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Picture Book (Simply Red album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Picture Book

| type = studio

| artist = Simply Red

| cover = PictureBookSimplyRedalbumcover.png

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = 11 October 1985

| recorded =

| studio = Soundpush Studios, Blaricum, Netherlands
RAK Studios, London

| genre = {{hlist|Sophisti-pop|blue-eyed soul}}

| length = 44:21

| label = Elektra

| producer = Stewart Levine

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Men and Women

| next_year = 1987

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Picture Book

| type = studio

| single1 = Money's Too Tight (to Mention)

| single1date = 20 May 1985{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Simply+Red&titel=Money%24+Too+Tight+%28To+Mention%29&cat=s|title=Simply Red singles}}

| single2 = Come to My Aid

| single2date = 2 September 1985{{cite web|url=http://www.simplyred.com/music-and-lyrics/picture-book/come-to-my-aid/|title=Simply Red official}}

| single3 = Holding Back the Years

| single3date = 4 November 1985{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=16|date=2 November 1985}}

| single4 = Jericho

| single4date = February 1986{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/744/mode/2up|title=Great Rock discography|page=744}}

| single5 = Open Up the Red Box

| single5date = 28 July 1986{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-07-26.pdf|title=Music Week|page=95}}

}}

}}

Picture Book is the debut album by British pop and soul group Simply Red, released in October 1985. It contains the US number-one single "Holding Back the Years", and covers of The Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and Talking Heads’ “Heaven”. Three more singles were released from the album: "Come to My Aid", "Jericho", and "Open Up the Red Box".

The album helped Simply Red earn a 1987 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. "Holding Back the Years" was also nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

A special version of the album was released on the then new Compact Disc + Graphics, or CD+G format which when played on a suitable CD player, 4 bit raster graphic images, text and animations would also be displayed on a connected TV screen.

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}

|rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

|rev3 = Q

|rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|last=Duerden|first=Nick|date=April 1996|title=Simply Red: Picture Book|journal=Q|pages=132}}

|rev4 = The Village Voice

|rev4score = B+

}}

In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau wrote that there were essentially "only two songs on this album", "Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Heaven", but that Hucknall and the band carry off the album "on mood and groove alone".{{cite web |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-86.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=2 September 1986 |accessdate=25 June 2012}}

Reviewing the 1996 re-release for Q, Nick Duerden described Picture Book as "the most accomplished debut of its year". He said of Hucknall, "With the most prodigious voice this side of Motown and a burning socialist heart, here he infuses everything with a passion that he's rarely matched since."

William Ruhlmann, in a retrospective review in AllMusic, felt that Simply Red produced "a steady R&B groove reminiscent of '60s Stax house band the MG's" and that Hucknall was a "big-voiced soul singer".{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/picture-book-mw0000191851 |title=Picture Book – Simply Red |publisher=AllMusic |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |accessdate=25 June 2012}} In the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Andy Robbins attributed the record's commercial success in both America and the UK to "Holding Back the Years", which he feels is Hucknall's best vocal performance. Robbins noted rock and jazz sounds, along with soul influences.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PIyEkArSW0EC&pg=PT1521 |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |editor-last=Dimery |editor-first=Robert |chapter=Simply Red: Picture Book |last=Robbins |first=Andy |publisher=Hachette UK |year=2011 |isbn=9781844037148 |accessdate=25 June 2012}}

Commercial performance

The album was commercially successful, appearing in the top 30 album charts of twelve countries, and achieving platinum certification sales in four countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.

Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Hucknall, except where noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Come to My Aid

| length1 = 4:03

| writer1 = Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre

| title2 = Sad Old Red

| length2 = 4:33

| writer2 =

| title3 = Look at You Now

| length3 = 3:02

| writer3 =

| title4 = Heaven

| length4 = 4:32

| writer4 = David Byrne, Jerry Harrison

| title5 = Jericho

| length5 = 6:03

| writer5 =

| total_length =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title1 = Money's Too Tight (to Mention)

| length1 = 4:13

| writer1 = John Valentine, William Valentine

| title2 = Holding Back the Years

| length2 = 4:30

| writer2 = Hucknall, Neil Moss

| title3 = (Open Up the) Red Box

| length3 = 3:56

| writer3 =

| title4 = No Direction

| length4 = 3:41

| writer4 = Hucknall, Dave Fryman

| title5 = Picture Book

| length5 = 5:49

| writer5 = Hucknall, McIntyre

| total_length =

}}

=2008 Collector's Edition bonus tracks=

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc one, CD: remixes

| title1 = Money's Too Tight (to Mention)

| length1 = 8:29

| note1 = The Cutback Mix

| writer1 = John Valentine, William Valentine

| title2 = Come to My Aid

| length2 = 6:40

| writer2 = Hucknall, McIntyre

| note2 = Survival Mix

| title3 = Holding Back the Years

| length3 = 5:48

| writer3 = Hucknall, Neil Moss

| note3 = Extended Mix

| title4 = Jericho

| length4 = 6:47

| writer4 =

| note4 = Extended Mix

| title5 = Open Up the Red Box

| length5 = 6:24

| writer5 =

| note5 = Extended Mix

| total_length =

}}

Disc two, DVD: Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (8 July 1986)

  1. "Grandma's Hands" (Bill Withers)
  2. "Sad Old Red"
  3. "Open Up the Red Box"
  4. "The Right Thing"
  5. "No Direction" (Hucknall, Fryman)
  6. "I Won’t Give Up"
  7. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss)
  8. "Picture Book" (Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre)
  9. "Love Fire" (Bunny Wailer)
  10. "Jericho"
  11. "I Won't Feel Bad" (Hucknall, McIntyre, Tim Kellett, Chris Joyce, Tony Bowers, Sylvan Richardson)
  12. "Suffer" (Hucknall, Lamont Dozier)
  13. "Infidelity" (Hucknall, Dozier)
  14. "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (John Valentine, William Valentine)
  15. "Come to My Aid" (Hucknall, McIntyre)
  16. "Jericho" [Instrumental]
  17. "Heaven" (Byrne, Harrison)
  18. "Move on Out"
  19. "Look at You Now"

Personnel

Simply Red

Guest Musicians

  • David Fryman – guitars (8), backing vocals (8)
  • Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone (2, 4, 5)
  • Ian Dickson – tenor saxophone (2, 4, 5)
  • Francis Foster – congas (1, 3)

Production

  • Producer – Stewart Levine
  • Engineered and mixed by Femi Jiya
  • Assistant engineer – Chris Dickie
  • Mastered by Arun Chakraverty at Master Room (London, England)
  • CD mastering – Barry Diament
  • Sleeve design – Peter Barrett
  • Front cover photo – Simon Fowler
  • Back cover photo – Malcolm Heywood

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Weekly chart performance for Picture Book

! scope="col"| Chart (1986)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993|p=275}}

| 6

{{album chart|Austria|10|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=31 October 2011}}
{{album chart|Canada|7|chartid=0694|rowheader=true|access-date=8 January 2024}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|1|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=31 October 2011}}
scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine |title=European Hot 100 Albums |magazine=Music & Media |volume=3 |issue=24 |date=21 June 1986 |page=16 |oclc=29800226}}

| 4

{{album chart|Germany4|8|id=324|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=8 January 2024}}
scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlist){{cite news |url=https://timarit.is/page/2517598?lang=en |title=Ísland (LP-plötur) |newspaper=DV |language=is |date=4 July 1986 |page=43 |issn=1021-8254 |via=Timarit.is}}

| 1

scope="row"| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|magazine=Musica e dischi|language=it|access-date=30 May 2022}} Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Picture book" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".

