The Firm (album)

This article is about the debut album by the rock band of the same name. For the soundtrack album, see The Firm (soundtrack). For the album by the rap group The Firm, see The Album (The Firm album).

The Firm is the first studio album by British rock band the Firm, released by Atlantic Records on 11 February 1985. Its tracks range from the epic "Midnight Moonlight", based on a previously unreleased song by Led Zeppelin called "Swan Song" – first tinkered with during the Physical Graffiti sessions – to the commercially successful "Radioactive". "Closer" employs a horn section to subtle effect. The album also includes a version of the Righteous Brothers' hit "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".

The Firm
Studio album by The Firm
Released	11 February 1985
Recorded	1984
Studio	Sol Studios, Cookham, Berkshire, England. Mixed at Sol Studios. Mastered at The Townhouse, London, England.
Genre	Rock
Length	40:19
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers
The Firm chronology
The Firm (1985) Mean Business (1986)
Jimmy Page chronology
Whatever Happened to Jugula? (1985) The Firm (1985) Mean Business (1986)
Singles from The Firm
"Radioactive" Released: 1985 "Closer" Released: 1985 "Satisfaction Guaranteed" Released: 1985

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]
Smash Hits	7/10[3]

The Firm peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart, and reached No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart. The song "Radioactive" topped Billboard's Top Rock Tracks chart for one week.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Closer"	Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers	2:52
2.	"Make or Break"	Rodgers	4:21
3.	"Someone to Love"	Page, Rodgers	4:55
4.	"Together"	Page, Rodgers	3:54
5.	"Radioactive"	Rodgers	2:49

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (The Righteous Brothers cover)	Phil Spector, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil	4:33
2.	"Money Can't Buy"	Rodgers	3:35
3.	"Satisfaction Guaranteed"	Page, Rodgers	4:07
4.	"Midnight Moonlight"	Page, Rodgers	9:13

^[1]

Personnel

The Firm

• Paul Rodgers – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, production
• Jimmy Page – acoustic and electric guitars, production
• Tony Franklin – fretless bass, keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals
• Chris Slade – drums and percussion^[4]

Additional musicians

• Steve Dawson – trumpet on "Closer"
• Paul "Shilts" Weimar – baritone saxophone on "Closer"
• Willie Garnett – tenor saxophone on "Closer"
• Don Weller – tenor saxophone solo on "Closer"
• Sam Brown, Helen Chappelle & Joy Yates – backing vocals on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" & "Midnight Moonlight"^[4]

Production personnel

• Stuart Epps – engineering
• Gordon Vicary – mastering
• Steve Maher – cover artwork
• Steve Privett – tape operation; supplier of tea, gin and tonics^[4]

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Kerrang!	UK	Albums of 1985[5]	1985	20

Charts

Album

Chart (1985)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart[6]	15
Swedish Albums Chart[7]	21
Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[8]	16
US Billboard 200[9]	17
Dutch Albums Chart[10]	51

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	"Radioactive"	UK Singles Chart[11]	76
1985	"Radioactive"	US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[12]	1
1985	"Radioactive"	US Billboard Hot 100[13]	28
1985	"Radioactive"	US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[14]	28
1985	"Radioactive"	Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[15]	75
1985	"Closer"	US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[16]	19
1985	"Satisfaction Guaranteed"	US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[17]	4
1985	"Satisfaction Guaranteed"	US Billboard Hot 100[18]	73
1985	"Satisfaction Guaranteed"	US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[19]	78

Certifications

Country	Sales	Certification
United States (RIAA)	500,000+	Gold[20]
Canada (CRIA)	50,000+	Gold[21]

References

1. "The Firm - The Firm | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
2. ^{[dead link]}
3. Duff, Linda (28 February – 13 March 1985). "Albums: The Firm – The Firm (Atlantic)". Smash Hits. Vol. 7, no. 5. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
4. "The Firm - The Firm | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
5. "Kerrang! Albums of 1985". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
6. Warwick, Neil (2004). "The Firm – 2 March 1985". The Complete Book of the British Charts (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 409. ISBN 1-84449-058-0.
7. "Top 60 Albums – 8 March 1985". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
8. "RPM Albums Chart – 30 March 1985". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
9. "The Billboard 200 – 13 April 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
10. "Top 20 Albums – 15 November 1997". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
11. "Top 100 Singles – 23 February 1985". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
12. "Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks – 16 March 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
13. "Hot 100 Chart – 13 April 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
14. "Top 100 Singles – 13 April 1985". cashboxmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
15. "RPM Singles Chart – 13 April 1985". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
16. "Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks – 23 March 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
17. "Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks – 18 May 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
18. "Hot 100 Chart – 18 May 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
19. "Top 100 Singles – 25 May 1985". cashboxmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
20. "RIAA.org The Firm – 11 April 1985". RIAA. Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
21. "CRIA The Firm – 31 December 1997". CRIA. Retrieved 19 January 2009.