Red (The Communards album)

Red is the second and final studio album by British synth-pop duo the Communards, released on 5 October 1987^[4] by London Records in the United Kingdom and MCA Records in the United States. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and number 93 on the US Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum in the UK. Red features the singles "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Tomorrow", "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" and "For a Friend".

Red
Studio album by the Communards
Released	5 October 1987[1]
Recorded	June–August 1987
Studio	Advision (London)
Genre	Synth-pop Eurodance[2][3]
Length	45:11
Label	London
Producer	Stephen Hague the Communards
The Communards chronology
Communards (1986) Red (1987) Heaven (1994)
Singles from Communards
"Tomorrow" Released: August 1987 "Never Can Say Goodbye" Released: October 1987 "For a Friend" Released: February 1988 "There's More to Love" Released: May 1988

Notable songs

"Never Can Say Goodbye"

Main article: Never Can Say Goodbye

The Clifton Davis-penned song was originally performed by the Jackson 5,^[5] but this rendition is similar to Gloria Gaynor's disco version.^[2][6][7] Jimmy Somerville's "straight ahead"^[6] vocals are a strength of the song, with Andy Kellman of AllMusic crediting him with producing a recording that "stands apart" from other versions.^[2] The single proved successful on both sides of the Atlantic; reaching number 4 in the UK and number 51 in the US,^[5][8] while being certified silver in the UK.^[9] The track was used in the Doctor Who episode "Father's Day".^[10]

"For a Friend"

Main article: For a Friend

The last cut on the original vinyl side one is an emotional ballad. It was written in memory of Mark Ashton, a friend of Somerville and Richard Coles who died of HIV/AIDS.^[2][7] Mark Hooper of The Rough Guide to Rock writes that this cut may be Somerville's "most impassioned moment".^[7] It was among the first pop songs to address AIDS.^[11] "For a Friend" reached number 28 on the British charts.^[5] It was featured in the soundtrack of the 2014 film Pride.^[12] It was also one of the songs played at Burberry’s February 2018 show, marking Christopher Bailey’s final outing for the brand.^[13]

Artwork and title

The album cover is white with a grey five-pointed star containing two faces in profile (the group's logo). Directly above the star is the band's name in plain all capital letters. Above the band's name in red flowing script is the album title 'Red'. The title is a nod to the duo's socialist leanings at the time. The US issue features the cover in red.^[6]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Record Mirror	[14]
Smash Hits	8/10[15]

Opinions vary as to where this album stands next to its predecessor, Communards. Andy Kellman of AllMusic's retrospective review feels it "tops their respectable debut in nearly every aspect" and that the singles "Tomorrow" and "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" are "stronger than anything on the debut".^[2] On the other hand, Kate Walter of Spin said it is "weaker than [their] sizzling debut album".^[6] Balancing these opinions was Mark Hooper of The Rough Guide to Rock who wrote that the album is "every bit as accomplished as its predecessor".^[7]

Kellman's review praises the production work of Stephen Hague and calls the album "a defining Euro-dance record of the latter half of the '80s".^[2] Walter credits Cole's "rickety–tickety synthesizers" and "tingly keyboards" along with Somerville's "squeals" and "whoops" as strengths of the album but bemoans the lack of cohesion of the album's side two compared to its first half.^[6]

Track listing

Written by Richard Coles and Jimmy Somerville, except where noted

LP

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Tomorrow"	4:52
2.	"There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl"	4:38
3.	"Matter of Opinion"	4:27
4.	"Victims"	4:32
5.	"For a Friend"	5:03

Side two

No.	Title	Length
6.	"Never Can Say Goodbye" (Clifton Davis)	4:53
7.	"Lovers and Friends" (Coles)	4:16
8.	"Hold on Tight"	4:49
9.	"If I Could Tell You" (W. H. Auden, Somerville)	4:17
10.	"C Minor"	5:10
Total length:		45:11

CD

CD1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Tomorrow"	4:52
2.	"T.M.T.♥.T.B.M.G."	4:38
3.	"Matter Of Opinion"	4:27
4.	"Victims"	4.32
5.	"For A Friend"	5.03
6.	"Never Can Say Goodbye"	4:53
7.	"Lovers And Friends"	4:16
8.	"Hold On Tight"	4:49
9.	"If I Could Tell You"	4:17
10.	"C Minor"	5:10
Total length:		45:11

