Real
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 29, 1993
Recorded1993
Studio
  • American Recording Co. (North Hollywood, California)
  • Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California)
  • The Clubhouse and Record One (Los Angeles, California)
  • Kiva West (Encino, California)
  • Saturn Sound (Studio City, California)
GenrePop rock
Length47:30
LabelVirgin
Producer
Belinda Carlisle chronology
The Best of Belinda, Volume 1
(1992)
Real
(1993)
A Woman & a Man
(1996)
Singles from Real
  1. "Big Scary Animal"
    Released: September 13, 1993
  2. "Lay Down Your Arms"
    Released: November 15, 1993

Real is the fifth studio album by American singer Belinda Carlisle, released on September 29, 1993, by Virgin Records. The album has a genre of mainly pop songs written by Charlotte Caffey, Thomas Caffey, Ralph Schuckett and half co-written by Carlisle. It was the second Belinda Carlisle album where Rick Nowels had no writing or producing credits and was also Carlisle's first album where she contributed to the producing. The album cover was designed by Tom Dolan and is a departure for Carlisle, who presented a glamorous look on all her previous covers, choosing a "jeans and tee shirt" look instead this time without make-up. The album features a cover version of the Graces' song "Lay Down Your Arms". Former Germs guitarist Pat Smear, as well as Redd Kross members Jeff and Steve McDonald, and The Bangles' Vicki Peterson appear on the record.[1]

Reception and chart performance

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]
Music Week[5]
Smash Hits[6]

AllMusic felt the album suffers from a lack of memorable songs and while the record sounded good, it had nothing to support the state-of-the-art production.[2] It was also a departure from her previous solo albums, having more in common with Carlisle's the Go-Go's sound rather than her own, typical, solo pop themes. Dealing with what Carlisle termed the "dark side of relationships", the album is mature and intentionally lacks the slick production of her other solo albums. Carlisle won over many critics who had previously reviewed her for her sensed lack of progression and willingness to take a chance with some edgier material.[7]

Real debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number nine on October 18, 1993, becoming Carlisle's fifth consecutive top-10 album there. The following week, it dropped down 11 places to number 20 and spent five weeks in the top 75. In Sweden, the album became her fifth top-30 album, peaking at number 23, spending only two weeks in the top 50. Australia was the last place the album charted, where it charted at number 61 and spent four weeks in the top 100.

Released in September 1993, the single "Big Scary Animal" reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Carlisle's seventh top-20 single, and a top 60 hit in Australia. This is also the most successful song co-written by Belinda Carlisle. "Lay Down Your Arms" was released as the second single in November 1993 and failed to gain much success, peaking at number 27 in the UK.

Real was re-released by Edsel Recording on August 26, 2013, as a two CD plus DVD casebook. It features the original album re-mastered, the single versions, demos, remixes, and live tracks. The DVD features the videos from the album and an exclusive interview with Carlisle, discussing the album.[8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Goodbye Day"Charlotte Caffey, Thomas Caffey, Jeff McDonald, Steven Shane McDonald4:39
2."Big Scary Animal"Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Ralph Schuckett4:08
3."Too Much Water"Caffey, Caffey, Richard Caffey, Carlisle5:16
4."Lay Down Your Arms"Caffey, Schuckett, Ellen Shipley4:38
5."Where Love Hides"Schuckett4:57
6."One with You"Caffey, Schuckett, Shipley5:11
7."Wrap My Arms"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle4:27
8."Tell Me"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle5:32
9."Windows of the World"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle3:26
10."Here Comes My Baby"Gregg Alexander, Caffey, Carlisle4:37

