How to Be a...Zillionaire!

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How to Be a...Zillionaire!
Album by ABC
Released	January 1985 (US)
Recorded	October 1984
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	37:52
Label	Mercury Records
Producer(s)	Martin Fry/Mark White
Professional reviews
The All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B-) link
ABC chronology
Beauty Stab (1983)	(How to Be a) Zillionaire (1985)	Alphabet City (1987)

How to Be a... Zillionaire! is an album by the band ABC. It was released in January 1985 (see 1985 in music). It is a straightforward dance-pop album with American punk rock overtones. Four singles were released from this album, the first three of which were the hits "Be Near Me" (UK singles chart: 26, U.S. Billboard Hot 100: 9), "(How to Be a) Millionaire" (UK: 49, U.S.: 20), and "Vanity Kills" (U.S.: 91), and the fourth was "Ocean Blue", which did not chart. The album peaked on the UK Albums Chart at 28 and on the Billboard 200 at 30.

Contents 1 Editions released of this album 2 Track listing (original LP version but with CD numbering:) 2.1 Side one 2.2 Side two 2.3 Additional tracks on initial CD pressing 2.4 Additional tracks on 2005 version 3 Band lineup on this album 3.1 Additional personnel 4 Production credits 5 Reference

[edit] Editions released of this album

	Album cover variation	Points of musical distinction
The original British promo pressing	The album's title is in the foreground lit up like a spotlight against a tri-tone background on which various quotes of the albums lyrics can be seen. There is also a drop shadow behind the title.	No dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Eden (see band line up in next section) does the harmony vocal on the song "Ocean Blue". Guitars completely absent from Side Two/Tracks 6-10. No cursing from Eden in the song "A to Z". Four seconds of silence between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire". Eden performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".
The international commercial release	The spotlight effect is gone. The tri-tone background is rotated 180°. There is a third layer of elements on the cover consisting of animation artwork, specifically storyboards for the "Be Near Me" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" music videos.	Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on previous pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is censored in the UK pressing in the song "A to Z", but uncensored on the U.S. pressing. "A to Z" immediately segues into "(How to Be a) Millionaire". Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".
The Record Club/Initial CD Version	The Spotlight effect is retained. Solid blue background.	No dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". An uncredited Steve Vining (a/k/a Theodore Chipmunk II/Melvin Squirrel) does the harmony vocal on "Ocean Blue". There is an orchestral overdub on "Ocean Blue" as well. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" as on previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".
2005 Version	Cover is a recreation of the cover to the international commercial release.	Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on the initial pressing. Guitars prominently present on side two/tracks 6-10. Eden is uncensored in the song "A to Z". Same segue between "A to Z" and "(How to Be a) Millionaire" as on the previous pressing. Session musician David Williams performs the breakdown vocal and plays the instrumental solo in the song "(How to Be a) Millionaire".

[edit] Track listing (original LP version but with CD numbering:)

[edit] Side one

1. "Fear of the World" (3:50)
2. "Be Near Me" (3:37)
3. "Vanity Kills" (3:28)
4. "Ocean Blue" (3:36)
5. "15 Storey Halo" (5:36)

[edit] Side two

6. "A To Z (2:49)
   
7. "(How to Be a) Millionaire" (3:34)
   
8. "Tower of London" (3:36)
   
9. "So Hip It Hurts" (4:17)
   
10. "Between You and Me" (3:16)
    

[edit] Additional tracks on initial CD pressing

11. "Fear of the World" (In CinemaScope) (4:40)
    
12. "Be Near Me" [Munich Disco Mix] (5:27)
    
13. "(How to Be a) Zillionaire" [Bond Street Mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire"] (6:05)
    
14. "Vanity Kills" [The Abigail's Party Mix] (5:08)
    

[edit] Additional tracks on 2005 version

11. "(How to Be a) Trillionaire" [Harajuku mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire"] (3:38)
    
