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Whenever You Need Somebody

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Whenever You Need Somebody · On 16 November 1987 RCA released Rick Astley's debut album. Most of the songs, including Never Gonna Give You Up, Together Forever and Don't Say Goodbye, were produced by the team Stock Aitken Waterman. Phil Harding and Ian Curnow worked on The Love Has Gone and Slipping Away, and Daize Washbourn on No More Looking for Love and You Move Me. In the studio, Linn drum machines and programming on a Fairlight drove the rhythms and sounds, with Mike Stock and Matt Aitken on keyboards.

The press reaction was divided. AllMusic called it an often engaging debut, while Robert Christgau wanted to advise against it. A Music Week reviewer felt that the production team set the tone of the whole. It has become Astley's best-selling album, with, according to the source, 15.2 million copies worldwide, and in 1987 it was the seventh best-selling album in the United Kingdom.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Never Gonna Give You Up and notice the tight drum machine and the keyboards beneath the vocals. This is how you hear the production team setting the tone.

Track list

  1. 1Never Gonna Give You Up3:34Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Whenever You Need Somebody3:54Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Together Forever3:26Apple Music ↗
  4. 4It Would Take a Strong Strong Man3:41Apple Music ↗
  5. 5The Love Has Gone4:20Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Don't Say Goodbye4:09Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Slipping Away3:53Apple Music ↗
  8. 8No More Looking for Love3:13Apple Music ↗
  9. 9You Move Me3:43Apple Music ↗
  10. 10When I Fall in Love3:03Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs