I'm No Hero

I'm No Hero is a 1980 album by Cliff Richard. The album features three hit singles, including "Dreamin'" and "A Little in Love", which were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.

I'm No Hero
Studio album by
Cliff Richard
ReleasedSeptember 1980
RecordedMay - June 1980 [1] at Riverside Recordings, London; mixed at Roundhouse Studios, London[2]
GenrePop rock, synthpop, new wave
LabelEMI
ProducerAlan Tarney
Cliff Richard chronology
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
(1979)		 I'm No Hero
(1980)		 Love Songs
(1981)
Singles from I'm No Hero
  1. "Dreamin'"
    Released: August 1980 (UK)
  2. "A Little in Love"
    Released: Dec 80 (US), Jan 81 (UK)
  3. "In the Night"
    Released: Dec 1980 (Germany only)
  4. "Give a Little Bit More"
    Released: April 1981 (US/Canada only)
Alternative cover
US version of the album
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]

Background

Following the success of his 1979 single "We Don't Talk Anymore" which was written and arranged by Alan Tarney, the record company were keen to use his services again. For the follow-up album in 1980, he was employed as producer for the entire album. This gave I'm No Hero a cohesive sound but was criticised at the time for being too unadventurous. The songs on the album were similar in style to "We Don't Talk Anymore", but it was also a success, generating two top 20 singles, while the album itself made the top five in the UK.

With the lead single "Dreamin'" released in August 1980, the album came out a few weeks later. "Dreamin'" became a top 10 hit in both the UK and US, while follow-up "A Little in Love", released belatedly in January 1981 reached No.15 in the UK and No.17 in the US.[4][5][6] The album itself made No.4 in the UK album charts, but due to the lack of singles, failed to sustain as lengthy a run in the Top 75 as his previous album.[4] The delayed release of the second single was most likely due to the release of "Suddenly", a duet with Olivia Newton-John, which had been featured on the Xanadu soundtrack. This was also a top 20 hit in the UK and US - making this the most successful period for Cliff Richard in the American market.

The album received positive reviews and kept Richard high in the charts during this, his revival period.[7] It was also the last time he would appear in the US top 20. Album track "Give a Little Bit More", which was co-written by Andy Hill, who was about to become famous as writer and producer for Bucks Fizz, was released in some countries as a single, as was "In the Night" - although this wasn't the same as the Barbara Dickson song which was released around the time (and was also produced by Tarney).[8][9][10] "Give a Little Bit More" gave Richard a third hit from the album in the US, peaking at No. 41.[11] This track was unreleased as a single in the UK, where it was covered by Johnny Logan in September 1980, but his version failed to chart.[12]

I'm No Hero was remastered and re-issued on compact disc in July 2001.[13]

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Take Another Look" (Alan Tarney) 4:11
  2. "Anything I Can Do" (Alan Tarney) 4:01
  3. "A Little in Love" (Alan Tarney) 3:42
  4. "Here (So Doggone Blue)" (Alan Tarney) 3:50
  5. "Give a Little Bit More" (Andy Hill, Jonathan Hodge) 3:35

Side Two

  1. "In the Night" (Rod Bowkett) 3:48
  2. "I'm No Hero" (Trevor Spencer, Alan Tarney) 3:25
  3. "Dreamin'" (Leo Sayer, Alan Tarney) 3:40
  4. "A Heart Will Break" (Trevor Spencer, Alan Tarney) 3:59
  5. "Everyman" (Alan Tarney) 4:11

Bonus tracks (2001 re-issue):

  1. "Dynamite" (Ian Ralph Samwell) 3:12
  2. "Keep on Looking" (Alan Tarney) 3:40

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts
Release date Single title UK Chart peak US Chart peak Australia Canada Ireland
August 1980 "Dreamin'" 8 10 4 9^ [14] 9
January 1981 "A Little in Love" 15 17 66 4^^ [15] 16
May 1981 "Give a Little Bit More" NR 41 NR 30 [16] NR
Release date Album title UK Chart peak US Chart peak Australia Canada
September 1980 I'm No Hero 4 80 28 25 [17]

NOTES:
^ "Dreaming" also made no.83 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1980" chart.[18]
^^ "A Little in Love" also made no. 33 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1981" chart.[19]
NR - not released

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Gold 100,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Platinum 100,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Cliff Richard songs.com - Recording dates
  2. https://www.discogs.com/Cliff-Richard-Im-No-Hero/release/3100897
  3. Allmusic review
  4. "Cliff Richard - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  5. Billboard.com - "Dreamin'"
  6. Billboard.com - "A Little in Love"
  7. Allmusic.com - I'm No Hero review
  8. Rate Your Music.com - "Give a Little Bit More" single
  9. Hit parade.ch - "In the Night" single
  10. "Cliff Richard - In the Night". Official German Charts. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  11. Billboard.com - "Give a Little Bit More" US Chart details
  12. https://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Logan-Give-A-Little-Bit-More-Too-Much-Too-Soon/release/2167017
  13. CD Universe.com - I'm No Hero CD re-issue
  14. "RPM Top 50 Singles - Volume 34, No. 6, December 20, 1980" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  15. "RPM Top 50 Singles - Volume 34, No. 19, April 18, 1981" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  16. "RPM Top 50 Singles - Volume 35, No. 2, June 20, 1981" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  17. "RPM Top 50 Albums - Volume 34, No. 7, January 24, 1981" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  18. "RPM Top 100 Singles of 1980 - Volume 34, No. 6, December 20, 1980" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  19. "RPM Top 100 Singles of 1981 - Volume 35, No. 22, December 26, 1981" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  20. "British album certifications – Cliff Richard – I'm No Hero". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type I'm No Hero in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  21. "Canadian album certifications – Cliff Richard – I'm No Hero". Music Canada.
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