Welcome to the Pleasuredome

Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Studio album by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Released 29 October 1984 (1984-10-29)
Recorded July 1983-1984 at Manor Studios, Oxford and Sarm Studios, London
Genre New wave, Synthpop, Hi-NRG
Length 64:00
Label ZTT (UK), Island (US)
Producer Trevor Horn
Frankie Goes to Hollywood chronology
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
(1984)		 Bang! (Japan-only LP)
(1985)
Alternative Cover
The original CD cover, which was taken from one of the vinyl's dust jackets.
Singles from Welcome to the Pleasuredome
  1. "Relax"
    Released: 24 October 1983
  2. "Two Tribes"
    Released: 28 May 1984
  3. "The Power of Love"
    Released: 19 November 1984
  4. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome"
    Released: 18 March 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
Mojo[3]
Record Collector[4]
Rolling Stone[5]
Smash Hits7/10[6]
Uncut[3]
The Village VoiceC[7]

Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the debut studio album by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, first released by ZTT and Island Records on 29 October 1984.[8] Originally issued as a vinyl double album, it was assured of a UK chart entry at number one due to reported advance sales of over one million.[8] The album was also a top ten seller internationally in countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, and New Zealand.

While commercially successful, the album also drew criticism for containing new versions of all of the songs from the group's (already much-remixed) hit singles from the same year ("Relax" and "Two Tribes", plus B-side "War"), as well as a surfeit of cover versions in lieu of much new original material. It was later revealed that Trevor Horn's production dominated the record so thoroughly that the band's own instrumental performances were often replaced by session musicians or Horn himself. Frankie's second album, Liverpool, actively featured the full band.

However, the album's evergreen ballad "The Power of Love" subsequently provided the group with their third consecutive UK number one single.

To celebrate the album's 30th anniversary, in October 2014, ZTT through Union Square Music released a limited edition (2000 copies only) boxset entitled "Inside the Pleasuredome," available exclusively from the website pledgemusic.com. Mopping up rarities on 10" vinyl, as well as a book, a DVD, a cassette (featuring 13 mixes of Relax and its b-side "One September Monday") as well as a new 2014 remastered version of the album on 180g vinyl, the boxset cost £85 to buy.

Track listing

Original LP

All songs written and composed by Peter Gill, Holly Johnson, Brian Nash and Mark O'Toole except where noted.[9][10]

Side 1: "F – Pray Frankie Pray"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Well..."  Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Andy Richards0:55
2."The World Is My Oyster"   1:02
3."Snatch of Fury (Stay)"  Gerry Marsden0:36
4."Welcome to the Pleasuredome"   12:58
Side 2: "G – Say Frankie Say"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Relax (Come Fighting)"   3:56
6."War (...and Hide)"  Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield6:12
7."Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment)"   3:23
8."(Tag)" (unlisted track) 0:35
Side 3: "T – Stay Frankie Stay"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Ferry (Go)"  Marsden1:49
10."Born to Run"  Bruce Springsteen3:56
11."San Jose (The Way)"  Burt Bacharach, Hal David3:09
12."Wish (The Lads Were Here)"   2:48
13."The Ballad of 32"   4:47
Side 4: "H – Play Frankie Play"
No.TitleLength
14."Krisco Kisses"  2:57
15."Black Night White Light"  4:05
16."The Only Star in Heaven"  4:16
17."The Power of Love"  5:28
18."Bang"  1:08
Total length:64:00

Reissues

Original CD version

The original CD version had an altered track list, offering several tracks in different versions (most notably "Two Tribes"), and omitting the cover version of "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" and replacing it with the track "Happy Hi!".

Original CDs are identifiable by their lack of bar code on the packaging. Thanks to a listing in the Record Collector magazine 1988 UK discography, it was thought that a UK release existed with the same tracks as the vinyl album, and was even given a value of £50 despite not actually existing. In reality, this disc was an import. There are in fact many pressings of early Compact Disc releases of the album, identifiable by their matrix numbers which every compact disc has around the central hole. Subsequent CD reissues reverted to the vinyl LP's track listing and cover art.

