The Lexicon of Love

The Lexicon of Love
Studio album by ABC
Released	June 25, 1982
Recorded	1981/1982
Genre	New Wave, New Romantic, synthpop
Length	37:25
Label	Neutron Records (UK) Mercury Records (USA) Vertigo Records (Canada and Europe)
Producer	Trevor Horn, Steve Brown
ABC chronology
The Lexicon of Love (1982) Beauty Stab (1983)

The Lexicon of Love is the critically acclaimed chart-topping debut album by British pop band ABC, released in 1982. It is a concept album in which the singer experiences heartache as he tries and fails to have a meaningful relationship.

It was produced by Trevor Horn, engineered by Gary Langan, and featured orchestration by Anne Dudley and Fairlight CMI programming by JJ Jeczalik; Horn, Langan, Dudley and Jeczalik would later form the Art of Noise. Indeed, most of the production team and sessions players listed below would form the basis for the ZTT label, and their work with Horn meant all concerned would be in constant demand throughout the industry in years to come.

"Tears Are Not Enough" (in its initial release produced by Steve Brown), "All of My Heart", "Poison Arrow", and "The Look of Love (Part One)" were all Top 20 hits in the UK; the last two also charted in the US, peaking at #25 and #14 respectively. The album reached #1 on the British charts, and peaked at #24 in the U.S. charts. In 2004, a deluxe 2-disc reissue including outtakes and early demos and a live performance of the album from 1982 was released on the Neutron label.

Critical acclaim

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Blender
The Observer	(favourable)
PopMatters	(favourable)
Q
Rolling Stone
Spin
Robert Christgau	A−
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

• NME listed it number 15 on its list of 50 albums of the 80s.
• NME listed it number 3 on its list of 50 albums of the year 1982.
• Uncut listed It number 52 on its list of 100 greatest debut albums.
• Mojo listed it in its list of 9 albums of the year 1982.
• The Village Voice listed it number 19 on its list of 20 albums of the year 1982.
• Q magazine listed it number 40 on its list of the 100 greatest British albums ever.
• Q magazine readers voted The Lexicon of Love the 92nd greatest album of all time.
• The Observer Music Monthly listed it number 42 on its list "Top 100 British Albums".

Track listing

All songs written by ABC except where indicated.

Original release (Neutron NTRS 1)

Side One

1. "Show Me" – 4:02
2. "Poison Arrow" – 3:24
3. "Many Happy Returns" – 3:56
4. "Tears Are Not Enough" – 3:31
5. "Valentine's Day" – 3:42

Side Two

1. "The Look of Love" (Part One) – 3:26
2. "Date Stamp" – 3:51
3. "All of My Heart" – 5:12
4. "4 Ever 2 Gether" – 5:30 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
5. "The Look of Love" (Part Four) – 1:02

1996 Digitally re-mastered edition (Mercury 514942-2)

1. "Show Me" – 4:02
2. "Poison Arrow" – 3:22
3. "Many Happy Returns" – 3:58
4. "Tears Are Not Enough" – 3:29
5. "Valentine's Day" – 3:40
6. "The Look of Love (Part One)" – 3:29
7. "Date Stamp" – 3:51
8. "All of My Heart" – 5:18
9. "4 Ever 2 Gether" – 5:30 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
10. "The Look of Love (Part Four)" – 0:56
11. "Tears Are Not Enough (Demo)" - 3:29*
12. "Poison Arrow (Jazz Re-Mix)" - 6:54*
13. "The Look of Love (U.S. Special Remix - Edit)" - 5:43 [mislabelled as "The Look of Love (1990 Re-Mix)"]*
14. "Alphabet Soup (12" mix)" - 8:02*
15. "Theme from Mantrap" - 4:19*
16. "The Look of Love (Live)" - 6:07*

