Cowboy (album)

Cowboy is the eighth studio album by Erasure, released in 1997 by Mute Records in the UK. In the US, it was released by Madonna's former label Maverick Records. Cowboy was produced by Gareth Jones and Neil McLellan and marked the band's return to more simplistic three-minute synthpop music.

Cowboy
Studio album by
Erasure
Released31 March 1997 (1997-03-31)
Recorded1996
Studio37B, Chertsey, Surrey[1]
GenreSynthpop
Length49:20
LabelMute Records,
Maverick Records
ProducerNeil McLellan, Gareth Jones
Erasure chronology
Erasure
(1995)		 Cowboy
(1997)		 Loveboat
(2000)
Singles from Cowboy
  1. "In My Arms"
    Released: 6 January 1997
  2. "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
    Released: 24 February 1997
  3. "Rain"
    Released: 24 November 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

After disappointing sales and chart placing of their last studio album Erasure, Cowboy returned the duo to the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and it contains three singles (two of which hit the UK Top 30). In the US, Cowboy greatly improved Erasure's Billboard 200 peak over their previous album, and first single "In My Arms" gave them another Hot 100 entry. Sales also improved in Germany, where Cowboy peaked at number thirty-four.

The album contains eleven Vince Clarke/Andy Bell originals in its UK version. For its US release, the album artwork was changed slightly, the original version of "In My Arms" was replaced with a slightly-different US mix and two bonus tracks were added: a cover version of Blondie's "Rapture" (with Clarke providing the rap); and a version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Magic Moments" originally recorded by Perry Como that Erasure had contributed to the Lord of Illusions soundtrack.

Erasure embarked on another major tour of the UK and US to promote this album, in their trademark style it contained elaborate stage settings and costumes (including Clarke dressed as a guitar-playing cactus).

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, except where noted.

  1. "Rain" – 4:10
  2. "Worlds on Fire" – 3:37
  3. "Reach Out" – 3:47
  4. "In My Arms" – 3:28
  5. "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" – 3:46
  6. "Precious" – 3:31
  7. "Treasure" – 3:04
  8. "Boy" – 3:41
  9. "How Can I Say" – 3:17
  10. "Save Me Darling" – 4:01
  11. "Love Affair" – 3:39
  12. "Rapture" (Debbie Harry/Chris Stein) - 6:34 (US-only bonus track)
  13. "Magic Moments" (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) – 2:37 (US-only bonus track)

2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

Chart performance
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart[3] 27
Canadian Albums Chart[4][5] 69
Finnish Albums Chart[6] 40
German Albums Chart[7] 34
Swedish Albums Chart[8] 19
UK Albums Chart[9] 10
US Billboard 200 Chart[10] 43

Personnel
  • Tracie Ackerman – Vocals (background)
  • Jordan Bailey – Vocals (background)
  • Andy Bell – Voices
  • Andy Caine – Vocals (background)
  • Vince Clarke – Multi Instruments
  • Graham Dominy – Assistant Engineer
  • Larimie Garcia – Design
  • Luke Gifford – Engineer
  • George Holt – Engineer
  • Gareth Jones – Producer
  • Neil McLellan – Producer
  • Kevin Reagan – Design
  • Sam Smith – Vocals (background)
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – Mixing
  • Darren Tai – Assistant Engineer
  • Paul Walton – Assistant Engineer

Release history
Region Date
United Kingdom 31 March 1997 (1997-03-31)
United States 22 April 1997 (1997-04-22)

References
  1. Miller, Jonathan. "Erasure - Under Cover". Garethjones.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. AllMusic review
  3. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - Cowboy". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  5. "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  6. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - Cowboy". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  7. "charts.de". charts.de. 31 March 1997. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  8. Steffen Hung. "Erasure - Cowboy". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  9. "The Official Charts Company - Cowboy by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  10. Erasure. "Erasure - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
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