No Parlez
No Parlez is the debut solo studio album by English singer Paul Young. Released in 1983, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and remained in the UK Top 100 for 119 weeks. The album has been certified triple platinum by the BPI for UK sales in excess of 900,000 copies.
Initially, the first two singles, "Iron Out the Rough Spots" and a remake of "Love of the Common People", had no success, but the third, a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic "Wherever I Lay My Hat ", was No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in the summer of 1983, and the first of Young's 14 British Top 40 singles. Similar success followed in continental Europe. In the UK, the follow-up single "Come Back and Stay" reached No. 4, and the re-release of "Love of the Common People" made it to No. 2 in late 1983.
The album was released with a different cover in North America, and a new video for the single "Come Back and Stay" was made.
In 2008, a promotional CD of the album was distributed by the Daily Mail newspaper.
Track listing
Original UK vinyl edition
;Side one- "Come Back and Stay" – 4:57
- "Love Will Tear Us Apart" - 5:01
- "Wherever I Lay My Hat " – 5:18
- "Ku Ku Kurama" – 4:20
- "No Parlez" – 4:54
- "Love of the Common People" – 4:56
- "Oh Women" – 3:34
- "Iron Out the Rough Spots" – 4:47
- "Broken Man" – 3:55
- "Tender Trap" – 4:31
- "Sex" – 4:49
Original CD edition
- "Come Back and Stay" – 7:56
- "Love Will Tear Us Apart" - 5:01
- "Wherever I Lay My Hat " – 6:01
- "Ku Ku Kurama" – 4:20
- "No Parlez" – 4:54
- "Behind Your Smile" – 4:08
- "Love of the Common People" – 5:51
- "Oh Women" – 3:34
- "Iron Out the Rough Spots" – 7:28
- "Broken Man" – 3:55
- "Tender Trap" – 4:31
- "Sex" – 6:51
Production
- Arranged by Ian Kewley and Laurie Latham
- Produced by Laurie Latham
- Mastered by Tim Young
Personnel
- Paul Young - lead vocals and backing vocals, electric guitar
- Ian Kewley – synthesizer, drum machine, programming, backing vocals
- Steve Bolton – guitar
- Mark Pinder – drums, percussion
- Ntobi Lekan, Pino Palladino – bass guitar
- Laurie Latham, Kim Leslie – percussion
- Rico Rodriguez – trombone
- Nimsa Calliza, Dagmar Krause, Chief Dawethi, Eyethu, Zundi Lekau, Kim Lesley, Wally Loate, Jabu Mbato, Fats Mogoboya, Maz Roberts, Norman Zulu – backing vocals
2008 re-release
The Extended Club mixes of "Wherever I Lay My Hat" and "Sex", the full version of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and the Scratch Mix of "Come Back and Stay", which were all included on the original CD and cassette release, were not included on the 25th anniversary edition. However, In 2013 they were all included on the compilation album Remixes and Rarities.
Track listing
- "Come Back and Stay" – 4:24
- "Love Will Tear Us Apart" - 4:17
- "Wherever I Lay My Hat " – 5:18
- "Ku Ku Kurama" – 4:20
- "No Parlez" – 4:54
- "Love of the Common People" – 4:00
- "Oh Women" – 3:34
- "Iron Out the Rough Spots" – 4:47
- "Broken Man" – 3:55
- "Tender Trap" – 4:31
- "Sex" – 4:49
Bonus Disc track listing
- "Come Back and Stay" – 7:34
- "Iron Out the Rough Spots" – 7:28
- "Love of the Common People" – 5:51
- "Behind Your Smile" – 4:10
- "I've Been Lonely for So Long" – 3:37
- "Yours" – 5:39 – 5:59
How the different editions compare
Track | Vinyl | CD/Cassette | CD | Daily Mail CD | 25th CD | Notes |
Come Back and Stay | 4:57 | 7:56 * | 4:26 ** | 7:56 * | 4:25 ** | * Scratch Mix
|
Love Will Tear Us Apart | 5:01 | 5:01 | 4:18 * | 5:01 | 4:17 * | * 7" version |
Wherever I Lay My Hat | 5:19 | 6:02 * | 5:19 | 6:02 * | 5:17 | * extended club mix |
Ku Ku Kurama | 4:20 | 4:20 | 4:20 | 4:20 | 4:19 | |
No Parlez | 4:58 | 4:54 * | 4:58 | 4:54 * | 4:53 * | * Slightly earlier fade out |
Behind Your Smile | - | 4:08 | - | - | 4:08 * | * included on bonus CD |
Love of the Common People | 4:58 | 5:52 * | 4:58 | 5:52 * | 4:01 ** | * extended club mix ** unidentified edit |
Oh Women | 3:35 | 3:35 | 3:35 | 3:35 | 3:34 | |
Iron Out the Rough Spots | 4:49 | 7:29 * | 4:49 | 7:29 * | 4:48 | * extended club mix |
Broken Man | 3:56 | 3:56 | 3:56 | 3:56 | 3:55 | |
Tender Trap | 4:32 | 4:32 | 4:33 | 4:32 | 4:31 | |
Sex | 4:51 | 6:53 * | 4:51 | 6:53 * | 4:50 | * extended club mix |