How to Be a ... Zillionaire!
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Smash Hits |   [1] |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| Robert Christgau | B−[3] |
How to Be a ... Zillionaire! is the third studio album by English pop band ABC. It was originally released in October 1985, on the labels Neutron, Mercury and Vertigo. The album peaked at No. 28 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 30 on the Billboard 200.[4][5] Four singles were released from this album, "(How to Be A) Millionaire" (UK Singles Chart: No. 49; Billboard Hot 100: No. 20), "Be Near Me" (UK: No. 26; US: No. 9), "Vanity Kills" (UK: No. 74; US: No. 91), and the fourth was "Ocean Blue", (UK: No. 54).
In 2005, a digitally remastered reissue of the album was released with bonus tracks.
Released editions
Original British promo pressing
On the cover the album's title is in the foreground lit up like a spotlight against a tri-tone background on which various quotes of the album's lyrics can be seen. There is also a drop shadow behind the title.
No dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Eden (see band line up in next section) does the harmony vocal on the song "Ocean Blue". Guitars completely absent from Side Two/Tracks 6–10. No cursing from Eden in the song "A to Z". Four seconds of silence between "A to Z" and "(How to Be A) Millionaire". Eden performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be A) Millionaire".
International commercial release
On the cover the spotlight effect is gone. The tri-tone background is rotated 180°. There is a third layer of elements on the cover consisting of animation artwork, specifically storyboards for the "Be Near Me" and "(How to Be A) Millionaire" music videos.
Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on previous pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6–10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". "A to Z" immediately segues into "(How to Be A) Millionaire". Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be A) Millionaire".
Record Club and initial CD version
On the cover the spotlight effect is retained with a solid blue background.
Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on the initial pressing. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be A) Millionaire" as on previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be A) Millionaire".
2005 version
The cover is a recreation of the cover to the international commercial release.
Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on the initial pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6–10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be A) Millionaire" as on the previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be A) Millionaire".
Track listing
All tracks are written by Martin Fry and Mark White.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fear of the World" | 3:50 |
| 2. | "Be Near Me" | 3:37 |
| 3. | "Vanity Kills" | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Ocean Blue" | 3:36 |
| 5. | "15 Storey Halo" | 5:36 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "A to Z" | 2:49 |
| 7. | "(How to Be A) Millionaire" | 3:34 |
| 8. | "Tower of London" | 3:36 |
| 9. | "So Hip It Hurts" | 4:17 |
| 10. | "Between You and Me" | 3:16 |
| Total length: | 37:52 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Fear of the World" (In CinemaScope) | 4:40 |
| 12. | "Be Near Me" (Munich Disco mix) | 5:27 |
| 13. | "(How to Be a) Zillionaire" (Bond Street mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire") | 6:05 |
| 14. | "Vanity Kills" (The Abigail's Party mix) | 5:08 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "(How to Be a) Trillionaire" (Harajuku mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire") | 3:38 |
| 12. | "What's Your Destination?" (B-side to UK version of "Be Near Me" single) | 3:38 |
| 13. | "Vanity Kills" (USA remix) | 5:40 |
| 14. | "Vanity Kills" (The Abigail's Party mix) | 5:08 |
| 15. | "Ocean Blue" (Pacific Mix) | 3:40 |
| 16. | "Judy's Jewels" (B-side to "Vanity Kills" single) | 2:03 |
| 17. | "Fear of the World" (in CinemaScope) | 4:40 |
| 18. | "Tower of London" (instrumental version) | 3:38 |
Personnel
ABC
- Martin Fry – lead and background vocals
- Mark White – E-mu Emulator II; Yamaha DX7; Fairlight CMI programming; synthesizers
- Fiona Russell Powell (aka Eden) – vocals; record scratching
- David Yarritu – spoken voice
Additional personnel
- Gary Moberley – Fairlight CMI programming
- Don Snow – piano; synthesizers
- Keith LeBlanc – rhythm beatbox programming; drums
- David Palmer – hi-hat; drums on "Ocean Blue" on the Record Club/Initial CD version
- Skip McDonald – guitar
- David Williams – guitar
- Chris Whitten – drums
- Guy Barker – trumpet
- Brad Lang – bass guitar
- Alan Carvell – backing vocals
- Jackie Challenor – backing vocals
- Lorenza Johnson – backing vocals
- P. P. Arnold – tertiary backing vocals on "Ocean Blue" (all pressings except Record Club/Initial CD version)
Production
- Mark White – producer
- Martin Fry – producer
- Martyn Webster – chief engineer
- Julian Mendelsohn – mixing; second engineer
- Mark Stent – assistant engineer
- Paul Corkett – assistant engineer
- Dietmar Schillinger – assistant engineer
- Heff Morales – assistant engineer
- Mike Drake – assistant engineer
- Paul Wright – assistant engineer
- Charles Harrowell – assistant engineer
- Ian Cooper – analogue mastering engineer
- Daryl Easlea – digital pre-mastering; album sequencing
- Gary Moore – digital mastering engineer
- Nick Knight – photography
- Keith Breeden at Design KB – art direction
- Alan Best – animation art
- Ted Hall – animation art
- Peter Care – dialogue and photo modelling director
- Anne Dudley – string arrangement on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only, uncredited)
- Ross Bagdasarian Jr. – string concertmaster on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only, uncredited)
Chart performance
Weekly charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Albums Chart[6][7] | 36 |
| UK Albums Chart[4] | 28 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 30 |
| West German Media Control Albums Chart[9] | 58 |
References
- ^ "Mills, Simon (25 September 1985). "Album Reviews". Smash Hits. Vol. 7, no. 19. EMAP Metro. p. 59.
{{cite magazine}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "ABC: How to Be a...Zillionaire!" at AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "ABC: How to Be a Zillionaire!". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ a b "ABC". Officialcharts.com.
- ^ "How to Be a...Zillionaire! Charts & Awards Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ ABC. "ABC – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "Charts.de". Charts.de. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
External links
- How to Be a ... Zillionaire! at Discogs (list of releases)
- Album page from official ABC site