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Album Review:

No Parlez

  • Release Date: 1983
  • Genre: Rock
  • Label: Sony
  • Total Time: 64:31

Review

One of the most assured debut albums of the mid-'80s, and one of the finest pop-soul confections of all time, No Parlez was the record that, following from the stellar success of Paul Young's earliest hits, left him poised to dominate the remainder of the decade like no other vocalist could have. Three singles laid bare all that Young was so eminently capable of. "Wherever I Lay My Hat," a beautifully impassioned take on what was, in all fairness, never one of Marvin Gaye's greatest performances, left mouths hanging open in awe; a meaty revision of Nicky Thomas' "Love of the Common People" proved that the earlier performance was no fluke; and "Come Back and Stay" indicated that the boy wasn't only a great singer, he had access to some great originals as well. Add the idiosyncratic yowling of the so-evocatively-named Fabulous Wealthy Tarts backing singers, jabbing a wealth of seemingly meaningless refrains, yelps and cackles into the gaps around Young's own vocal and, before it was even on the racks, it was clear that No Parlez was going to be an invigorating ride. And still it was capable of shocks. The title track was borrowed from former Slapp Happy art rocker Anthony Moore's "Industrial Drums" (from his Only Choice album) -- scarcely the kind of role model that Young's apparent drive for pop superstardom normally looked towards, while Moore's erstwhile bandmate Dagmar Krause surfaced elsewhere, to layer mystifyingly Euro-flavored vocals over a deeply soulful version of "Love Will Tear Us Apart." Yes, that "Love Will Tear Us Apart," a song still so draped in the martyrdom of Ian Curtis that to even think of revising it was regarded as sacrilege in some quarters. Young did more than that, though, he reinvented it. As a whole, the album does not live up to its greatest moments -- once past that so-superlative "Love of the Common People," side two lags badly as it heads towards the nadir of the closing "Sex." Breathtakingly original in small doses, Laurie Latham's production (and the Wealthy Tarts' keening) both lose their appeal after a while. One cannot help, too, but wish that the regular single mixes of the hits had been replaced by the superlative 12" mixes that accompanied their original release -- "Come Back and Stay," in particular, is up there with any Soft Cell or Frankie extension in the annals of classic 12"s. But though it's not flawless, still No Parlez is fearless and, looking back over Young's entire career (so far), one can only wonder how it all went so wrong? He could have ruled the decade like no other Brit of his age. Instead, the back cover photo simply makes him look like the younger brother of one of the guys who beat him to it. And you can bet Robert Smith wasn't expecting that! ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title iTunes Composers Performers Time
Come Back and Stay
Jack Lee Paul Young (7:56)
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner Paul Young, Joy Division (5:01)
Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
Marvin Gaye, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield Paul Young (6:01)
Ku Ku Kurama
...
Steve Bolton Paul Young (4:20)
No Parlez
...
Anthony Moore Paul Young (4:54)
Behind Your Smile
...
Paul Young, Ian Kewley Paul Young (4:08)
Love of the Common People
John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins Paul Young (5:52)
Oh Women
...
Jack Lee Paul Young (3:34)
Iron Out the Rough Spots
...
Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, David Porter Paul Young (7:28)
Broken Man
Paul Young, Ian Kewley Paul Young (3:55)
Tender Trap
...
Paul Young, Ian Kewley Paul Young (4:31)
Sex
...
Jack Lee Paul Young (6:51)

Credits

Paul Young (Vocals), Paul Young (Main Performer), Paul Young (Adaptation), Steve Bolton (Guitar), Nimsa Calliza (Vocals), Dagmar (Vocals), Chief Dawethi (Vocals), Joy Division (Performer), Eyethu (Vocals), Eyethu (Vocals (Background)), Matt Irving (Bass), Matt Irving (Guitar), Matt Irving (Guitar (Bass)), Matt Irving (Keyboards), Ian Kewley (Organ), Ian Kewley (Synthesizer), Ian Kewley (Percussion), Ian Kewley (Arranger), Ian Kewley (Keyboards), Ian Kewley (Vocals), E.T. Latham (Percussion), Laurie Latham (Arranger), Laurie Latham (Producer), Ntobi Lekan (Bass), Ntobi Lekan (Vocals), Zundi Lekau (Vocals), Kim Lesley (Vocals), Kim Lesley (Singer), Wally Loak (Vocals), Jabu Mbato (Vocals), Fats Mogoboya (Vocals), Pino Palladino (Bass), Pino Palladino (Guitar (Bass)), Mark Pinder (Synthesizer), Mark Pinder (Percussion), Mark Pinder (Drums), Maz Roberts (Vocals), Maz Roberts (Singer), Tim Young (Mastering), Norman Zulu (Vocals), Jimme O'Neill (Adaptation), Simon Fowler (Photography), Rico Rodriguez (Trombone), Paul M. Young (Adaptation), Peter Alfieri (Design)
 
 
Wikipedia: No Parlez
No Parlez
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Image:Nocover-upload.png

Studio album by Paul Young
Released 1983
Recorded 1982/83
Genre Rock
Length 64:31
Label Columbia
Producer Laurie Latham
Professional reviews
Paul Young chronology

No Parlez
(1983)
The Secret of Association
(1985)

No Parlez is a 1983 album by Paul Young. It was released with a different cover for North America. The single from the album "Come Back and Stay", had different videos for the US and UK.

Track listing

  1. "Come Back and Stay" – 7:56
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – 5:01
  3. "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" – 6:01
  4. "Ku Ku Kurama" – 4:20
  5. "No Parlez" – 4:54
  6. "Love Of The Common People" – 3:41
  1. "Oh Women" – 3:34
  2. "Iron Out the Rough Spots" – 7:28
  3. "Broken Man" – 3:55
  4. "Tender Trap" – 4:31
  5. "Sex" – 6:51

 
 

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Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "No Parlez" Read more

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