The Innocents (Erasure album)

The Innocents is the third studio album by Erasure, released in 1988. Produced by Stephen Hague and released by Mute Records in Germany and the UK and Sire/Reprise Records in the USA, it was the release that made Erasure superstars in their home country of the UK and gave them their long-awaited breakthrough in America.

The Innocents
Studio album by
Erasure
Released18 April 1988 (1988-04-18) (Germany/UK)
10 April 1988 (1988-04-10) (USA)
26 October 2009 (2009-10-26) - "21st Anniversary Edition"
RecordedFall 1987
GenreSynthpop
Length40:08
LabelMute (Germany/UK) - Stumm 55
Sire/Reprise (USA)
ProducerStephen Hague, Dave Jacob, Erasure
Erasure chronology
The Circus
(1987)		 The Innocents
(1988)		 Wild!
(1989)
Singles from The Innocents
  1. "Ship of Fools"
    Released: 22 February 1988
  2. "Chains of Love"
    Released: 30 May 1988
  3. "A Little Respect"
    Released: 10 September 1988
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Record Collector[2]
Smash Hits[3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[4]

The Innocents became the first in a string of number-one albums by Erasure in the UK, turning double platinum with sales over 600,000. Thanks to heavy exposure on MTV, it also spawned two major Billboard Hot 100 hits, a Top 50 placing on the Billboard 200 and Platinum album certification in the US. According to Nielsen SoundScan, 23 years after its release the album has sold a total of 5 million copies worldwide. It is their best selling album to date.

The album was remastered and re-released on 26 October 2009 (2009-10-26) to celebrate its 21st anniversary. Prefaced by an EP of remixes led by album track "Phantom Bride," the 21st Anniversary Edition came in a couple of flavours including a limited edition two CD/DVD set, packed inside a CD-sized 20-page hardback book that includes interviews with Vince Clarke and Andy Bell about the making of the record and their thoughts on all the tracks.

The second CD includes various rarities, including the 7″ version of the duo's take on "River Deep, Mountain High" and US-specific remixes of "Chains of Love" and "A Little Respect" that were not released in the UK singles box set.

The album cover image derives from the stained glass window of St. James and Charlemagne, in Chartres Cathedral.[5]

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, unless otherwise noted.

Standard edition
  1. "A Little Respect" - 3:32
  2. "Ship of Fools" - 4:01
  3. "Phantom Bride" - 3:32
  4. "Chains of Love" - 3:45
  5. "Hallowed Ground" - 4:05
  6. "Sixty-Five Thousand" - 3:23
  7. "Heart of Stone" - 3:20
  8. "Yahoo!" - 3:48
  9. "Imagination" - 3:28
  10. "Witch in the Ditch" - 3:45
  11. "Weight of the World" - 3:40

CD / Cassette bonus tracks
  1. "When I Needed You (Melancholic Mix)" - 4:22
  2. "River Deep, Mountain High (Private Dance Mix)" (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) - 7:02

21st Anniversary Edition

CD One

same as above

CD Two
  1. "Ship of Fools (Shiver Me Timbers Mix)" - 7:53
  2. "When I Needed You" - 4:00
  3. "River Deep Mountain High (7" Version)" - 3:20
  4. "Chains of Love (The Unfettered Mix)" - 8:28
  5. "Don’t Suppose (Country Joe Mix)" - 5:58
  6. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (The Dangerous Remix)" (Ennio Morricone) - 4:42
  7. "A Little Respect (12" House Mix)" - 6:44
  8. "Like Zsa Zsa Zsa Gabor (Mark Freegard Mix)" - 4:56
  9. "Love Is Colder Than Death" - 2:13
  10. "Phantom Bride (Live BBC 'In Concert')" - 4:08
  11. "Heart of Stone (Live BBC 'In Concert')" - 3:37
  12. "Hallowed Ground (Live BBC 'In Concert')" - 3:55
  13. "Witch in the Ditch (Live BBC 'In Concert')" - 3:53

DVD

The Innocents Live – NEC Birmingham 15/11/88

  1. "Chains of Love"
  2. "A Little Respect"
  3. "The Circus"
  4. "The Hardest Part"
  5. "Push Me Shove Me"
  6. "Spiralling"
  7. "Hallowed Ground"
  8. "Oh L’Amour"
  9. "Who Needs Love Like That"
  10. "Stop!"
  11. "Victim of Love"
  12. "Ship of Fools"
  13. "Knocking on Your Door"
  14. "Sometimes"
  15. "Witch in the Ditch" (previously unreleased)
  16. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" (previously unreleased) (Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus)

The Innocents at the BBC

  1. "Ship of Fools" – Going Live!
  2. "A Little Respect" – Top of the Pops
  3. "The Innocents Live" (BBC 35-minute TV Special - First Broadcast 12 December 1988)

The Innocents - Promotional Videos

  1. "Ship of Fools"
  2. "Chains of Love"
  3. "A Little Respect"

The Innocents Live - Downloads

  1. MP3 files of The Innocents Live

2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

Chart performance
Chart (1988) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart[6][7] 54
German Albums Chart[8] 8
New Zealand Albums Chart[9] 50
Norwegian Albums Chart[10] 18
Swedish Albums Chart[11] 13
Swiss Albums Chart[12] 15
UK Albums Chart[13] 1
US Billboard 200[14] 49

References
  1. Raggett, Ned. "The Innocents – Erasure". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  2. Elliott, Mark (April 2016). "Erasure – Wonderland, The Circus, The Innocents". Record Collector (452). Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  3. Heath, Chris (4 May 1988). "Albums". Smash Hits.
  4. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  5. "THE INNOCENTS (ALBUM)". Erasure Information Service. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  7. "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  8. "charts.de". charts.de. 15 November 1988. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  9. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - The Innocents". charts.nz. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  10. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - The Innocents". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  11. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - The Innocents". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  12. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - The Innocents". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  13. "The Official Charts Company - The Innocents by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  14. Erasure. "Erasure - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
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