You Broke My Heart in 17 Places

• Artist: Tracey Ullman
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1983
• Genre: Rock

Review

Although comic actress Tracey Ullman is these days entirely dismissive of her early-'80s sideline career as a chart-topping pop singer, that's an unfair assessment. There is nothing much of lasting import on Ullman's 1983 debut, You Broke My Heart in 17 Places, but it's kitschy pop fluff at its best. The twin highlights are the title track and "They Don't Know," both written by the indescribably talented Kirsty MacColl. (Indeed, Ullman's "They Don't Know" is merely the backing track of MacColl's original 1979 single with Ullman's voice on top, with MacColl's Spector-like multiply-overdubbed harmonies actually mixed higher than Ullman's lead vocal. That's MacColl singing the climactic "BAY-bee!," too.) However, the other tracks, almost all covers of '60s and '70s pop classics, are pretty terrific as well. Jackie DeShannon's "Breakway," Doris Day's "Move Over Darling," and Blondie's brilliant new wave torch song "I'm Always Touched by Your Presence Dear" are great songs given good to great readings, and even the lesser material, like Reunion's horrid "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)," is delivered with a nod and a wink that makes it palatable. This is highly recommended to bubblegum fans. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Breakaway (Lyrics)	Sharon Sheeley, Jackie DeShannon	Tracey Ullman
They Don't Know	Kirsty MacColl	Tracey Ullman
Bobby's Girl	Gary Klein, Hank Hoffman	Tracey Ullman
Oh, What a Night	Marvin Junior, Johnny Funches	Tracey Ullman
Move Over Darling	Hal Kanter, Joe Lubin, Terry Melcher	Tracey Ullman
I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten	Clive Westlake	Tracey Ullman
Long Live Love	Chris Andrews	Tracey Ullman
(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence Dear	Gary Valentine	Tracey Ullman
Shattered	Wayne Thompson	Tracey Ullman
You Broke My Heart in 17 Places	Kirsty MacColl	Tracey Ullman
(Life Is a Rock) But the Radio Rolled Me		Tracey Ullman

Credits

Kirsty MacColl (Vocals), Philip Chapman (Engineer), Rosemarie Robinson (Vocals), Kirsty MacColl (Vocals (Background)), The Sapphires (Vocals), Julian Mendelsohn (Engineer), Tracey Ullman (Vocals), Ken Perry (Remastering), Clare Torry (Vocals), Tracey Ullman (Liner Notes), Bill Inglot (Producer), Bill Inglot (Remastering), Geoff Gans (Art Direction), Wealthy Tarts (Vocals (Background)), Simon Fowler (Photography), John Burns (Engineer), Peter Collins (Producer), Gary Stewart (Compilation), The Sapphires (Vocals (Background)), Kirsty MacColl (Producer), Clare Torry (Vocals (Background)), Wealthy Tarts (Vocals), Miriam Stockley (Vocals (Background)), Flying Pickets (Vocals), Phil Harding (Engineer), Steve O'Donnell (Producer), Clare Muller (Photography), Miriam Stockley (Vocals), Barry Farmer (Engineer), Gavin Povey (Engineer), Rosemarie Robinson (Vocals (Background))