I'm No Hero
{{short description|1980 studio album by Cliff Richard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2014}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox album
| name = I'm No Hero
| type = studio
| artist = Cliff Richard
| cover = I'm No hero.jpg
| alt =
| recorded = May–June 1980 [http://www.cliffrichardsongs.com/crworks8.php Cliff Richard songs.com - Recording dates] at Riverside Recordings, London; mixed at Roundhouse Studios, London{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Cliff-Richard-Im-No-Hero/release/3100897|title = Cliff Richard – I'm No Hero (1980, Green Labels, Vinyl)|website = Discogs}}
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Pop rock
| length =
| label = EMI
| producer = Alan Tarney
| prev_title = Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Love Songs
| next_year = 1981
| misc = {{Singles
| name = I'm No Hero
| type = studio
| single1 = Dreamin'
| single1date = August 1980 (UK)
| single2 = A Little in Love
| single2date = Dec 80 (US), Jan 81 (UK)
| single3 = In the Night
| single3date = Dec 1980 (Germany only)
| single4 = Give a Little Bit More
| single4date = April 1981 (US/Canada only)
}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = Album
| cover = I'm No Hero US album.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = US version of the album
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r588816|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]
}}
I'm No Hero is the 23rd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1980. The album includes three hit singles, of which "Dreamin'" and "A Little in Love" were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.
Background
Following the success of Richard's 1979 single "We Don't Talk Anymore", which was written and arranged by Alan Tarney, the record company was keen to use his services again. For the follow-up album in 1980, Tarney was employed as producer for the entire album. This gave I'm No Hero a cohesive sound but was criticised at the time for being too unadventurous. The songs on the album were similar in style to "We Don't Talk Anymore", but it was also a success, generating two top 20 singles, while the album itself made the top five in the UK.
With the lead single "Dreamin'" released in August 1980, the album came out a few weeks later. "Dreamin'" became a top 10 hit in both the UK and US, while the follow-up, "A Little in Love", released belatedly in January 1981, reached No.15 in the UK and No.17 in the US.{{cite web|title=Cliff Richard - full Official Chart History|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/19899/cliff-richard/ |publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=19 January 2016}}[http://www.billboard.com/charts/1980-09-13/hot-100 Billboard.com - "Dreamin'"][http://www.billboard.com/charts/1981-03-21/hot-100 Billboard.com - "A Little in Love"] The album itself reached No.4 in the UK Albums Chart, but due to the lack of singles, failed to sustain as lengthy a run in the top 75 as Richard's previous album, Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. The delayed release of the second single was due to the release of "Suddenly", a duet with Olivia Newton-John, taken from the Xanadu soundtrack. This was also a top 20 hit in the UK and US - making this Richard's most successful period in the American market.
The album received positive reviews and kept Richard high in the charts during this, his revival period.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r47954|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic - I'm No Hero review] It was also the last time he appeared in the US top 20. The track "Give a Little Bit More", which was co-written by Andy Hill, who was about to become famous as the writer and producer for Bucks Fizz, was released in some countries as a single, as was "In the Night" (not the same as the Barbara Dickson song which was released around that time and also produced by Tarney).[http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Cliff+Richard&titel=In+The+Night&cat=s"In the Night" single] Hit parade
- {{cite web |title=Cliff Richard - In the Night |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-160221 |website=Official German Charts |access-date=15 September 2019}} "Give a Little Bit More" gave Richard a third hit from the album in the US, peaking at No. 41.[http://www.billboard.com/charts/1981-06-20/hot-100 "Give a Little Bit More" US Chart details], Billboard This track was unreleased as a single in the UK, where it was covered by Johnny Logan in September 1980, but his version failed to chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Logan-Give-A-Little-Bit-More-Too-Much-Too-Soon/release/2167017|title=Johnny Logan – Give a Little Bit More (Too Much Too Soon) (1980, Vinyl)|website=Discogs}}
I'm No Hero was remastered and re-issued on compact disc in July 2001.[http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/2025345/a/I'm+No+Hero.htm I'm No Hero CD re-issue], CD Universe
Track listing
All tracks written by Alan Tarney, except where noted.
Side one
- "Take Another Look" – 4:11
- "Anything I Can Do" – 4:01
- "A Little in Love" – 3:42
- "Here (So Doggone Blue)" – 3:50
- "Give a Little Bit More" (Andy Hill, Jonathan Hodge) – 3:35
Side two
- "In the Night" (Rod Bowkett) – 3:48
- "I'm No Hero" (Trevor Spencer, Tarney) – 3:25
- "Dreamin'" (Leo Sayer, Tarney) – 3:40
- "A Heart Will Break" (Spencer, Tarney) – 3:59
- "Everyman" – 4:11
CD bonus tracks (2001 re-issue)
- "Dynamite" (Ian Ralph Samwell) – 3:12
- "Keep on Looking" – 3:40
Personnel
- Cliff Richard – vocals
- Alan Tarney – bass guitar, guitars, arrangements
- Trevor Spencer – drums
- Michael Boddicker, Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards
Charts and certifications
=Weekly charts=
NOTES:
^ "Dreaming" also reached no.83 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1980" chart.{{cite web|url= http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.0272.pdf |title= Top 100 Singles of 1980 |work=RPM |volume=34 |number=6 |date=December 20, 1980 |via= Library and Archives Canada |access-date= 13 April 2016}}
^^ "A Little in Love" also reached no. 33 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1981" chart.{{cite web|url= http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.0371.pdf |title= Top 100 Singles of 1981 |work=RPM |volume=35 |number=22 |date=December 26, 1981 |via= Library and Archives Canada |access-date= 13 April 2016}}
NR - not released
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=United Kingdom |artist=Cliff Richard|title=I'm No Hero |type=album|award=Gold |relyear=1980 |certyear=1980 |refname=UKCert|id=3242-3620-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=Canada |artist=Cliff Richard|title=I'm No Hero |type=album |award=Platinum |relyear=1980 |certyear=1981 |refname=CanadaCert}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cliff Richard}}
{{Authority control}}