Welcome to the Beautiful South

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Loftus |first=Johnny |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/welcome-to-the-beautiful-south-mw0000202283 |title=Welcome to the Beautiful South – The Beautiful South |website=AllMusic |access-date=15 August 2009}}

| rev2 = Calgary Herald

| rev2score = B+{{cite news |last1=Mayes |first1=Alison |title=Recent Releases |work=Calgary Herald |date=1 Feb 1990 |page=E3}}

| rev3 = Los Angeles Times

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |last=Waller |first=Don |author-link=Don Waller |title=The Beautiful South, 'Welcome to the Beautiful South,' Elektra / Beats International, 'Let Them Eat Bingo,' Elektra |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=13 May 1990}}

| rev4 = NME

| rev4score = 5/10{{cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Len |title=Heaton Trifles |magazine=NME |date=21 October 1989 |page=41}}

| rev5 = Orlando Sentinel

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |last=Gettelman |first=Parry |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/04/27/the-beautiful-south/ |title=The Beautiful South |newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |date=27 April 1990 |access-date=24 February 2023}}

| rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |last=Harris |first=Keith |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |chapter=The Beautiful South |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/55 55]}}

| rev7 = The Village Voice

| rev7score = A−{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv790-90.php |title=Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=31 July 1990 |access-date=11 February 2018}}

}}

The Calgary Herald stated that "Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway set killer-clever lyrics against clean, techno-free arrangements." The Times noted the success of the first two singles, but opined that the rest of the album "offers little advance on that same tuneful but ineffably twee indie-pop formula."{{cite news |title=Update – Rock |work=The Times |date=11 November 1989 |department=Features}}

NME included the album in their "Top 100 Albums You've Never Heard" list, in 2012.{{cite magazine |title=Top 100 Albums You've Never Heard |magazine=NME |date=February 2012}}

All songs written by Paul Heaton and Dave Rotheray, except where noted.

1. "Song for Whoever" – 6:10
2. "Have You Ever Been Away?" – 5:12
3. "From Under the Covers" – 4:05
4. "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" – 4:41
5. "Girlfriend" {{small|(Antonio Reid, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds)}} – 2:54
6. "Straight in at 37" – 4:29 (cassette and CD bonus track){{cite web|last1=King|first1=David|title=The Beautiful South Discography|url=http://user.xmission.com/~dking/bsdiscog.htm|website=xmission.com|accessdate=2014-11-15}}
7. "You Keep It All In" – 2:54
8. "Woman in the Wall" – 5:16
9. "Oh Blackpool" – 3:01
10. "Love Is..." – 7:04
11. "I Love You (But You're Boring)" – 4:31

;2004 Japanese reissue bonus tracks

1. "You and Your Big Ideas"
2. "You Just Can't Smile It Away" {{small|(Bill Withers)}}
3. "It's Instrumental"
4. "But 'Til Then"
5. "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (Orchestral Mix)

As what was to become their usual modus operandi, Welcome to The Beautiful South included unreleased material on the B-sides of the singles taken from their albums.

from the "Song for Whoever" 12-inch single and CDEP

• "Song for Whoever"
• "Straight in at 37"
• "You and Your Big Ideas"

from the "You Keep It All In" 12-inch single and CDEP

• "You Keep It All In"
• "You Just Can't Smile It Away" (Bill Withers)
• "I Love You (But You're Boring)"
• "It's Instrumental"

from the "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" 12-inch single and CDEP

• "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (single mix)
• "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (LP Mix )
• "But 'Til Then"
• "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (Orchestral Mix )

;The Beautiful South

• Paul Heaton – vocals
• Dave Hemingway – vocals
• Dave Rotheray – guitar
• Sean Welch – bass
• Dave Stead – drums

;Additional personnel

• Briana Corrigan – vocals
• Pete Wingfield – keyboards, piano
• Mel Wesson – keyboards, drum programs
• Martin Ditcham – percussion
• Peter Thoms – trombone
• Gary Barnacle – saxophone, flute
• John Thirkell – trumpet, fluglehorn

;Inside sleeve photography

• John Woods

{{Reflist}}

{{The Beautiful South}}

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Category:1989 debut albums

Category:The Beautiful South albums

Category:Albums produced by Mike Hedges

Category:Go! Discs albums