  1. "The World Is My Oyster" – 1:57 (incorporates "Well...")
  2. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" – 13:38 (incorporates "Snatch of Fury (Stay)")
  3. "Relax (Come Fighting)" – 3:56
  4. "War (...and Hide)" – 6:12
  5. "Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment) including The Last Voice" – 10:22 ("Two Tribes" version is actually "Annihilation")
  6. "Born to Run" – 4:13
  7. "Happy Hi!" – 4:12
  8. "Wish (The Lads Were Here) including The Ballad of 32" – 7:35
  9. "Krisco Kisses" – 2:57
  10. "Black Night White Light" – 4:05
  11. "The Only Star in Heaven" – 4:16
  12. "The Power of Love" – 5:28
  13. "Bang" – 1:08

25th Anniversary deluxe edition

In 2010, a deluxe edition of Welcome to the Pleasuredome was released, featuring a second disc containing rare and previously unreleased material. The first CD contains the LP version of the original album. The contents of the second CD are as follows:[11]

  1. "Relax (Greatest Bits)" – 16:59
  2. "One September Monday" – 04:49
  3. "The Power of Love" (12 inch version) – 09:30
  4. "Disneyland" – 03:07
  5. "Two Tribes (Between Rulers And Ruling)" – 04:10
  6. "War (Between Hidden And Hiding)" – 04:00
  7. "Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Cut Rough)" – 05:40
  8. "One February Friday" – 05:00
  9. "The Ballad of 32" (mix 2) – 11:03
  10. "Who Then Devised the Torment?" – 00:16
  11. "Relax" (Greek Disco mix) – 06:18
  12. "Watusi Love Juicy" – 04:03
  13. "The Last Voice" – 01:14

2016 Vinyl reissue

The album was reissued by Union Square Music under the Salvo label on limited edition white vinyl and exclusively available from larger branches of Sainsburys. The original gatefold format has been retained, as has (it appears) the original artwork, quotes and track listing.

Chart performance

Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 7
Austrian Albums Chart[13] 3
Canadian Albums Chart[14] 9
French Albums Chart[15] 7
German Albums Chart[16] 4
New Zealand Albums Chart[17] 1
Norwegian Albums Chart[18] 8
Swedish Albums Chart[19] 7
Swiss Albums Chart[20] 5
UK Albums Chart[21] 1
U.S. Billboard 200[22] 33

Personnel

Additional personnel
Production

References

  1. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome – Frankie Goes to Hollywood". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-857-12595-8.
  3. 1 2 "Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasure Dome CD". CD Universe. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Staunton, Terry (May 2010). "Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome". Record Collector (375). Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Fricke, David (17 January 1985). "Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Welcome to the Pleasuredome". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Ellen, Mark (8–21 November 1984). "Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Welcome To The Pleasure Dome (Zang Tuum Tumb)". Smash Hits: 23.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (25 December 1984). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 Thrills, Adrian (13 October 1984). "Frankie Say: Beat It!". NME. London, England: IPC Media: 2.
  9. ↑ "Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs (track lengths)". Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  10. ↑ "Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs (writing)". Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  11. ↑ "ZTT Records | Frankie Goes To Hollywood - ...Pleasuredome (Element Series edition)". ztt.com. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  12. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 118. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  13. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  14. ↑ "Bienvenue au site Web BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA | Welcome to the LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA website". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  15. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  16. ↑ "Charts-Surfer". Charts-surfer.de. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  17. ↑ Steffen Hung. "New Zealand charts portal". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  18. ↑ Steffen Hung (15 June 2006). "Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  19. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  21. ↑ "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  22. ↑ "AllMusic". AllMusic. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
Preceded by
Give My Regards to Broad Street
by Paul McCartney		 UK number one album
10 November 1984 – 16 November 1984 		Succeeded by
Make It Big by Wham!
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