1103411868, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
