White Feathers
White Feathers is the debut album by British new wave band Kajagoogoo, released on 18 April 1983 and the only album by the band to-date to feature lead vocalist Limahl. It was produced by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran and Colin Thurston, who was Duran Duran's producer at the time, except for track #5, the self-titled "Kajagoogoo", an instrumental (with some lyrics sung only in live performances), which was produced by Tim Palmer and the band. This self-titled song was featured in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles as the film's opening title song in 1984. The album contains their most successful single "Too Shy", a UK Number One hit in February 1983, as well as two other UK Top Twenty hits; "Ooh to Be Ah" and "Hang on Now".
White Feathers | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 18 April 1983[1] | |||
Recorded | 1982-1983 | |||
Studio | Chipping Norton Recording Studios and Utopia Studios, London]] | |||
Genre | New wave, synthpop | |||
Length | 34:53 (original 1983 release) 73:12 (2004 CD reissue) | |||
Label | EMI (UK) EMI America (US) | |||
Producer | Nick Rhodes Colin Thurston Tim Palmer Kajagoogoo | |||
Kajagoogoo chronology | ||||
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Singles from White Feathers | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Smash Hits | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
After the band was featured on the VH1 program Bands Reunited in 2003, renewed interest in Kajagoogoo prompted the band's original label EMI to re-issue "White Feathers" on CD in the UK for the first time in 2004 (although it had been available on CD in Japan and the USA since 1993). Originally containing ten tracks, the 2004 version of the album contained eight bonus tracks, including four B-sides plus four remixes - two of which are of "Too Shy" (both an extended and instrumental version).
Track listing
Music by Kajagoogoo. Lyrics credited below.
Side one
- "White Feathers" (Nick Beggs) – 3:28
- "Too Shy" (Beggs, Limahl) – 3:44
- "Lies and Promises" (Beggs, Limahl) – 2:51
- "Magician Man" (Limahl) – 3:42
- "Kajagoogoo" (Instrumental) (–) – 3:10
Side two
- "Ooh to Be Ah" (Limahl) – 3:14
- "Ergonomics" (Beggs, Limahl) – 3:12
- "Hang on Now" (Beggs, Limahl) – 3:26
- "This Car Is Fast" (Limahl) – 3:32
- "Frayo" (Limahl) – 4:15
Note
- The American and Canadian edition has a re-sequenced running order: "Too Shy" opens side one, while on side two "Ergonomics" is moved to track 4.
2004 remaster bonus tracks
- "Too Shy" (Instrumental Mix) (Beggs, Limahl) – 4:01
- "Take Another View" (Kajagoogoo) – 4:33
- "Interview Rooms" (Beggs) – 3:24
- "Animal Instincts" (Beggs) – 2:39
- "Introduction" (Beggs, Limahl) – 5:09
- "Too Shy" (Midnight Mix) (Beggs, Limahl) – 5:27
- "Ooh to Be Ah" (The Construction Mix) (Limahl) – 6:37
- "Hang on Now" (Extended Version) (Beggs, Limahl) – 6:19
Note
- There are two 12" mixes of "Too Shy", both confusingly called the 'Midnight Mix' (although sometimes erroneously billed as 12" Extended Version). The UK one has a running time of about 5:27, while the American 'Midnight Mix', available on the 1993 Too Shy: The Singles and More and the 2000 Maximum 80's compilations, is around 5:44. The 2011 So80's compilation contains both mixes.
Personnel
- Limahl - lead vocals
- Steve Askew - guitars
- Stuart Neale - keyboards, programming, backing vocals
- Nick Beggs - bass guitar, Chapman Stick, backing vocals
- Jez Strode - drums, percussion
Charts
Chart (1983) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 53 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[5] | 15 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 46 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] | 3 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8] | 7 |
Japan (Oricon Weekly Western Albums)[9] | 1 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] | 36 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 17 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 7 |
UK Albums (OCC)[13] | 5 |
US Billboard 200[14] | 38 |
References
- Plunkett, John. |https://www.discogs.com/Kajagoogoo-White-Feathers/release/169699 London, 05 February 2017. Retrieved on 05 February 2017.
- Jo-Anne, Smith (28 April 1983). "Album Reviews: Kajagoogoo – White Feathers". Smash Hits. London, England: EMAP. p. 43.
- https://www.allmusic.com/album/r42076
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 163. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Austriancharts.at – Kajagoogoo – White Feathers" (in German). Hung Medien.
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6303a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit K - KAR". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Kajagoogoo – White Feathers" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
- "オリコンのデータ協力による "全曲、80年代の週間オリコンチャートNo.1" の洋楽コンピが登場!" [A western compilation of "All weekly Oricon No. 1's of the 1980s" has arrived] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. 1 July 1983. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Kajagoogoo – White Feathers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Charts.nz – Kajagoogoo – White Feathers". Hung Medien.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Kajagoogoo – White Feathers". Hung Medien.
- "Kajagoogoo | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- "Kajagoogoo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.