12. "What's Your Destination?" [B-side to U.K. version of "Be Near Me" single] (3:38)
    
13. "Vanity Kills" [U.S.A. Remix] (5:40)
    
14. "Vanity Kills" [The Abigail's Party Mix] (5:08)
    
15. "Ocean Blue" [same mix as on Record Club/initial CD pressing] (3:40)
    
16. "Judy's Jewels" [B-side to "Vanity Kills" single] (2:03)
    
17. "Fear of the World" (In CinemaScope) (4:40)
    
18. "Tower Of London" [instrumental version] (3:38)
    

All songs written by Martin Fry and Mark White

[edit] Band lineup on this album

• Martin Fry: vocals
• Mark White: Emulator II, Fairlight CMI, synthesizers
• Fiona Russell-Powell, also known as Eden: vocals and record scratching
• David Yarritu: Spoken voice
• Gary Moberley: Fairlight CMI
• Don Snow: Piano, synthesizers
• Keith LeBlanc: Rhythm beatbox programming, drums

[edit] Additional personnel

• Skip McDonald - guitar
• Chris Whitten - drums
• David Williams - guitar
• David Palmer - Hi Hat, (and on the Record Club/Initial CD version) - drums on "Ocean Blue"
• Guy Barker - trumpet
• Brad Lang - bass
• Alan Carvell - background vocals
• Jackie Challenor - background vocals
• Lorenza Johnson - background vocals
• P.P. Arnold - tertiary backing vocals on "Ocean Blue" (all pressings except Record Club/Initial CD version)

[edit] Production credits

Martin Fry - writer/producer
Mark White - writer/producer/arranger
Martyn Webster - chief engineer
Julian Mendelsohn - mixing and second engineer
Mark Stent - assistant engineer
Paul Corkett - assistant engineer
Dietmar Schillinger - assistant engineer
Heff Morales - assistant engineer
Mike Drake - assistant engineer
Paul Wright - assistant engineer
Charles Harrowell - assistant engineer
Ian Cooper - analog mastering engineer
Daryl Easlea - digital pre-mastering and album sequencing
Gary Moore - digital mastering engineer
Nick Knight - photography
Keith Breeden at Design KB - art direction
Alan Best - animation art
Ted Hall - animation art
Peter Care - dialogue and photo modeling director
Anne Dudley - string arrangement on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only) — (uncredited)
Ross Bagdasarian - string concertmaster on "Ocean Blue" (record club/initial CD pressing only) — (uncredited)

[edit] Reference

• Album page from official ABC site

ABC This box: view • talk • edit

Martin Fry

Mark Lickley (1980–1982) | David Robinson (1980–1982) | David Palmer (1980-1982) | Andy Newmark (1983) | Alan Spenner (1983) | Stephen Singleton (1980–1984) | Fiona Russell-Powell (a.k.a Eden) (1985) | David Yarritu (1985)| Mark White (1980–1992) | Glenn Gregory (1995–1997) | Keith Lowndes (1995–1997)

Discography

Albums: The Lexicon of Love | Beauty Stab| How to Be a...Zillionaire! | Alphabet City | Up | Abracadabra | Skyscraping

Live and Compilations: Absolutely | The Lexicon of Live | Look of Love - The Very Best of ABC

Singles: "Tears Are Not Enough" | "Poison Arrow" | "The Look of Love (Part One)" | "All of My Heart" | "That Was Then but This Is Now" | "S.O.S." | "Be Near Me" | "How to Be a Millionaire" | "Vanity Kills" | "Ocean Blue" | "When Smokey Sings" | "The Night You Murdered Love" | "King Without a Crown" | "The Look of Love '90" |"One Better World" | "The Real Thing" | "Love Conquers All" | "Say It" | "Rolling Sevens" | "Skyscraping" | "Stranger Things" | "Peace and Tranquility"

Videos: ABC Mantrap | Absolutely...ABC

Spinoffs: Honeyroot