Welcome to the Beautiful South

Infobox Album
Name = Welcome to the Beautiful South
Type = Album
Artist = The Beautiful South


Released = October, 1989 (UK)
Recorded = 1988
Genre = Rock
Length = 50:17
Label = Go! Discs Records
Producer = Mike Hedges, The Beautiful South
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:z7d3vwvva9uk link]
Last album =
This album = "Welcome to the Beautiful South"
(1989)
Next album = "Choke"
(1990)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Cover
Type = Album


Lower caption = Alternate Cover

"Welcome to the Beautiful South" was the debut album by The Beautiful South released in August 1989. Three singles were released from the album: "Song for Whoever" (#2 in the UK), "You Keep It All In" (#8) and "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (#31).

Jan Saudek's album cover originally depicted two pictures, one of a woman with a gun in her mouth, and another with a man smoking. The cover was refused by Woolworths, not just because they thought people would point guns at their faces, but mainly because they thought it might cause people to take up smoking. So a second, overly-cute cover was made, depicting a fluffy bunny rabbit and a Teddy bear.

The album made it to number 2 in the charts, and contains some odd songs, including "From Under the Covers" (a song about oversleeping) and "Woman in the Wall" (a song that is popular in concert, about a man who kills his wife.) "Song for Whoever" - sung from the point of view of an insincere songwriter who romances women solely to get material for love songs - would set the mold for much of the band's future work, with its lush musical backing and cynical lyrics. It also contains a cover version of "Girlfriend", a song by R&B singer Pebbles.

The B-Side to the single "Song for Whoever" was called "Straight in at No. 36" - a reference to songs which enter the Top 40 and proceed to climb up the charts. Incidentally, "Song for Whoever" peaked at #35.

Track listing

All songs written by Paul Heaton and Dave Rotheray, except where noted.

# "Song for Whoever" - 6:10
# "Have You Ever Been Away" - 5:12
# "From Under the Covers" - 4:05
# "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" - 4:41
# "Girlfriend" (Antonio Reid/Kenny Edmunds) - 2:54
# "Straight in at 37" (CD bonus) - 4:29
# "You Keep It All In" - 2:54
# "Woman in the Wall" - 5:16
# "Oh Blackpool" - 3:01
# "Love Is" - 7:04
# "I Love You (But You're Boring)" - 4:31

Japanese version

There is also a Japanese reissue released in 2004. It features all the 11 original plus 5 additional bonus tracks:
# "You and Your Big Idea"
# "You Just Can't Smile It Away"
# "It's Instrumental"
# "But 'Til Then"
# "I'll Sail This Ship Alone" (Orchestral Mix)