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Free (Rick Astley album)

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Free
Studio album by
Rick Astley
Released18 February 1991 (1991-02-18)[1]
Recorded1990
Length48:24
LabelRCA
Producers
  • Gary Stevenson
  • Rick Astley
Rick Astley chronology
Dance Mixes
(1990)		 Free
(1991)		 Body & Soul
(1993)
Singles from Free
  1. "Cry for Help"
    Released: 14 January 1991
  2. "Move Right Out"
    Released: 18 March 1991
  3. "Never Knew Love"
    Released: 17 June 1991

Free is the third studio album by English singer Rick Astley, released on 18 February 1991 by RCA Records. It was his first album not to be produced by the noted production team of Stock Aitken Waterman. It gave Astley another hit single in the ballad "Cry for Help", which became a Top 10 hit in both the UK and US. Further singles "Move Right Out" and "Never Knew Love" were less successful. Free reached the UK Top 10 and the US Top 40 and marked the end of a successful four-year period for Astley.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarHalf star[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[3]
MSN MusicStar[4]
NME3/10[5]
Rolling StoneStarStar[6]
The Vancouver SunStarStarStar[7]

Track listing

[edit]

Original release

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."In the Name of Love"
4:27
2."Cry for Help"
4:54
3."Move Right Out"
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:50
4."Be with You"
4:07
5."Really Got a Problem"
  • Astley
  • King
4:15
6."Is This Really Love?†"Astley3:26
7."This Must Be Heaven"
  • Nicky Brown
  • Jeffrey Cohen
  • John Lind
4:42
8."Never Knew Love"
  • Derek Bordeaux
  • John Paul Taylor
3:07
9."The Bottom Line"Astley5:13
10."Wonderful You"Astley5:08
11."Behind the Smile"Astley4:33
Total length:48:24
Japanese release
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Some Kinda Love [8]"Astley4:30
11."Wonderful You"Astley5:08
12."Behind the Smile"Astley4:33
Total length:52:48

Note

  • † Not on LP PL74896

2010 reissue

[edit]

On 3 May 2010 an expanded edition of Free was released in a package containing both newly expanded and remastered editions of Free and Body and Soul.[9]

Free... Plus bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Some Kinda Love"Astley4:27
13."So Glad"Astley3:24
14."Cry for Help" (single edit)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
4:19
15."Move Right Out" (7" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:55
16."Never Knew Love" (7" remix)
  • Bordeaux
  • Taylor
3:07
17."Cry for Help" (12" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
6:27
18."Move Right Out" (vox, piano, strings mix)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:38

2024 remaster

[edit]

A remastered edition of the album was released on 30 August 2024, including a double CD album with a reimagined version of "Cry for Help" on the CD1 from his compilation album The Best of Me, also included with B-sides, instrumentals, and remixes for the CD2 and an LP vinyl.[10][11]

2024 remastered edition disc 1 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Cry for Help" (reimagined)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:50
13."Some Kinda Love"Astley4:24
14."So Glad" (demo)Astley3:22
15."Call Me"Astley4:02
16."Move Right Out" (vox, piano, strings mix)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:35
2024 remastered edition disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cry for Help" (7" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
4:20
2."Move Right Out" (7" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:53
3."Never Knew Love" (7" version)
  • Bordeaux
  • Taylor
3:06
4."Cry for Help" (single edit)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
4:05
5."Move Right Out" (Rick's mix)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:53
6."In the Name of Love" (Arty Olive mix)
  • McDonald
  • Sanford
4:20
7."Cry for Help" (12" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
6:27
8."Move Right Out" (12" version)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
6:34
9."Never Knew Love" (3 Day mix)
  • Bordeaux
  • Taylor
8:35
10."Move Right Out" (instrumental)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:52
11."Never Knew Love" (instrumental)
  • Bordeaux
  • Taylor
3:10
12."This Must Be Heaven" (instrumental)
  • Brown
  • Cohen
  • Lind
4:46
13."Call Me" (instrumental)Astley4:00

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

[edit]

Production

[edit]
  • Producers – Rick Astley and Gary Stevenson
  • Engineers – Gary Stevenson and Henrik Nilson
  • Assistant engineers – Andy Baker, Allan Krohn and Craig Portells
  • Mixing – Ren Swan
  • Art direction – Rick Astley
  • Sleeve design – Mike Orr and the Broughton Design Group
  • Photography – Paul Cox
  • Management – Tony Henderson

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Certifications and sales for Free
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Spain (Promusicae)[22] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "BPI".
  2. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Free – Rick Astley". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  3. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0857125958.
  4. ↑ "Free by Rick Astley on Msn Music". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 23 May 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Maconie, Stuart (2 March 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 35. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Bloom, Steve (30 May 1991). "Rick Astley: Free : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Mackie, John (9 May 1991). "Pop". The Vancouver Sun.
  8. ↑ In Japan, this song was used as the commercial song for the soft drink "Mitsuya Cider," and Astley appeared in the commercial. https://www.cdjournal.com/research/-/6786#google_vignette
  9. ↑ O'Brien, Neil. "Free…plus + Body & Soul plus". Rickastley.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  10. ↑ Free (2024 Remaster) 1LP Vinyl + 2CD Deluxe, retrieved 3 November 2024
  11. ↑ "Excited to announce a re-mastered version of 'Free' will be released on the 30th of August ❤️ Pre-save following the link in bio and listen to the new version of 'Cry For Help' now!". YouTube. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Rick Astley – Free" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rick Astley – Free" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Rick Astley – Free" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  16. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 3 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Hold me in your arms".
  17. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  18. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Rick Astley – Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "Rick Astley Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  20. ↑ "Rick Astley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  22. ↑ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano.
  23. ↑ "British album certifications – Rick Astley – Free". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2012. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Free Rick Astley in the "Search:" field.
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