2012 Re-issue^[16]

CD1 Bonus Tracks

No.	Title	Length
11.	"For A Friend (BBC Unplugged Live)"	3:50
12.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (San Paulo Mix)"	7:03
13.	"Romanze For Violin, Piano & Hedgehog"	4:29
14.	"There's More To Love (Jalapeno Mix)"	7:47
15.	"Tomorrow (Extended 12" Version)"	7:15
16.	"Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart"	2:48
Total length:		78:23

CD2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (Shep Pettibone Extended Mix)"	11:14
2.	"When The Boy In Your Heart Is The Boy In Your Arms"	2:26
3.	"I Just Want To Let You Know"	3:25
4.	"Scat"	3:32
5.	"Piece Of Saxophone"	3:28
6.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (San Paulo Dub Mix)"	6:24
7.	"For A Friend (Remix)"	5:02
Total length:		35:31 113:54

Storm Paris

No.	Title	Length

Bonus Tracks

No.	Title	Length
16.	"Spanish Rap (El Amor No Es Solo Un Hombre Y Una Mujer)"	1:08
17.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (Instrumental Mix)"	5:48

2022 Re-issue^[17]

CD1 Bonus Tracks

No.	Title	Length
11.	"I Just Want To Let You Know"	3:25
12.	"Scat"	3.29
13.	"'77 The Great Escape"	2:17
14.	"I Do It All For You"	5:07
15.	"Romanze For Violin, Piano And Hedgehog"	4:26
16.	"Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart"	2:45
17.	"When The Boy In Your Heart Is The Boy In Your Arms"	2:24
18.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (Spanish Vocal)"	4:50
19.	"Piece Of Saxophone"	3:29
Total length:		77:23

CD2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (The 2 Bears Remix)"	9:59
2.	"There's More To Love (Jalapeño Mix)"	7:47
3.	"Tomorrow (Overnight Mix)"	5:27
4.	"For A Friend (Remix)"	5:02
5.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (Shep Pettibone Extended Mix)"	11:14
6.	"C Minor (Live)"	3:36
7.	"Victims (Storm Paris)"	5:16
8.	"Hold On Tight (Storm Paris)"	3:48
9.	"There's More To Love (Percapella)"	5:07
10.	"Tomorrow (Demo)"	4:54
11.	"Never Can Say Goodbye (Rough Mix)"	4:54
12.	"For A Friend (Rough Mix)"	4:34
13.	"Hold On Tight (Demo)"	4:40
Total length:		76:18 153:41

Personnel

The Communards

• Jimmy Somerville – lead vocals and backing vocals
• Richard Coles – synthesizers, piano and drum machine

Additional musicians

• Rob Fisher – synthesizer and sequencer
• Dave Renwick – bass
• Gary Barnacle – soprano saxophone
• Simon Clarke – alto saxophone and baritone saxophone
• Pandit Dinesh – percussions
• Sally Herbert – violin
• Judd Lander – harmonica
• Roddy Lorimer – trumpet
• June Miles-Kingston – drums and backing vocals
• Audrey Riley – cello
• Jocelyn Pook – viola
• Tim Sanders – tenor saxophone
• Steve Sidwell – trumpet
• Anne Stephenson – violin
• Annie Whitehead – trombone
• Jo Pretzel – synthesizers
• Zita Wadwa – additional vocals
• Caroline Buckley – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Red Chart (1987–1988) Peak position Australian (Kent Music Report)[18] 97 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19] 15 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[20] 32 European Albums (Music & Media)[21] 10 French Albums (IFOP)[22] 3 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 22 Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)[24] 19 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[25] 29 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 20 UK Albums (OCC)[27] 4 US Billboard 200[28] 93 Chart (2022) Peak position Scottish Albums (OCC)[29] 52

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Red Chart (1987) Position UK Albums (Gallup)[30] 67 West German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[31] 60

Certifications

Certifications for Red

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[32]	2× Gold	200,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[33]	Platinum	100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[34]	Gold	25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[35]	Platinum	300,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.