Sophisticated Boom Boom

Sophisticated Boom Boom is the debut studio album by English pop band Dead or Alive, released on 20 April 1984 by Epic Records. Featuring mostly synth-pop and dance elements, the album contains the band's first UK Top 40 single, a cover version of KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)".^[4] That song, along with "Misty Circles", were hits on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.^[5] The album was a minor success in the UK where it peaked at No. 29.^[6]

Sophisticated Boom Boom
Studio album by Dead or Alive
Released	20 April 1984 (1984)
Recorded	1983–1984
Genre	Dance-pop Hi-NRG
Length	41:00
Label	Epic
Producer	Zeus B. Held Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive chronology
Sophisticated Boom Boom (1984) Youthquake (1985)
Singles from Sophisticated Boom Boom
"Misty Circles" Released: May 1983 "What I Want" Released: August 1983 "I'd Do Anything" Released: January 1984 "That's the Way (I Like It)" Released: 1984 "What I Want (re-release)" Released: 1984

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[2]
Smash Hits	^[3]

The original cassette version of the album was released with three bonus tracks. In 2007, the album was re-released on CD by Cherry Red Records with seven bonus tracks.

The cover photograph was taken by Peter Ashworth and was inspired by the cover of Kate Bush's studio album Lionheart (1978).

The original title for the album was Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know, but it was rejected by the label. It would later become the title of the band's third studio album.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dead or Alive, except where noted.

Original UK 1984 vinyl

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I'd Do Anything"		4:16
2.	"That's the Way (I Like It)"	Harry Wayne Casey Richard Finch	3:39
3.	"Absolutely Nothing"		4:21
4.	"What I Want"		5:23
5.	"Far Too Hard"		4:31
6.	"You Make Me Wanna"		2:54
7.	"Sit on It"		3:07
8.	"Wish You Were Here"		5:21
9.	"Misty Circles"		3:39
10.	"Do It"		3:53

1984 cassette bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
11.	"I'd Do Anything" (Dub)	5:22
12.	"Keep That Body Strong (That's the Way)"	3:41
13.	"Misty Circles" (instrumental)	3:40

US 1984 vinyl

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"What I Want"		5:23
2.	"Misty Circles"		3:39
3.	"Do It"		3:53
4.	"I'd Do Anything"		4:16
5.	"That's The Way (I Like It)"	Casey Finch	3:39
6.	"You Make Me Wanna"		2:54
7.	"Sit on It"		3:07
8.	"Wish You Were Here"		5:21
9.	"Absolutely Nothing"		4:21
10.	"Far Too Hard"		4:31

UK 2007 Reissue

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I'd Do Anything"		4:16
2.	"That's the Way (I Like It)"	Casey Finch	3:39
3.	"Absolutely Nothing"		4:21
4.	"What I Want"		5:23
5.	"Far Too Hard"		4:31
6.	"You Make Me Wanna"		2:54
7.	"Sit on It"		3:07
8.	"Wish You Were Here"		5:21
9.	"Misty Circles"		3:39
10.	"Do It"		3:53
11.	"Selfish Side"		2:34
12.	"The Stranger"		4:49
13.	"Misty Circles" (Dance Mix)		9:10
14.	"What I Want" (Dance Mix)		6:12
15.	"I'd Do Anything" (Megamix)		5:22
16.	"That's the Way (I Like It)" (Extended Mix)		5:52
17.	"Keep That Body Strong (That's the Way)"		3:38

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Sophisticated Boom Boom liner notes.^[7]

Dead or Alive

• Pete Burns – vocals
• Mike Percy – bass guitar
• Tim Lever – keyboards
• Steve Coy – drums
• Wayne Hussey – guitar (uncredited on album artwork)

Additional musicians

• Jackie Challenor – backing vocals
• Lorenza Johnson – backing vocals
• Mae McKenna – backing vocals
• Kick Horns – horns
• Caroline's Quartet – strings

Production and artwork

• Zeus B. Held – producer; mixer
• Dead or Alive – producer
• Tim Palmer – engineer; mixer
• Chris Sheldon – engineer
• Peter Ashworth – photography

References

1. Raggett, Ned. "Dead or Alive: Sophisticated Boom Boom > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
2. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 185.
3. Anthony, Lisa (26 April 1984). "Albums: Dead Or Alive - Sophisticated Boom Boom". Smash Hits. London, England: EMAP. p. 23.
4. "That's the Way (I Like It)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
5. "Sophisticated Boom Boom > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
6. "Sophisticated Boom Boom". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
7. Sophisticated Boom Boom (CD booklet). Dead or Alive. Epic Records. 1984.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

External links

• Sophisticated Boom Boom at Discogs (list of releases)