Cowboy (album)

Cowboy
Studio album by Erasure
Released	31 March 1997 (1997-03-31)
Recorded	1996
Genre	Synthpop
Length	49:20
Label	Mute Records, Maverick Records
Producer	Neil McLellan, Gareth Jones
Erasure chronology
Erasure (1995)Erasure1995 Cowboy (1997) Loveboat (2000)Loveboat2000
Singles from Cowboy
"In My Arms" Released: 6 January 1997 "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" Released: 24 February 1997 "Rain" Released: 24 November 1997

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Cowboy was the eighth studio album by Erasure, released in 1997 by Mute Records in the UK. In the U.S., it was released by Madonna's former label Maverick Records. Cowboy was produced by Gareth Jones and Neil McLellan and marked the band's return to more simplistic three-minute synthpop music.

After disappointing sales and chart placing of their last studio album Erasure, Cowboy returned the duo to the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and it contains three singles (two of which hit the UK Top 30). In the U.S., Cowboy greatly improved Erasure's Billboard 200 peak over their previous album and first single "In My Arms" gave them another Hot 100 entry. Sales also improved in Germany, where Cowboy peaked at number thirty-four.

The album contains eleven Vince Clarke/Andy Bell originals in its UK version. For its U.S. release, the album artwork was changed slightly, the original version of "In My Arms" was replaced with a slightly-different US mix and two bonus tracks were added: a cover version of Blondie's "Rapture" (with Clarke providing the rap); and a version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Magic Moments" that Erasure had contributed to the Lord of Illusions soundtrack.

Erasure embarked on another major tour of the UK and U.S. to promote this album, in their trademark style it contained elaborate stage settings and costumes (including Clarke dressed as a guitar-playing cactus).

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, except where noted.

1. "Rain" – 4:10
2. "Worlds on Fire" – 3:37
3. "Reach Out" – 3:47
4. "In My Arms" – 3:28
5. "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" – 3:46
6. "Precious" – 3:31
7. "Treasure" – 3:04
8. "Boy" – 3:41
9. "How Can I Say" – 3:17
10. "Save Me Darling" – 4:01
11. "Love Affair" – 3:39
12. "Rapture" (Debbie Harry, Chris Stein) - 6:34 (US only bonus track)
13. "Magic Moments" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 2:37 (US only bonus track)

2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

Chart performance

Personnel

• Tracie Ackerman – Vocals (background)
• Jordan Bailey – Vocals (background)
• Andy Bell – Voices
• Andy Caine – Vocals (background)
• Vince Clarke – Multi Instruments
• Graham Dominy – Assistant Engineer
• Larimie Garcia – Design
• Luke Gifford – Engineer
• George Holt – Engineer
• Gareth Jones – Producer
• Neil McLellan – Producer
• Kevin Reagan – Design
• Sam Smith – Vocals (background)
• Mark "Spike" Stent – Mixing
• Darren Tai – Assistant Engineer
• Paul Walton – Assistant Engineer

Release history

References