True (Spandau Ballet album)

True
Studio album by Spandau Ballet
Released 4 March 1983
Recorded Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, October–November 1982
Genre New Wave, blue-eyed soul, pop, soft rock
Length 35:36
Label Chrysalis Records
Producer Steve Jolley, Tony Swain
Spandau Ballet chronology

Diamond
(1982)		 True
(1983)		 Parade
(1984)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [1]

True is the third studio album by British band Spandau Ballet. It was released in March 1983 on Chrysalis Records. While Spandau Ballet's first two albums earned them European popularity, True made them worldwide stars and was heavily influenced by jazz, soul and R&B. It reached number 1 on the UK charts,[2] the Top 20 in the United States, and charted in numerous countries around the world. The title track spent four weeks at number 1 on the UK singles charts and went to number 4 in the United States.

Other singles from the album included "Gold" (a no. 2 UK hit and a Top 30 hit in the U.S.), "Lifeline", "Communication", and "Pleasure". Later album releases by the band never equalled the success of True.

"True" was remastered on CD and stereo SACD in 2003 for its 20th anniversary. In June 2010, a special edition was released on 2 CDs and DVD as part of the 2010 Spandau Ballet reissues series, featuring remastered 12" remixes and B-sides, plus a live concert.

In 2008, the album was given away free with copies of the Daily Mail newspaper.[3]

Track listing

All songs are written by Gary Kemp.

  1. "Pleasure" – 3:35
  2. "Communication" – 3:40
  3. "Code of Love" – 5:11
  4. "Gold" – 4:51
  5. "Lifeline" – 3:36
  6. "Heaven Is a Secret" – 4:27
  7. "Foundation" – 4:08
  8. "True" – 6:30

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1983 UK[2] 1
1983 Billboard 200 19

Singles[4]

Year Song Chart Position
1982 Lifeline UK Singles Chart 7
1983 True UK Singles Chart 1
1983 True Billboard Hot 100 4
1983 True Adult Contemporary 1
1983 Gold UK Singles Chart 2
1983 Gold Billboard Hot 100 27
1983 Gold Adult Contemporary 17
1983 Communication UK Singles Chart 12
1984 Communication Billboard Hot 100 59
True (20th Anniversary Edition)
Studio album by Spandau Ballet
Released 3 July 2003
Genre Synthpop, New Wave
Length 35:36 (plus bonus tracks)
Label Chrysalis Records
Producer Steve Jolley, Tony Swain
Spandau Ballet chronology

Heart Like a Sky
(1989)		 True (20th Anniversary Edition)
(2003)

2003 re-release

True was re-released in 2003 as a 20th anniversary edition. It was re-released as a single CD with the original eight tracks along with the music video for "Gold" and some home video footage of the band. The original 8-track album was also issued on the high-resolution super audio CD format as a Hybrid SACD (in stereo only).

Track listing

  1. "Pleasure" – 3:31
  2. "Communication" – 3:41
  3. "Code of Love" – 5:11
  4. "Gold" – 4:51
  5. "Lifeline" – 3:36
  6. "Heaven is a Secret" – 4:27
  7. "Foundation" – 4:08
  8. "True" – 6:29
  9. Home Video Footage (multimedia)
  10. "Gold" music video
Preceded by
Let's Dance by David Bowie		 UK Albums Chart number one album
14 May 1983 – 20 May 1983 		Succeeded by
Thriller by Michael Jackson

References

  1. ↑ LeRoy, Dan. "Spandau Ballet: True > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "True". chartstats.com. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "Spandau Ballet – True". discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2011. This CD was given away free with the Saturday edition of British national newspaper, The Daily Mail.
  4. ↑ "True > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved 18 September 2011.