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Holding Back the River
Studio album by Wet Wet Wet
Released	30 October 1989
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	Soft rock sophisti-pop blue-eyed soul
Length	48:58
Label	Mercury
Producer	Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet chronology
The Memphis Sessions (1988) Holding Back the River (1989) Wet Wet Wet: Live (1990)
Singles from Holding Back the River
"Sweet Surrender" Released: 18 September 1989 "Broke Away" Released: 27 November 1989 "Hold Back the River" Released: 26 February 1990 "Stay with Me Heartache" Released: 30 July 1990

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Number One
Smash Hits	8.5/10

Holding Back the River is the second studio album released by Scottish pop rock quartet Wet Wet Wet. Released on 30 October 1989, the album, intentionally written as a lyrical follow-up to the band's debut album Popped In Souled Out, spawned the singles "Sweet Surrender", "Broke Away", "Hold Back the River" and "Stay With Me Heartache" and peaked at #2 on the UK Albums Chart.

Aside from the nine tracks found on the standard album, "How the Hell Did They Get There" appears as a hidden track on the CD and digital download versions, having previously been released as a B-side to the album's lead single, "Sweet Surrender". Outside of the UK, the album saw particular success in Australia, where it was certified Gold and re-released in the form of a limited edition coloured vinyl.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Clark/Cunningham/Mitchell/Pellow, except "Maggie May", by Martin Quittenton & Rod Stewart. All tracks produced by Wet Wet Wet.

Charts

References

1. "Wet Wet Wet: "We're all coming up to 50 now and no-one's died!"". Cambridge News. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
2. "Wet Wet Wet tweet their thanks to Carlisle". ITV News. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
3. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "Wet Wet Wet". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
4. Mawer, Sharon. "Wet Wet Wet – Popped in Souled Out". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
5. Lewis, Jonathan. "Wet Wet Wet — Holding Back the River". AllMusic.
6. Panos, Andrew (1 November 1989). "Review: Wet Wet Wet — Holding Back the River (Phonogram)". Number One. No. 332. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 43. ISSN 0266-5328. Retrieved 6 November 2022 – via Flickr.
7. Soutar, Mike (1–14 November 1989). "Wet Wet Wet: Holding Back the River". Smash Hits. Vol. 11, no. 21. Peterborough: EMAP Metro. p. 72. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 2 November 2022 – via Flickr.
8. "New Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 28 October 1989. p. 56. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
9. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
10. "Australiancharts.com – Wet Wet Wet – Holding Back The River". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Wet Wet Wet – Holding Back The River" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Wet Wet Wet – Holding Back The River" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
13. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
14. Bakker, Machgiel (22 December 1990). "1990 REVIEW: Music & Media Year - End Awards . European Top 100 Albums 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. pp. 29, 38. Retrieved 20 May 2021.

• Holding Back the River at AllMusic. Retrieved , 28 April 2015 (UTC).

• 1989 albums
• Wet Wet Wet albums
• Mercury Records albums