Wonderland (Erasure album)

1986 studio album by Erasure

Wonderland

Studio album by

Erasure

Released| 1 May 1986 (1986-05-01)
Recorded| 1985–1986
Studio| Trident (London)
Genre| Synth-pop
Length| 37:08
Label| Mute
Producer| Flood
Erasure chronology
|  | Wonderland
(1986)  | The Circus
(1987)

|
|

Singles from  Wonderland

1. "Who Needs Love Like That"
Released: 2 September 1985
2. "Heavenly Action"
Released: 11 November 1985
3. "Oh l'amour"
Released: 21 April 1986

Wonderland is the debut studio album by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released on 1 May 1986 by Sire Records in the United States and on 2 June 1986 by Mute Records in the United Kingdom and Germany.[1][2] Not an immediate success, the three singles released from it failed to crack the top 40 in the UK. "Who Needs Love Like That" would eventually make the UK top 10 in 1992, and "Oh l'amour" reached the UK top 20 in 2003, both in remixed form promoting their Pop! The First 20 Hits and Hits! compilations respectively. However, the album fared better in both Germany and Sweden, where it charted within the top 20.

Erasure's initial exposure in the US came via dance clubs, as two singles reached the top 10 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

At the time of its release, Wonderland was considered a failure, especially when comparing it to Clarke's prior successes with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Andy Bell has stated that Alison Moyet was an influence of his vocals and he used to practice to Yazoo songs.[3]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [4]

In a contemporary review for Billboard's "Dance Trax" column, Brian Chin wrote that "Erasure's "Wonderland" (Sire) may just be the nicest thing ever produced by Mute Records. "Reunion" and "Oh l'amour" are pop-disco that would be hi-NRG if harder; other highlights on this enjoyable album are the shuffler "Say What" and "Love is a Loser," as arch and ambiguous as any Boy George song."[5]

## Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Andy Bell & Vince Clarke, except where noted.

Side OneNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Who Needs Love Like That"| Clarke| 3:18
2.| "Reunion"|  | 3:25
3.| "Cry So Easy"| Bell| 3:36
4.| "Push Me Shove Me"| Clarke| 5:10
5.| "Heavenly Action"|  | 3:30

Side TwoNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

6.| "Say What"|  | 3:56
7.| "Love Is a Loser"|  | 3:02
8.| "Senseless"|  | 3:26
9.| "My Heart... So Blue"| Clarke| 4:30
10.| "Oh l'amour"|  | 3:04
11.| "Pistol"|  | 3:30
Total length:| 37:08

CD bonus tracksNo.| Title| Length

|
|

12.| "Say What" (Remix)| 7:21
13.| "March on Down the Line" (Remix)| 6:05
14.| "Senseless" (Remix)| 5:06
Total length:| 55:40

### US release (Sire)

[edit]

The UK and US album versions of "Oh l'amour" were slightly different. The Brazilian edition of the album contains the live version of "Oh l'amour" as track 6. The US version drops the tracks "Push Me Shove Me" and "Pistol" and adds "March on Down the Line" which was originally the B-side to "Oh l'amour" in the UK (and also appeared in a remixed form as a CD bonus track on the UK version of the album). The CD versions of both the UK and US versions of the album have different remixes as bonus tracks.

Side OneNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Who Needs Love Like That"| 3:18
2.| "Reunion"| 3:25
3.| "Cry So Easy"| 3:36
4.| "Senseless"| 5:20
5.| "Heavenly Action"| 3:30

Side TwoNo.| Title| Length

|
|

6.| "Say What"| 3:56
7.| "Love Is a Loser"| 3:02
8.| "March on Down the Line"| 3:26
9.| "My Heart... So Blue"| 4:31
10.| "Oh l'amour"| 3:04
Total length:| 35:29

CD bonus tracksNo.| Title| Length

|
|

11.| "Who Needs Love Like That" (The Love That Mix Version)| 6:11
12.| "Oh l'amour" (The Funky Sisters Remix)| 7:17
Total length:| 48:57

### 2011 remaster and repackage

[edit]

On 4 July 2011, EMI re-released Erasure's first two albums in 2CD/DVD format. Both feature the original album remastered, plus another disc of tracks associated with the album, and a DVD containing promo videos and a live concert.

Disc one: Original albumNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Who Needs Love Like That?"| 3:19
2.| "Reunion"| 3:25
3.| "Cry So Easy"| 3:35
4.| "Push Me, Shove Me" (Remix)| 5:20
5.| "Heavenly Action"| 3:30
6.| "Say What"| 3:56
7.| "Love Is a Loser"| 3:02
8.| "Senseless"| 3:26
9.| "My Heart... So Blue"| 4:31
10.| "Oh l'amour"| 3:04
11.| "Pistol"| 3:30
12.| "Say What" (Remix)| 7:22
13.| "March on Down the Line" (Remix)| 6:07

Disc two: Bonus CDNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Who Needs Love Like That?" (Mexican Mix)| 6:11
2.| "Push Me, Shove Me" (Extended as Far as Possible Mix)| 4:09
3.| "Don't Say No" (Ruby Red Mix)| 6:09
4.| "Heavenly Action" (12" Mix)| 6:11
5.| "March on Down the Line"| 3:46
6.| "Oh l'amour" (PWL Funky Sisters Say 'Ooh La La')| 7:17
7.| "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" (Remix)| 4:58
8.| "Cry So Easy" (BBC Radio One Session: Bruno Brookes, 15/11/85)| 3:43
9.| "Who Needs Love Like That?" (BBC Radio One Session: Bruno Brookes, 15/11/85)| 3:33
10.| "Senseless" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)| 3:32
11.| "Heavenly Action" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)| 3:38
12.| "Say What" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)| 3:25
13.| "Push Me, Shove Me" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)| 2:50

### 2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

[edit]

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG records commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

### 2016 "30th Anniversary Edition" US Audiophile Remaster LP

[edit]

In December 2016, American boutique record label Intervention Records released an audiophile-quality analogue remaster of the US release sourced from Sire's masters still held by Warner Bros. Records in the US. The release was pressed on 180-gram vinyl and in a 60s-style Tip-On jacket.