| 8

{{album chart|New Zealand|9|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=31 October 2011}}
scope="row"| Spanish Albums (AFYVE){{cite book |last=Salaverrie |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=es |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE |isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

| 12

{{album chart|Sweden|26|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=31 October 2011}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|12|artist=Simply Red|album=Picture Book|rowheader=true|access-date=31 October 2011}}
{{album chart|UK2|2|date=19860601|rowheader=true|access-date=8 January 2024}}
scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Simply-Red/chart-history/billboard-200 |title=Simply Red Chart History (Billboard 200) |magazine=Billboard |access-date=8 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716050552/https://www.billboard.com/music/Simply-Red/chart-history/billboard-200 |archive-date=16 July 2019}}

| 16

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 1986 year-end chart performance for Picture Book

! scope="col"| Chart (1986)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993|p=438}}

| 16

scope="row"| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM){{cite magazine |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.8824&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.8824.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.8824 |title=Top 100 Albums of '86 |magazine=RPM |volume=45 |issue=14 |date=27 December 1986 |page=9 |issn=0033-7064 |via=Library and Archives Canada}}

| 29

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=a |title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1986 |language=nl |publisher=Dutch Charts |access-date=8 January 2024}}

| 2

scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine |title=European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986 |magazine=Music & Media |volume=3 |issue=51/52 |date=27 December 1986 |page=35 |oclc=29800226}}

| 7

scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1986 |title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1986 |publisher=GfK Entertainment |language=de |access-date=8 January 2024}}

| 8

scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1986-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1986|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=5 February 2022}}

| 21

scope="row"| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine |title=Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986) |magazine=Music Week |date=24 January 1987 |page=25 |issn=0265-1548}}

| 20

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/1986/the-billboard-200 |title=Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums – 1986 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=24 October 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209212901/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/1986/the-billboard-200 |archive-date=9 December 2012}}

| 49

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 1987 year-end chart performance for Picture Book

! scope="col"| Chart (1987)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{sfn|Kent|1993|p=439}}

| 58

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1987&cat=a |title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1987 |language=nl |publisher=Dutch Charts |access-date=8 January 2024}}

| 77

scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media){{cite magazine |title=European Charts of the Year 1987 – Albums |magazine=Music & Media |volume=4 |issue=51/52 |date=26 December 1987 |page=35 |oclc=29800226}}

| 90

scope="row"| UK Albums (Gallup){{cite magazine |title=Gallup Year End Charts 1987 – Albums |magazine=Record Mirror |date=23 January 1988 |page=37 |issn=0144-5804}}

| 52

{{col-end}}

Certifications and sales

{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Picture Book}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|certyear=1992|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=2|source=book|id=253}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=Austria|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|type=album|artist=Simply Red|title=Picture Book|award=Gold|relyear=1985|certyear=1986|certref={{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-12-27.pdf|title=European Gold & Platinum Awards 1986|magazine=Music & Media|page=33|date=27 December 1986|accessdate=7 July 2019}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|certyear=1986|type=album|region=France|award=Gold|source=infodisc}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=Germany|award=Gold|number=3}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=album|artist=Simply Red|title=Picture Book|award=Gold|salesamount=250,000|salesref=|certref={{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-12-27.pdf|title=European Gold & Platinum Awards 1986|magazine=Music & Media|page=33|date=27 December 1986|accessdate=7 July 2019}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=Netherlands|award=Platinum}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|id=1987-05-15|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|artist=Simply Red|title=Picture Book|relyear=1985|certyear=1987|award=Gold|certref={{cite book|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8|title=Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990|publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales|language=Spanish|isbn=8480486392}}|accessdate=16 August 2019}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=United Kingdom|award=Platinum|number=5|id=5096-666-2}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Picture Book|artist=Simply Red|relyear=1985|type=album|region=United States|award=Platinum}}}

{{certification Table Bottom}}

References

{{Reflist}}

=Bibliography=

{{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

{{Refend}}

External links

  • [http://www.simplyred.com/music/index.php?display=album&albumid=2#musictitle Simply Red official website album page]

  • [https://archive.today/20130416133711/http://www.radio3net.ro/dbartists/supersearch/U2ltcGx5IFJlZA==/Simply%20Red Picture Book] (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)

{{Simply Red}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1985 debut albums

Category:Simply Red albums

Category:Albums produced by Stewart Levine

Category:Elektra Records albums