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Picture Book
Studio album by Simply Red
Released	11 October 1985
Studio	Soundpush Studios, Blaricum, Netherlands RAK Studios, London
Genre	Pop rock soft rock blue-eyed soul
Length	44:21
Label	Elektra
Producer	Stewart Levine
Simply Red chronology
Picture Book (1985) Men and Women (1987)
Singles from Picture Book
"Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" Released: 20 May 1985 "Come to My Aid" Released: 2 September 1985 "Holding Back the Years" Released: 4 November 1985 "Jericho" Released: February 1986 "Open Up the Red Box" Released: 28 July 1986

Picture Book is the debut album by British pop and soul group Simply Red, released in October 1985. It contains the US number-one single "Holding Back the Years", and covers of The Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and Talking Heads’ “Heaven”. Three more singles were released from the album: "Come to My Aid", "Jericho", and "Open Up the Red Box".

The album helped Simply Red earn a 1987 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. "Holding Back the Years" was also nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

A special version of the album was released on the then new Compact Disc + Graphics, or CD+G format which when played on a suitable CD player, 4 bit raster graphic images, text and animations would also be displayed on a connected TV screen.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Q
The Village Voice	B+

In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau wrote that there were essentially "only two songs on this album", "Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Heaven", but that Hucknall and the band carry off the album "on mood and groove alone".

Reviewing the 1996 re-release for Q, Nick Duerden described Picture Book as "the most accomplished debut of its year". He said of Hucknall, "With the most prodigious voice this side of Motown and a burning socialist heart, here he infuses everything with a passion that he's rarely matched since."

William Ruhlmann, in a retrospective review in AllMusic, felt that Simply Red produced "a steady R&B groove reminiscent of '60s Stax house band the MG's" and that Hucknall was a "big-voiced soul singer". In the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Andy Robbins attributed the record's commercial success in both America and the UK to "Holding Back the Years", which he feels is Hucknall's best vocal performance. Robbins noted rock and jazz sounds, along with soul influences.

Commercial performance

The album was commercially successful, appearing in the top 30 album charts of twelve countries, and achieving platinum certification sales in four countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.

Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Hucknall, except where noted.

2008 Collector's Edition bonus tracks

Disc two, DVD: Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (8 July 1986)

1. "Grandma's Hands" (Bill Withers)
2. "Sad Old Red"
3. "Open Up the Red Box"
4. "The Right Thing"
5. "No Direction" (Hucknall, Fryman)
6. "I Won’t Give Up"
7. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss)
8. "Picture Book" (Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre)
9. "Love Fire" (Bunny Wailer)
10. "Jericho"
11. "I Won't Feel Bad" (Hucknall, McIntyre, Tim Kellett, Chris Joyce, Tony Bowers, Sylvan Richardson)
12. "Suffer" (Hucknall, Lamont Dozier)
13. "Infidelity" (Hucknall, Dozier)
14. "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (John Valentine, William Valentine)
15. "Come to My Aid" (Hucknall, McIntyre)
16. "Jericho"
17. "Heaven" (Byrne, Harrison)
18. "Move on Out"
19. "Look at You Now"

Personnel

Simply Red

• Mick Hucknall – lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano
• Fritz McIntyre – keyboards, backing vocals
• Tim Kellett – keyboards, trumpet, live backing vocals
• Sylvan Richardson – guitars
• Tony Bowers – bass
• Chris Joyce – drums, percussion

Guest Musicians

• David Fryman – guitars (8), backing vocals (8)
• Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone (2, 4, 5)
• Ian Dickson – tenor saxophone (2, 4, 5)
• Francis Foster – congas (1, 3)

Production

• Producer – Stewart Levine
• Engineered and mixed by Femi Jiya
• Assistant engineer – Chris Dickie
• Mastered by Arun Chakraverty at Master Room (London, England)
• CD mastering – Barry Diament
• Sleeve design – Peter Barrett
• Front cover photo – Simon Fowler
• Back cover photo – Malcolm Heywood

Charts

Certifications and sales

References

1. "Simply Red singles".
2. "Simply Red official".
3. "New Singles". Music Week. 2 November 1985. p. 16.
4. "Great Rock discography". p. 744.
5. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 95.
6. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Picture Book – Simply Red". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
7. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
8. ^ Duerden, Nick (April 1996). "Simply Red: Picture Book". Q: 132.
9. ^ Christgau, Robert (2 September 1986). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
10. Robbins, Andy (2011). "Simply Red: Picture Book". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Hachette UK. ISBN 9781844037148. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
11. Kent 1993, p. 275.
12. "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
13. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0694". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
15. "European Hot 100 Albums". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 24. 21 June 1986. p. 16. OCLC 29800226.
16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
17. "Ísland (LP-plötur)". DV (in Icelandic). 4 July 1986. p. 43. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
18. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Picture book" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
19. "Charts.nz – Simply Red – Picture Book". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
20. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
21. "Swedishcharts.com – Simply Red – Picture Book". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
22. "Swisscharts.com – Simply Red – Picture Book". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
23. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
24. "Simply Red Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
25. Kent 1993, p. 438.
26. "Top 100 Albums of '86". RPM. Vol. 45, no. 14. 27 December 1986. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
27. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
28. "European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. p. 35. OCLC 29800226.
29. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
30. "Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
31. "Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986)". Music Week. 24 January 1987. p. 25. ISSN 0265-1548.
32. "Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums – 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
33. Kent 1993, p. 439.
34. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
35. "European Charts of the Year 1987 – Albums". Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 35. OCLC 29800226.
36. "Gallup Year End Charts 1987 – Albums". Record Mirror. 23 January 1988. p. 37. ISSN 0144-5804.
37. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 253.
38. "Austrian album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in German). IFPI Austria.
39. "European Gold & Platinum Awards 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. 27 December 1986. p. 33. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
40. "French album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in French). InfoDisc. Select SIMPLY RED and click OK. 
41. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simply Red; 'Picture Book')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
42. ^ "European Gold & Platinum Awards 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. 27 December 1986. p. 33. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
43. "Dutch album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Picture Book in the "Artiest of titel" box.
44. "New Zealand album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
45. Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN 8480486392.
46. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Picture Book')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
47. "British album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book". British Phonographic Industry.
48. "American album certifications – Simply Red – Picture Book". Recording Industry Association of America.

Bibliography

• Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

External links

• Simply Red official website album page
• Picture Book (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)

• 1985 debut albums
• Simply Red albums
• Albums produced by Stewart Levine
• Elektra Records albums