How to Be a...Zillionaire!

Infobox Album
Name = How to Be a...Zillionaire!
Type = studio
Artist = ABC


Released = January 1985
Recorded = October 1984
Genre = Dance-pop
Length = 37:52
Label = Mercury
Producer = Martin Fry, Mark White
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:58q6g44ttvjz link]
*Review-Christgau|B-|album=4281
Last album = "Beauty Stab"
(1983)
This album = "(How to Be a) Zillionaire!"
(1985)
Next album = "Alphabet City"
(1987)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio

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Lower caption = The international commercial release Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = The Record Club and initial CD version

"How to Be a... Zillionaire!" is an album by the band ABC. It was released in January 1985 (see 1985 in music). Four singles were released from this album, "Be Near Me" (UK singles chart: 26, U.S. Billboard Hot 100: 9), "(How to Be a) Millionaire" (UK: 49, U.S.: 20), and "Vanity Kills" (UK: 74, U.S.: 91), and the fourth was "Ocean Blue", (UK: 54). The album peaked on the UK Albums Chart at 28 and on the Billboard 200 at 30.

Editions released of this album

The original British promo pressing

On the cover the album's title is in the foreground lit up like a spotlight against a tri-tone background on which various quotes of the albums lyrics can be seen. There is also a drop shadow behind the title.

No dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Eden (see band line up in next section) does the harmony vocal on the song "Ocean Blue". Guitars completely absent from Side Two/Tracks 6-10. No cursing from Eden in the song "A to Z". Four seconds of silence between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire". Eden performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".

The international commercial release

On the cover the spotlight effect is gone. The tri-tone background is rotated 180°. There is a third layer of elements on the cover consisting of animation artwork, specifically storyboards for the "Be Near Me" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" music videos.

Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on previous pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is censored in the UK pressing in the song "A to Z", but uncensored on the U.S. pressing. "A to Z" immediately segues into "(How to Be a) Millionaire". Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".

The Record Club and initial CD version

On the cover the Spotlight effect is retained. Solid blue background.

No dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". An uncredited Steve Vining (aka Theodore Chipmunk II/Melvin Squirrel) does the harmony vocal on "Ocean Blue". There is an orchestral overdub on "Ocean Blue" as well. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" as on previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".

The 2005 version

The cover is a recreation of the cover to the international commercial release.

Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on the initial pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" as on the previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".

Track listing

All songs were written by Martin Fry and Mark White.

ide one

#"Fear of the World" – 3:50
#"Be Near Me" – 3:37
#"Vanity Kills" – 3:28
#"Ocean Blue" – 3:36
#"15 Storey Halo" – 5:36

ide two

#"A to Z" – 2:49
#"(How to Be a) Millionaire" – 3:34
#"Tower of London" – 3:36
#"So Hip It Hurts" – 4:17
#"Between You and Me" – 3:16

Additional tracks on initial CD pressing

#

"Fear of the World" (In CinemaScope) – 4:40
#"Be Near Me" (Munich Disco mix) – 5:27
#"(How to Be a) Zillionaire" (Bond Street mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire") – 6:05
#"Vanity Kills" (The Abigail's Party mix) – 5:08

Additional tracks on 2005 version

#

"(How to Be a) Trillionaire" (Harajuku mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire") – 3:38
#"What's Your Destination?" (B-side to U.K. version of "Be Near Me" single) – 3:38
#"Vanity Kills" (U.S.A. remix) – 5:40
#"Vanity Kills" (The Abigail's Party mix) – 5:08
#"Ocean Blue" (same mix as on Record Club/initial CD pressing) – 3:40
#"Judy's Jewels" (B-side to "Vanity Kills" single) – 2:03
#"Fear of the World" (in CinemaScope) – 4:40
#"Tower of London" (instrumental version) – 3:38

Personnel

*Martin Fry – vocals
*Mark White – Emulator II, Fairlight CMI, synthesizers
*Fiona Russell-Powell, also known as Eden – vocals and record scratching
*David Yarritu – Spoken voice
*Gary Moberley – Fairlight CMI
*Don Snow – Piano, synthesizers
*Keith LeBlanc – Rhythm beatbox programming, drums

Additional personnel

*Skip McDonald – guitar
*Chris Whitten – drums
*David Williams – guitar
*David Palmer – hi-hat cymbal, drums on "Ocean Blue" on the Record Club/Initial CD version
*Guy Barker – trumpet
*Brad Lang - bass
*Alan Carvell – background vocals
*Jackie Challenor – background vocals
*Lorenza Johnson – background vocals
*P.P. Arnold – tertiary backing vocals on "Ocean Blue" (all pressings except Record Club/Initial CD version)

Production

*Martin Fry – writer, producer
*Mark White – writer, producer, arranger
*Martyn Webster – chief engineer
*Julian Mendelsohn – mixing and second engineer
*Mark Stent – assistant engineer
*Paul Corkett – assistant engineer
*Dietmar Schillinger – assistant engineer
*Heff Morales – assistant engineer
*Mike Drake – assistant engineer
*Paul Wright – assistant engineer
*Charles Harrowell – assistant engineer
*Ian Cooper – analog mastering engineer
*Daryl Easlea – digital pre-mastering and album sequencing
*Gary Moore – digital mastering engineer
*Nick Knight – photography
*Keith Breeden at Design KB – art direction
*Alan Best – animation art
*Ted Hall – animation art
*Peter Care – dialogue and photo modeling director
*Anne Dudley – string arrangement on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only, uncredited)
*Ross Bagdasarian – string concertmaster on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only, uncredited)

References

* [http://www.abcmartinfry.com/abchowtobe/ Album page from official ABC site]