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Fairground (song)

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"Fairground"
Single by Simply Red
from the album Life
B-side
Released18 September 1995 (1995-09-18)
GenreDance
Length
  • 4:23 (single and video version)
  • 5:34 (album version)
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Simply Red singles chronology
"Your Mirror"
(1992) 		"Fairground"
(1995) 		"Remembering the First Time"
(1995)
Music video
"Fairground" on YouTube

"Fairground" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released on 18 September 1995 as the first single from their fifth album, Life (1995). Co-written and co-produced by frontman Mick Hucknall, it makes extensive use of a sample of Dutch duo the Goodmen's 1993 hit "Give It Up". It became Simply Red's first and only No. 1 single on the UK Singles Chart, staying at the top for four weeks in September and October 1995, and was also a chart hit in mainland Europe and Australia but failed to generate long-term success in North America.

Background and release

When "Fairground" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, it had already been released to UK radio stations for almost a month, via satellite with the first promotional copies following a few days later. The single was placed in heavy rotation on top-40 radio stations, which resulted in it reaching the top of the airplay charts. When the single was released to the public on 18 September 1995, it had already been the most played record on British radio.[1]

Composition

Producer Andy Wright has said that for "Fairground", Mick Hucknall wanted to do a Brazilian, carnival-style track. Whilst Mick was at the dentist for two hours, Andy had the idea to sample a record that he knew of: "Give It Up" by the Goodmen,[2] which in turn samples "Fanfarra (Cabua-le-le)" by Sérgio Mendes.[3] To round out the track, Fritz McIntyre played the house-style piano element, Ian Kirkham used the EWI (electronic wind instrument) to play the clarinet-style part, and Andy Wright made the wobbly, dreamy sound heard in the verses.[4]

Critical reception

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet noted the "hot rhythms and odd harmonies" of the song, adding that the album "would have needed even more such songs".[5] AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann said that Mick Hucknall "opts for a Latin-tinged sound that ends up evoking Herb Alpert more than Milton Nascimento". Another editor, Jon O'Brien deemed the song "a mesmerizing fusion of tribal rhythms and ambient chillout pop".[6] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as an "expectedly romantic soul tune", adding that "fueled by his now instantly familiar voice, the track combines old-school warmth with street-smart percussion that is largely derived from samples of "Give It Up" by the Goodmen. At the core are wonderfully soothing lyrics and a melody that permanently sticks to the brain upon impact."[7] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger commented that it "surprised people at the time, and on the verses at least it's their strangest-sounding single. "Driving down an endless road..." it begins, and that's not at all a bad description of the lonesome vibe here – the odd combination of flowing, tumbling Latin percussion and Hucknall's ruminative vocal, working together to create something genuinely arresting, even haunting."[8]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media noted that it is "totally different from Hucknall's previous singles but still very much him thanks to the one-in-a-million voice and the trademark composition." They added that "the fairground attraction" of the single is its "percussive arrangement and clubiness."[9] A reviewer from Music Week rated it five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. The reviewer added, "No wonder radio has leapt on this, a charmingly-delivered song which couples instant commerciality in the tune stakes with a hip tribal backing. Headed straight for the summit."[10] Alan Jones said, "Despite its heavily syncopated underpinning, it is a stylish and straightforward pop song with Mick Hucknall's usual high calibre vocal and an instantly commercial chorus."[11] James Hamilton from the magazine's RM Dance Update called it "attractive".[12] People Magazine's reviewer wrote that the "energetic" song "combines soulful abandon with tribal ecstasy."[13] David Gaskey from The Rice Thresher described it as "an innovative, futuristic jazz/pop song inspired by a popular fairground outside of Milan."[14] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits stated that Hucknall "still has a lovely singing voice". However, he felt the song "sort of tinkles along merrily without really going anywhere."[15]

