Our Favourite Shop

Our Favourite Shop
Studio album by The Style Council
Released	9th May 1985
Recorded	December 1984 to March 1985
Genre	Rock
Length	49:01
Label	Polydor Records
Producer	Paul Weller (for Solid Bond Productions), Peter Wilson
The Style Council chronology
Café Bleu (1984) Our Favourite Shop (1985) Home and Abroad (1986)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Uncut	[2]

Our Favourite Shop is the second album from the band The Style Council. The majority of the album's material was released (with different sequencing and packaged with an entirely different cover design) in the USA as Internationalists by Geffen Records (which has been a sister label to Polydor Records, the band's UK label, since 1998, under Universal Music Group).

Lyrical targets include racism, excessive consumerism, the effects of self-serving governments, the suicide of one of Weller's friends and what the band saw as an exasperating lack of opposition to the status quo. All of this pessimism is countered with an overarching sense of hope and delight that alternatives do actually exist—if only they can be seen. The album contained the Top 10 singles "Shout to the Top!", which reached #7 in the UK, and "Walls Come Tumbling Down!", which reached #6 in the UK.

The US version titled "Internationalists" was also available as a Columbia Record & Tape House selection for the issue year 1985.

The contained musical styles are also far-ranging. Soul, rap, jazz and rock stylings all occur on the album.

Track listing

Original UK tracklisting

• All Songs Written By Paul Weller, except where noted.

1. "Homebreakers" (Mick Talbot, Paul Weller)
2. "All Gone Away"
3. "Come to Milton Keynes"
4. "Internationalists" (Talbot, Weller)
5. "A Stones Throw Away"
6. "The Stand Up Comic's Instructions" *
7. "Boy Who Cried Wolf"
8. "A Man of Great Promise"
9. "Down in the Seine"
10. "The Lodgers (or She Was Only a Shopkeeper's Daughter)" (Talbot, Weller)
11. "Luck" (Talbot, Weller)
12. "With Everything to Lose" (Steve White, Weller)
13. "Our Favourite Shop" (Talbot)
14. "Walls Come Tumbling Down"

US Tracklisting (released as Internationalists)

1. "Homebreakers"
2. "All Gone Away"
3. "Come to Milton Keynes"
4. "Internationalists"
5. "A Stones Throw Away"
6. "Boy Who Cried Wolf"
7. "A Man of Great Promise"
8. "Down in the Seine"
9. "The Lodgers (or She Was Only a Shopkeeper's Daughter)"
10. "Luck"
11. "With Everything to Lose"
12. "Shout to the Top!" (USA Mix)
13. "Walls Come Tumbling Down"

Australia/New Zealand Tracklisting

1. "The Big Boss Groove"
2. "All Gone Away"
3. "Come to Milton Keynes"
4. "Internationalists"
5. "A Stones Throw Away"
6. "With Everything to Lose"
7. "Walls Come Tumbling Down"
8. "A Man of Great Promise"
9. "Down in the Seine"
10. "The Lodgers (or She Was Only a Shopkeeper's Daughter)"
11. "Luck"
12. "Boy Who Cried Wolf"
13. "Our Favourite Shop"
14. "Shout to the Top!"

Deluxe Edition Tracklisting

Disc One

1. "Homebreakers"
2. "All Gone Away"
3. "Come To Milton Keynes"
4. "Internationalists"
5. "A Stones Throw Away"
6. "The Stand Up Comics Instructions"
7. "Boy Who Cried Wolf"
8. "A Man Of Great Promise"
9. "Down In The Seine"
10. "The Lodgers (Or She Was Only The Shop Keepers Daughter)"
11. "Luck"
12. "With Everything To Lose"
13. "Our Favourite Shop"
14. "Walls Come Tumbling Down"
15. "Shout To The Top (Mix)"
16. "Shout To The Top (Instrumental)"

Disc Two

1. "The Piccadilly Trail"
2. "Ghosts Of Dachau"
3. "Spin Drifting"
4. "The Whole Point II"
5. "Blood Sports"
6. "(When You) Call Me"
7. "Our Favourite Shop (Club Mix)"
8. "The Lodgers (Club Mix)"
9. "The Lodgers (Extended Mix)"
10. "The Big Boss Groove (Live)"
11. "Move On Up (Live)"
12. "You're The Best Thing (Live)"
13. "Money Go Round Medley: Soul Deep/Strength Of Your Nature (Live)"
14. "A Stone's Throw Away (Demo)"
15. "(When You) Call Me (Demo)"
16. "A Casual Affair"
17. "Soul Deep (Council Collective)"
18. "Lodger" (The Lodgers demo)
19. "Internationalist" (Internationalists demo)
20. "Everything To Lose (Blue Remix)"
21. "Our Favourite Shop (Alternate Version)"

• Most countries (except for the original UK pressing) omitted the track "The Stand Up Comic's Instructions" as it was deemed that the lyrics were racist. The guest vocalist was British comedian Lenny Henry. It was included on the UK pressing.

Personnel

• Paul Weller - Vocals/Guitars/Bass Guitar/Synth
• Mick Talbot - Hammond Organ/Keyboards
• Steve White - Drums/Percussion

• Dee C. Lee - Vocals
• Lenny Henry - Vocals
• Tracie Young - Vocals
• Camelle Hinds - Bass
• Stewart Prosser - Trumpet/Flugel Horn
• David Defries - Trumpet/Flugel Horn
• Mike Mower - Flute/Saxophone
• Chris Lawrence - Trombone
• Clark Kent - Contra Bass
• Gary Wallis - Percussion
• John Mealing - Orchestration/String arrangement
• Anne Stephenson - Violin
• Charlie Buchanan - Violin
• Jocelyn Pook - Viola
• Audrey Riley - Cello
• Peter Wilson - Keyboard Sequencing
• Patrick Grundy-White - French Horn
• Steve Dawson - Trumpet
• Billy Chapman - Saxophone
• Kevin Miller - Bass
• Helen Turner - Piano

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Stephen Troussé Uncut, March 2007.

See also

Preceded by Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits

UK number one album June 8, 1985 – June 14, 1985

Succeeded by Boys and Girls by Bryan Ferry