Welcome to the Pleasuredome

Infobox Album |
Name = Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Type = Album
Artist = Frankie Goes to Hollywood


Released = start date|1984|10|29
Recorded = 1983-1984
Genre = Pop/Rock
Length = 64:04
Label = ZTT/Island
Producer = Trevor Horn
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:47dovwzva9lk~T1 link]
Last album =

This album = "Welcome to the Pleasuredome"
(1984)
Next album = "Bang! (Japan-only LP)"
(1985)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Cover
Type = Album


Lower caption = The original CD cover, which was taken from one of the vinyl's dust jackets.

"Welcome to the Pleasuredome" was the debut album by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, first released in the UK in October 1984 by ZTT/Island Records. Originally issued as a vinyl double album, it was assured of a UK chart entry at number one due to reported advance sales of over one million.

Whilst commercially successful, the album also drew criticism for containing new versions of the group's (already much-remixed) hit singles from the same year ("Relax" and "Two Tribes", plus B-side "War"), as well as a surfeit of cover versions in lieu of much new original material.

However, the album's evergreen ballad "The Power of Love" would subsequently provide the group with their third consecutive UK number one single.

Track listing

LP: ZTT / ZTTIQ 1 flagicon|UK

(Also issued as identically pressed double picture disc in clear PVC sleeve, cat no: NEAT 1)All songs written by Peter Gill/Holly Johnson/Brian Nash/Mark O'Toole, unless otherwise noted.

ide 1 ("F / pray frankie pray")

# "well..." – 0:55
# "The World Is My Oyster" – 1:02
# "snatch of fury" (Stay) (Gerry Marsden) – 0:36
# "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" – 12:58

ide 2 ("G / say frankie say")

# "Relax" (Come Fighting) (Gill/Johnson/O'Toole) – 3:56
# "War" (...and hide) (Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield) – 6:12
# "Two Tribes" (for the victims of ravishment) (Gill/Johnson/O'Toole) – 3:23
# "(tag)" – 0:35

ide 3 ("T / stay frankie stay")

# "fury (Go)" (Marsden) – 1:49
# "Born to Run" (Bruce Springsteen) – 3:56
# "San Jose" (The Way) (Bacharach/David) – 3:09
# "Wish (The Lads Were Here)" (Gill/Johnson/O'Toole) – 2:48
# "The Ballad of 32" – 4:47

ide 4 ("H / play frankie play")

# "Krisco Kisses" – 2:57
# "Black Night White Light" – 4:05
# "The Only Star in Heaven" – 4:16
# "The Power of Love" – 5:28
# "bang..." – 1:08

* "snatch of fury" and "fury" are versions of the song "Ferry Cross the Mersey". "fury" was accidentally titled "ferry" on the LP's dust jacket.
* "(tag)", a spoof on Prince Charles ruminating on the nature of orgasms, was unlisted on the vinyl packaging.

CD: Polystar / PSCD-1176

Initial CD pressings had an altered tracklist, featuring the 9:08 Annihilation mix of "Two Tribes" and the b-side "Happy Hi!", while removing the covers of "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey" and "San Jose". "The Last Voice" was a hidden track on the "Two Tribes" single, featuring an improvised voiceover from Patrick Allen, narrator of the "Protect and Survive" public information films.

# "The World Is My Oyster" – 1:57
#*"Actually contains "well..." and "The World Is My Oyster"
# "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" – 13:38
#*"Actually contains "snatch of fury (Stay)" and the title track"
# "Relax" (Come Fighting) – 3:56
# "War (and hide)" – 6:12
# "Two Tribes" (Annihilation) – 9:08 Listed as "for the victims of ravishment"
# "The Last Voice" – 1:14
# "Born to Run" – 4:13
# "Happy Hi!" – 4:12
# "Wish (The Lads Were Here)" - 2:50
# "The Ballad of 32" – 4:45
# "Krisco Kisses" – 2:57
# "Black Night White Light" – 4:05
# "The Only Star in Heaven" – 4:16
# "The Power of Love" – 5:28
# "bang..." – 1:08

Subsequent CD versions of the album have generally reverted to the original vinyl LP's track listing and cover art. It should be noted that all CD copies continue to amalgamate the first side of the LP into two tracks, and most erroneously list the contents of these first two tracks; the correct contents are listed above. Many CD pressings have also removed the vocals on "snatch of fury (Stay)". A 2000 reissue included the bonus B-side tracks "One September Monday" (4:50) and "One February Friday" (4:58).

Credits

* Holly Johnson: lead vocals
* Brian Nash: guitar
* Peter Gill: drums
* Mark O'Toole: bass
* Paul Rutherford: vocals
* J. J. Jeczalik: programming
* Andrew Richards: keyboards
* Louis Jardim: percussion
* Anne Dudley: keyboards, string arrangement on "The Power of Love"
* Steven Lipson: guitar
* Steve Howe: acoustic guitar (on the track "Welcome to the Pleasuredome")
* Trevor Horn: producer

succession box
before = "Give My Regards to Broad Street"
by Paul McCartney
title = UK number one album
years = November 10, 1984 – November 16 1984
after = "Make It Big" by Wham!