• Tracks with * are bonus

1998 Re-issue (Mercury/Neutron 538 250-2)

1. "Show Me" – 4:02
2. "Poison Arrow" – 3:24
3. "Many Happy Returns" – 3:56
4. "Tears Are Not Enough" – 3:31
5. "Valentine's Day" – 3:42
6. "The Look of Love" (Part One) – 3:26
7. "Date Stamp" – 3:51
8. "All of My Heart" – 5:12
9. "4 Ever 2 Gether" – 5:30 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
10. "The Look of Love" (Part Four) – 1:02
11. "Theme from Man Trap" - 4:19*

• track with * is bonus

2004 deluxe edition (Mercury 982 437-3)

Disc one

Part 1

The Original Album

1. "Show Me" – 4:02
2. "Poison Arrow" – 3:24
3. "Many Happy Returns" – 3:56
4. "Tears Are Not Enough" – 3:31
5. "Valentine's Day" – 3:42
6. "The Look of Love" (Part One) – 3:26
7. "Date Stamp – 3:51
8. "All of My Heart" – 5:12
9. "4 Ever 2 Gether" – 5:30 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
10. "The Look of Love" (Part Four) – 1:02

    Part 2

    The Original Singles

11. "Overture" – 3:59 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
12. "Tears Are Not Enough" [original single version] – 3:36
13. "Alphabet Soup" – 8:03
14. "Theme from Man Trap" – 4:19
15. "Poison Arrow" [North American Jazz Mix] – 7:06

    Part 3

    An Oddity and An Out-Take

16. "Into the Valley of the Heathen Go" – 2:00
17. "Alphabet Soup" [BBC Swapshop version] – 3:13

Disc two

Part 4

The Route to the Lexicon

1. "Tears Are Not Enough" [Phonogram Demo 20 July 1981] – 3:32
2. "Show Me" [Phonogram Demo 20 July 1981] – 4:03
3. "Surrender" [Phonogram Demo 20 July 1981] — (song deleted from album’s original release at "the 11th hour") – 3:29

   Part 5

   The Lexicon of Love—Live at Hammersmith Odeon November 1982

4. "Overture" – 3:56 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
5. "Show Me" – 4:21
6. "Many Happy Returns" – 7:02
7. "Tears Are Not Enough" – 5:33
8. "Date Stamp" – 7:07
9. "The Look of Love" [Complete Suite] – 5:59
10. "All of My Heart" – 6:45
11. "Valentine's Day" – 4:44
12. "4 Ever 2 Gether" – 6:53 [co-written by Anne Dudley]
13. "Alphabet Soup" – 8:26
14. "Poison Arrow" – 5:22

Band lineup

• Martin Fry: vocals
• David Palmer: drums and percussion
• Stephen Singleton: alto and tenor saxophones
• Mark White: guitars and keyboards

Guest musicians

• Anne Dudley: keyboards and orchestration
• Brad Lang: bass guitar
• Mark Lickley: bass guitar on "Tears Are Not Enough", "Poison Arrow" and "The Look of Love"
• J. J. Jeczalik: Fairlight programmer
• Kim Wear: trumpet
• Andy Gray: trombone on "Tears Are Not Enough"
• Luis Jardim (mis-spelled as "Louis Jardin" on album notes): Additional percussion
• Tessa Webb: female vocal lead on "Date Stamp"
• Gaynor Sadler: harp
• Karen Clayton: female speaking voice in "Poison Arrow"

Production crew

• Trevor Horn — producer
• Gary Langan — engineer
• Gered Mankowitz — film photography
• Paul Cox — band photography
• Pete Bill — cover photography
• Visible Inc. — design
• Neutron Records — design

2004 deluxe edition credits

• Gary Moore — digital remastering
• Daryl Easlea — album coordinator and compiler
• Martin Fry — compiler
• Deluxe Graphics@Green Ink — artwork restoration and adaption

References

• Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8. 

• "ABC: The Lexicon of Love". AcclaimedMusic.net. Best of All-time Lists, Best of Decade Lists, etc. http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A549.htm. Retrieved 1 October 2011. 

Preceded by Avalon by Roxy Music

UK Albums Chart number one album 3 July 1982 – 17 July 1982

Succeeded by Fame, Original Soundtrack by Michael Gore