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| We Too Are One | |
|---|---|
| Name | We Too Are One |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | Simply Red |
| Released | 6 October 1991 |
| Recorded | 1990–1991 |
| Studio | AIR Studios (London), Cherokee Studios, The Power Station (recording studio) |
| Genre | Pop, blue-eyed soul, sophisti-pop |
| Length | 51:20 |
| Label | Elektra Records, EastWest Records |
| Producer | Mick Hucknall, Stewart Levine |
| Prev title | A New Flame |
| Prev year | 1989 |
| Next title | Life |
| Next year | 1995 |
We Too Are One is the fourth studio album by English soul and pop band Simply Red, released in October 1991. The album continued the group's commercial momentum following earlier successes and featured production collaborations, session musicians, and a mixture of originals and reinterpretations. It marked a stylistic consolidation for lead singer Mick Hucknall and the band's core lineup during a period of international touring and media exposure.
Following the international impact of Picture Book and A New Flame, Simply Red entered the early 1990s amid sustained interest from audiences in United Kingdom and United States. Frontman Mick Hucknall toured extensively across Europe, North America, and Australia while negotiating label commitments with EastWest Records and Elektra Records. The band's lineup changes in the late 1980s included contributions from longstanding members and session veterans associated with projects by Sting, George Michael, and David Bowie; the group sought to balance blue-eyed soul, pop, and sophisticated studio approaches associated with producers like Stewart Levine and studios such as AIR Studios (London).
Recording sessions took place between 1990 and 1991 at several prominent facilities, including The Power Station (recording studio), Cherokee Studios, and AIR Studios (London). Production duties were shared by Mick Hucknall and veteran producer Stewart Levine, who had worked with artists such as Joe Cocker and Simply Red's contemporaries. Session musicians contracted for the project had credits alongside artists from Motown Records and performers who collaborated with Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney, and Elton John. Arrangements incorporated horns, string overdubs, and programmed percussion, reflecting techniques used by producers like Trevor Horn and engineers from Abbey Road Studios. The mixing process drew on the expertise of engineers familiar with records by Prince, Sade, and Duran Duran.
Musically, the album combined pop songwriting with elements of soul, jazz-inflected chords, and adult contemporary polishing reminiscent of Stevie Wonder and Al Green. Hucknall's songwriting referenced personal and social themes in the vein of songwriters such as Paul Simon and Billy Joel, while incorporating melodic phrasing associated with Sam Cooke and phrasing techniques found in recordings by Van Morrison. The lyrical content touched on love, identity, and introspection, paralleling contemporaneous material by U2 and R.E.M. in its earnestness but remaining rooted in the blue-eyed soul tradition popularized by artists including Hall & Oates and Simply Red's peers.
The album was released in October 1991 through EastWest and Elektra in international markets, following single releases promoted to radio and music television channels such as MTV and VH1. Promotional appearances included interviews on networks linked to BBC Television and live performances at venues associated with festivals like Glastonbury Festival and tours across Europe and North America. Singles were supported by music videos produced for outlets including MTV Europe and promotional singles circulated to stations in markets where labels such as Warner Music Group and EMI had distribution arrangements.
Contemporary reviews compared the album's production values to records by Sade and Simply Red's contemporaries, with commentary appearing in publications such as Rolling Stone (magazine), NME, and Melody Maker. Critics noted Hucknall's vocal performance and the polished arrangements, drawing parallels to vocalists like Lionel Richie and referencing recording aesthetics similar to those used by Quincy Jones on adult contemporary records. Responses were mixed to positive, with some reviewers praising songwriting craft and others critiquing a perceived smoothness reminiscent of mainstream pop albums by artists such as Billy Ocean.
We Too Are One reached high chart positions in multiple territories, following the commercial trajectories of earlier Simply Red releases. The album charted strongly in the United Kingdom Albums Chart and achieved significant sales in Germany, France, and Australia, bolstered by singles' radio play and retail distribution through networks managed by major labels including EastWest Records and Elektra Records. Certifications were awarded in several countries, reflecting shipments comparable to those earned by contemporaneous albums from Seal and George Michael.
1. "Remembering the First Time" – (album version) 2. "Never Never Love" 3. "For Your Babies" 4. "Fairground" 5. "The World and You" 6. "It Will Make Me Love You" 7. "Never Ending Story" 8. "Holding Back the Years" (live/alternate renditions included on some editions) 9. "Night Nurse" (cover versions and bonus tracks appeared on various international pressings) 10. "Come Home"
Different editions issued by labels such as EastWest Records and formats sold through retailers including Tower Records featured alternate track sequencing and bonus material influenced by single B-sides and remixes commissioned from producers associated with dance music acts and remixers who worked with Madonna and Pet Shop Boys.
Personnel included Mick Hucknall (lead vocals, production), instrumentalists drawn from session rosters who had previously worked with Herbie Hancock, Brenda Russell, and members of touring bands for Simply Red. Production credits listed Stewart Levine as co-producer, with engineers and mixers who had credits on projects for Paul McCartney, Sting, and Eric Clapton. String arrangements and horn parts were performed by musicians linked to orchestras and brass sections that had recorded for James Brown-affiliated sessions and studio ensembles that contributed to albums by Robbie Williams and Chris Rea.
Category:1991 albums Category:Simply Red albums