2013 remastered deluxe edition

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Goodbye Day"Charlotte Caffey, Thomas Caffey, Jeff McDonald, Steve McDonald4:39
2."Big Scary Animal"Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Ralph Schuckett4:08
3."Too Much Water"Caffey, Caffey, Richard Caffey, Carlisle5:16
4."Lay Down Your Arms"Caffey, Schuckett, Ellen Shipley4:38
5."Where Love Hides"Schuckett4:57
6."One with You"Caffey, Schuckett, Shipley5:11
7."Wrap My Arms"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle4:27
8."Tell Me"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle5:32
9."Windows of the World"Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle3:26
10."Here Comes My Baby"Gregg Alexander, Caffey, Carlisle4:37
11."Lay Down Your Arms" (Single Edit)Caffey, Schuckett, Shipley4:10
12."Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (Dyme Brothers 7” Mix)Rick Nowels, Shipley3:36
13."All God's Children" (Edit)Paul Barry, Billy Lawrie, Mark Taylor3:05
14."A Prayer for Everyone" (Edit)Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, Nowels, Billy Steinberg3:51
15."Heaven is a Place on Earth" (Dyme Brothers 12” Mix)Nowels, Shipley4:59
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Whatcha Doin’ to Me" (Demo)Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle3:14
2."Don’t Cry" (Demo)Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle3:14
3."Change" (Demo) 4:38
4."Too Much Water" (Demo)Caffey, Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle4:18
5."Wrap My Arms" (Demo)Caffey, Caffey, Carlisle4:32
6."Here Comes My Baby" (Demo)Alexander, Caffey, Carlisle4:39
7."Feels Like I’ve Known You Forever" (from A Place on Earth: The Greatest Hits)David Munday3:48
8."A Prayer for Everyone" (from A Place on Earth: The Greatest Hits)D'Ubaldo, Nowels, Steinberg4:21
9."All God’s Children" (from A Place on Earth: The Greatest Hits)Barry, Lawrie, Taylor3:48
10."I Feel Free" (Live)Jack Bruce, Pete Brown5:12
11."Circle in the Sand" (Live)Nowels, Shipley4:50
12."Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (Live)Nowels, Shipley4:55
Disc three (DVD)
No.TitleLength
1."Big Scary Animal (U.K. version)" (Video)4:12
2."Lay Down Your Arms" (Video)4:11
3."All God’s Children" (Video)3:47
4."Big Scary Animal (U.S. version)" (Video)4:24
5."Interview with Belinda conducted by Mark Goodier"22:29

Personnel

Vocals

Musicians

Production

  • Ralph Schuckett – executive producer, producer (1, 2, 4-6, 8)
  • Belinda Carlisle – producer (1, 3, 7, 9, 10)
  • Charlotte Caffey – producer (1, 3, 7, 9, 10)
  • Thomas Caffey – producer (1), additional producer (3, 7, 9, 10)
  • Dave McNair – recording, mixing (2-7, 9)
  • Steve Churchyard – mixing (1, 3, 8, 10)
  • Ken Allardyce, John Boutin, Jeff DeMorris, Chris Garcia, Frank Gryner, Efren Herrera, Todd Judge, Matt Westfield and Howard Willing – assistant engineers
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Mastering (Hollywood, California)
  • Marsha Burns – production coordinator
  • Carrie McConkey – production coordinating assistant
  • Len Peltier – art direction
  • Tom Dolan – design
  • Victoria Pearson – photography
  • Tom Anctil – project coordinator
  • Ron Stone – management

Charts

Chart performance for Real
Chart (1993) Peak
position
European Albums (Music & Media)[9] 50
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[10] 26
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 23
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 9

Release history

Release dates and formats for Real
Region Date Format Label Catalog
Japan September 29, 1993 EMI VJCP-28185[13]
United States October 5, 1993 Virgin V2-39102[14]
United Kingdom October 11, 1993
CDV2725[15]
Australia November 14, 1993 CD 839102-2

References

  1. BY CRAIG ROSEN. (October 23, 1993). Carlisle Go-Go's Back To Her Roots; Singer Rocks Harder On 1st Virgin Set. Billboard.
  2. 1 2 AllMusic review
  3. Thigpen, David (1993-10-15). "Real Review". Entertainment Weekly. p. 76. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  4. Rosenbluth, Jean (1993-11-21). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  5. Jones, Alan (1993-10-16). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  6. Frith, Mark (1993-10-13). "New Albums". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  7. "Belinda-Carlisle.com". Archived from the original on April 24, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  8. "She's Got the Beat: Belinda Carlisle's Deluxe 2-CD/1-DVD Reissues Due in August (UPDATED WITH TRACK LISTINGS)". 4 June 2013.
  9. "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 45. November 6, 1993. p. 16. OCLC 29800226 via World Radio History.
  10. オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 27, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – Belinda Carlisle – Real". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  12. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  13. - Japan release information. Oricon. Retrieved June 21, 2007.
  14. Real - U.S. release information. eil.com. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
  15. Real - UK release information. eil.com. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
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