Suddenly (Billy Ocean album)

Suddenly
Studio album by
Released12 September 1984
RecordedAugust 1983 – March 1984
Studio
Genre
Length45:12
LabelJive
ProducerKeith Diamond
Billy Ocean chronology
Inner Feelings
(1982)
Suddenly
(1984)
Love Zone
(1986)
Singles from Suddenly
  1. "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)"
    Released: August 1984
  2. "Loverboy"
    Released: November 1984
  3. "Suddenly"
    Released: March 1985
  4. "Mystery Lady"
    Released: June 1985
  5. "The Long and Winding Road"
    Released: October 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Suddenly is the fifth studio album by British singer Billy Ocean, released on 12 September 1984 by Jive Records. It featured his first major US pop hit single "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to that, his biggest success on the US charts had been a number-22 placing for "Love Really Hurts Without You" in 1976, which was one of a number of UK hits he had achieved by the release of this album. Despite these earlier hits, Suddenly became Ocean's first charting album in the United Kingdom, reaching number nine on the UK Album Chart. It also reached number nine in the US, and spawned two additional US top-five singles in the title track and "Loverboy", while a fourth single, "Mystery Lady", reached the US top 40. "Caribbean Queen" and "Suddenly" also reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Keith Diamond and Billy Ocean, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)"7:52
2."Mystery Lady (Diamond, Ocean, James Woodley)"5:02
3."Syncopation (Diamond, Ocean, Jolyon Skinner)"5:20
4."The Long and Winding Road (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)"4:40
5."Loverboy" (Diamond, Ocean, Robert Lange)"5:16
6."Lucky Man"4:21
7."Dancefloor (Diamond, Ocean, Barry J. Eastmond)"4:14
8."If I Should Lose You"3:59
9."Suddenly"3:53

Expanded edition (released July 2011)

[edit]
No.TitleLength
10."Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) (Extended mix)"8:16
11."Lucky Man (Extended version)"6:07
12."Mystery Lady (Extended version)"6:49
13."Loverboy (Extended club mix)"8:08

Note

[edit]

On the European release, the first track was "European Queen (No More Love on the Run)" (4:50), replacing "Caribbean Queen".[2] On the UK Jive release (HIP 12) the track length was given (and measured) as 7:52 and titled "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)".

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

[edit]
  • Billy Ocean – lead and backing vocals, Simmons drums, LinnDrum
  • Barry J. Eastmond – keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangements
  • Keith Diamond – synth bass, Simmons drums, LinnDrum, backing vocals
  • Clarence "Binky" Brice – guitars
  • Vic Linton – guitars
  • Eddie Martinez – guitars
  • Geoff Whitehorn – guitars
  • Timmy Allen – bass guitar
  • Terry Silverlight – drums (4, 9)
  • Tony Maroni – percussion
  • Andy Newton – percussion
  • V. Jeffrey Smith – saxophone
  • Chrissie Faith – backing vocals
  • Lisa Fischer – backing vocals
  • Katie Kissoon – backing vocals
  • Curtis King – backing vocals
  • Stevie Lange – backing vocals
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals
  • Meekaeel Muhammad – backing vocals

Technical

[edit]
  • Producer – Keith Diamond
  • Executive Producer - Robert John "Mutt" Lange (track 5)
  • Engineers – Steve Goldman, Bryan "Chuck" New and Pete Robbins.
  • Mixing – Keith Diamond and Bryan "Chuck" New
  • Art Direction and Design – Donn Davenport
  • Cover Illustration – Linda Fennimore
  • Photography – Michael Hoppen

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Suddenly
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[19] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[21] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Suddenly". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Billy Ocean - Suddenly (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1984. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  3. ^ Kent 1993, p. 221.
  4. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9615". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Billy Ocean – Suddenly" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  6. ^ "European Top 100 Albums". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 29/30. 29 July 1985. p. 14. OCLC 29800226.
  7. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Billy Ocean". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 188. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Ocean – Suddenly" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – Billy Ocean – Suddenly". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Billy Ocean Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Billy Ocean Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Talent Almanac 1985 – Top Black Albums". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. 22 December 1984. p. TA-22. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Kent 1993, p. 437.
  15. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. p. 14. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  16. ^ "Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985)". Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548.
  17. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Ocean – Suddenly". Music Canada. 23 June 1988.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Billy Ocean – Suddenly". British Phonographic Industry. 2 July 1985. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  21. ^ "American album certifications – Billy Ocean – Suddenly". Recording Industry Association of America. 5 September 1985.

Bibliography

[edit]