How to Be a...Zillionaire!

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	B− ^[2]
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How to Be a... Zillionaire! is an album by the band ABC. It was released in January 1985 (see 1985 in music). Four singles were released from this album, "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" (UK: 74, U.S.: 91), and the fourth was "Ocean Blue", (UK: 54). The album peaked on the UK Albums Chart at 28 and on the Billboard 200 at 30.^[3]^[4]

1 Released editions
2 Track listing
3 Personnel
4 References
5 External Links

Released editions

Original British promo pressing

On the cover 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".

International commercial release

On the cover 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".

Record Club and initial CD version

On the cover the Spotlight effect is retained. Solid blue background.

Dialogue at the start of the song "Vanity Kills". Same mix of "Ocean Blue" as on the initial pressing. 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

The 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".

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Martin Fry and Mark White.

Side one
No.	Title	Length
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

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"A to Z"	2:49
2.	"(How to Be a) Millionaire"	3:34
3.	"Tower of London"	3:36
4.	"So Hip It Hurts"	4:17
5.	"Between You and Me"	3:16

Additional tracks on initial CD pressing
No.	Title	Length
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

Additional tracks on 2005 version
No.	Title	Length
11.	"(How to Be a) Trillionaire" (Harajuku mix of "(How to Be a) Millionaire")	3:38
12.	"What's Your Destination?" (B-side to UK 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" (Pacific Mix)	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

Personnel

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

Additional personnel

Gary Moberley – Fairlight CMI
Don Snow – Piano, synthesizers
Keith LeBlanc – Rhythm beatbox programming, drums
Skip McDonald – guitar
Chris Whitten – drums
David Williams – guitar
David Palmer – hi-hat cymbal, drums on "Ocean Blue" on the Record Club/Initial CD version
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)

Production

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)

References

^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "ABC: How to Be a...Zillionaire!" at Allmusic. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
^ Christgau, Robert. "ABC: How to Be a Zillionaire!". RobertChristgau.com. http://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=4281. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
^ "ABC". ChartStats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=3528. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
^ "How to Be a...Zillionaire! Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at Allmusic. Retrieved 1 October 2011.

External Links

Album page from official ABC site

ABC

Martin Fry Matt Backer Rob Hughes Andy Carr Lily Gonzalez Richard Brook Steve Kelly David Palmer Mark Lickley David Robinson Andy Newmark Alan Spenner Stephen Singleton Fiona Russell-Powell (aka Eden) David Yarritu Mark White Glenn Gregory Keith Lowndes Chuck Kentis

Studio albums	The Lexicon of Love Beauty Stab How to Be a...Zillionaire! Alphabet City Up Abracadabra Skyscraping Traffic

Live albums	The Lexicon of Live

Compilation albums	Absolutely Look of Love – The Very Best of ABC The Ultimate Collection

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." "(How to Be a) Millionaire" "Be Near Me" "Vanity Kills" "Ocean Blue" "When Smokey Sings" "The Night You Murdered Love" "King Without a Crown" "One Better World" "The Real Thing" "The Look of Love (1990 Mix)" "Love Conquers All" "Say It" "Rolling Sevens" "Skyscraping" "Stranger Things" "Peace and Tranquility" "The Very First Time"

Videos	ABC Mantrap Absolutely...ABC

Related articles	Discography Honeyroot