Intervention also planned and begun work on a similar release of Erasure's second album, The Circus, for the first quarter of 2017, but it was withdrawn in February of that year.

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for Wonderland Chart (1986–1987)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] | 89
Belgium Albums (Joepie)[7] | 14
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8] | 20
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 13
UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 71
UK Independent Albums (MRIB)[11] | 4
US Cash Box Top Albums 101 to 200[12] | 163
Chart (1990)  | Peak
position

|

Argentine Albums (CAPIF)[13] | 9
Brazilian Albums [14] | 7

## Release history

[edit]

Release history for Wonderland Region  | Date  | Label  | Catalog

|
|
|

United States  | 1 May 1986  | Sire | 25354
United Kingdom  | 2 June 1986  | Mute | STUMM25

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Erasure • Albums • Wonderland". Erasureinfo.com. 2 June 1986. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
2. ^ "The Morning Call, 29 Mar 1986". The Morning Call. 29 March 1986. p. 59. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
3. ^ EDT, David Chiu on 8/16/20 at 3:11 PM (16 August 2020). "Erasure's Andy Bell on the synthpop duo's uplifting new LP 'The Neon'". Newsweek. Retrieved 24 December 2020.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
4. ^ Allmusic review
5. ^ Chin, Brian (19 April 1986). "Dance Trax". Billboard.
6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 104\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. ^ Belgium Charts Archive 1985-1989. 28 February 1987.
8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Erasure – Wonderland" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
9. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Erasure – Wonderland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
10. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
11. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). "Erasure". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-95172-069-4. Archived from the original on 21 November 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
12. ^ "Cash Box Top Albums/101 to 200". Cash Box. Vol. 49, no. 43\. 12 April 1986. p. 25\. ISSN 0008-7289.
13. ^ "Top 20 Albumes – Argentina" (PDF). Pelo (in Spanish). October 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
14. ^ Brazilian Charts Archive - LP'S Junho 1990

* v
* t
* e

Erasure

* Andy Bell
* Vince Clarke

Studio albums|

* Wonderland
* The Circus
* The Innocents
* Wild!
* Chorus
* I Say I Say I Say
* Erasure
* Cowboy
* Loveboat
* Other People's Songs
* Nightbird
* Union Street
* Light at the End of the World
* Tomorrow's World
* Snow Globe
* The Violet Flame
* World Be Gone
* The Neon
* Day-Glo (Based on a True Story)

Live albums|

* Acoustic Live
* Live at the Royal Albert Hall
* World Be Live

Compilation albums|

* The Two Ring Circus
* Pop! The First 20 Hits
* Hits! The Very Best of Erasure
* Pop! Remixed
* Total Pop! The First 40 Hits
* Pop2! The Second 20 Hits
* 10 Great Songs
* Always: The Very Best of Erasure

Box sets|

* EBX
* From Moscow to Mars

Extended plays|

* Crackers International
* Am I Right? EP
* Abba-esque
* I Love Saturday EP
* Rain: Plus
* Moon and the Sky: Plus
* Boy EP
* Storm Chaser
* Pop! Remixed
* Erasure.Club
* Phantom Bride EP

Singles|

* "Who Needs Love Like That"
* "Heavenly Action"
* "Oh l'amour"
* "Sometimes"
* "It Doesn't Have to Be"
* "Victim of Love"
* "The Circus"
* "Ship of Fools"
* "Chains of Love"
* "A Little Respect"
* "Stop!"
* "Drama!"
* "You Surround Me"
* "Blue Savannah"
* "Star"
* "Chorus"
* "Love to Hate You"
* "Am I Right?"
* "Breath of Life"
* "Take a Chance on Me"
* "Always"
* "Run to the Sun"
* "I Love Saturday"
* "Stay with Me"
* "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)"
* "Rock Me Gently"
* "In My Arms"
* "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
* "Rain"
* "Freedom"
* "Moon & the Sky"
* "Solsbury Hill"
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"
* "Breathe"
* "Don't Say You Love Me"
* "Here I Go Impossible Again" / "All This Time Still Falling Out of Love"
* "Boy"
* "I Could Fall in Love with You"
* "Sunday Girl"
* "Storm in a Teacup"
* "Phantom Bride"
* "When I Start To (Break It All Down)"
* "Be with You"
* "Fill Us with Fire"
* "Gaudete"
* "Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)"
* "Nerves of Steel"
* "Fallen Angel"

Video releases|

* Live at the Seaside
* Innocents
* Wild!
* Abba-esque
* Pop! The First 20 Hits
* Hits! the Videos
* The Erasure Show – Live in Cologne
* Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Related articles|

* Discography
* Yazoo
* Depeche Mode
* The Assembly

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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