Chart performance

It was the first and only single by the group to reach No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.[16] It spent four weeks at the top and 14 weeks in the top 40.[16] As of October 2018, the single has sold 718,463 copies according to the Official Charts Company.[17] The track also reached No. 1 in Ireland[18] and Italy[19] and peaked within the top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.[20][21] A remix by Soulshock and Karlin was included on the US single release and received moderate success on R&B radio but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.[22]

In 2012, "Fairground" was ranked No. 47 in NME's list of the "50 best-selling tracks of the 90s", adding: "Shamelessly lifting the clattering samba percussion from The Goodmen's 'Give It Up' (but giving due credit), Mick Hucknall greeted his post-'Stars' future with a mid-tempo ballad that sounded like an on-the-money dance track. Everyone got on board the rollercoaster and Hucknall had a new diamond for his gnasher."[23]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Irish filmmaker Michael Geoghegan.[24] The video (which uses the shorter single version) shows Mick Hucknall driving in his Jaguar XK140 to and singing at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, Lancashire, that had been closed for the day and had been invaded by a group of his friends and opened up again. The majority of the video was shot on the Pepsi Max Big One and around the park, and some scenes are shot on the Promenade showing the Illuminations in 1994. Filming credits go to the single cameraman, Steven Young.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[48] Gold 35,000^
Germany (BVMI)[59] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[60] Platinum 718,463[17]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 18 September 1995
  • CD
  • cassette
 EastWest [61]
United States 26 September 1995 Contemporary hit radio [62]
3 October 1995 Rhythmic contemporary radio [63]

References

  1. ^ Masterton, James (24 September 1995). "Week Ending September 30th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Fairground". simplyred.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Headliner Magazine Issue 31". issuu. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Fairground, Simply Red - Andy Wright". www.andywrightmusic.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  5. ^ "SIMPLY RED Life". Aftonbladet. 6 October 1995.
  6. ^ "Simply Red – 25: The Greatest Hits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  7. ^ Flick, Larry (30 September 1995). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 39. p. 87. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  8. ^ Ewing, Tom (17 July 2013). "SIMPLY RED – "Fairground"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  9. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 37. 16 September 1995. p. 10. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Reviews: Singles – Single of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. 9 September 1995. p. 49. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. ^ Jones, Alan (2 September 1995). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 10. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  12. ^ Hamilton, James (30 September 1995). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 11. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Life". People. 30 October 1995. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  14. ^ Gaskey, David (19 January 1996). "Simply Red tries something new". The Rice Thresher. p. 7. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  15. ^ Sutherland, Mark (13 September 1995). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 59. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  16. ^ a b c "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  17. ^ a b Garner, George (23 October 2018). "Hitmakers: Mick Hucknall reveals the secrets of Fairground". Music Week. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  18. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Fairground". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 43. 28 October 1995. p. 25. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Simply Red – Fairground". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  21. ^ a b * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  22. ^ a b "Simply Red Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  23. ^ "50 best-selling tracks of the '90s". NME (21 May 2012). Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  24. ^ "Simply Red Fairground VIVA VHS". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2020 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ Fairground (UK CD1 liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1995. EW 001 CD1, 0630-12272-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ Fairground (Japanese CD single liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Japan. 1995. AMCE-881.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ Fairground (UK CD2 & Australasian CD single liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1995. EW 001 CD2, 0630-12273-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ Fairground (UK & Australasian cassette single cassette notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1995. EW 001 C, 0630-12274-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Fairground (European CD single liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1995. 0630-12275-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ Fairground (US CD single liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records America. 1995. 64356-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ^ Fairground (US cassette single sleeve). Simply Red. EastWest Records America. 1995. 4-64356.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  48. ^ a b "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1995". ARIA. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
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  59. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simply Red; 'Fairground')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  60. ^ "British single certifications – Simply Red – Fairground". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  61. ^ "Simply Red: Fairground" (PDF). Music Week. 16 September 1995. p. 2 (of PDF). Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  62. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1113. 22 September 1995. p. 38. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  63. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1114. 29 September 1995. p. 36. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
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