Alphabet City is an album by the band ABC

ABC (band)

ABC are an English band, that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. The band continues to tour and released a new album, Traffic, in 2008.-Formation:...

 released in 1987.

Following a hiatus while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease, ABC returned to the studio to record Alphabet City, which they thought might be their final album. Best known for "When Smokey Sings

When Smokey Sings

"When Smokey Sings" is the name of a song by the New Wave band ABC. The lyrics and name of the song are a tribute to R&B and Soul singer Smokey Robinson. It was released in mid-1987, on ABC's album Alphabet City...

", a tribute to Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson

William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...

, the album also spawned "The Night You Murdered Love

The Night You Murdered Love

"The Night You Murdered Love" is a song by ABC released as the second single from their album Alphabet City.The music video shows a homicidal fashion model carrying a slingshot and a skateboard stalking the band across the city of Paris.- US 12" single :...

" and "King Without a Crown

King Without a Crown (ABC song)

"King Without a Crown" is a song by ABC released as the third single from their album Alphabet City.- UK CD single :# "King Without a Crown" - 4:40# "The Look of Love" - 6:02# "Poison Arrow" - 4:37...

" as singles. Many critics lauded Alphabet City as a return to form for the group, noting its polished production by Fry and White in conjunction with Bernard Edwards

Bernard Edwards

Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...

, best known for his work with Chic

Chic (band)

Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...

. The album's title and the names of several songs were inspired by the Alphabet City

Alphabet City, Manhattan

Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the Lower East Side and East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is also known as Loisaida, a Spanglish adaptation of 'Lower East Side'. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter...

 section of Manhattan, New York, where Fry and White lived for a time prior to the album's release.

Track listing

All songs written by Martin Fry

Martin Fry

Martin Fry is lead singer of the band, ABC.-Biography:He grew up in Bramhall, Stockport, alongside his younger brother Jamie .-ABC:...

 and Mark White

Mark White (musician)

Mark White is an English musician, best known for being part of the pop band ABC, from 1980 to 1992. His last contribution to the band was their 1991 album, Abracadabara....

 except where indicated.

Side One

1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley
   Anne Dudley
   Anne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
   
   ) – 0:56
2. "When Smokey Sings
   When Smokey Sings
   "When Smokey Sings" is the name of a song by the New Wave band ABC. The lyrics and name of the song are a tribute to R&B and Soul singer Smokey Robinson. It was released in mid-1987, on ABC's album Alphabet City...
   
   "– 4:22
3. "The Night You Murdered Love
   The Night You Murdered Love
   "The Night You Murdered Love" is a song by ABC released as the second single from their album Alphabet City.The music video shows a homicidal fashion model carrying a slingshot and a skateboard stalking the band across the city of Paris.- US 12" single :...
   
   " – 4:53
4. "Think Again" – 3:41
5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54

Side Two

1. "King Without a Crown
   King Without a Crown (ABC song)
   "King Without a Crown" is a song by ABC released as the third single from their album Alphabet City.- UK CD single :# "King Without a Crown" - 4:40# "The Look of Love" - 6:02# "Poison Arrow" - 4:37...
   
   " – 4:41
2. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
3. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
4. "One Day" – 5:35
5. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42

Original CD

1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:56
2. "When Smokey Sings"– 4:22
3. "The Night You Murdered Love" – 4:53
4. "Think Again" – 3:41
5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54
7. "King Without a Crown" – 4:41
8. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
9. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
10. "One Day" – 5:35
11. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42
12. "Minneapolis" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 2:57
13. "When Smokey Sings [The Miami Mix]" – 7:05
14. "The Night You Murdered Love [The Whole Story]" – 8:16
15. "Chicago [Abridged]" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 3:42

2005 version

1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:56
2. "When Smokey Sings"– 4:22
3. "The Night You Murdered Love" – 4:53
4. "Think Again" – 3:41
5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54
7. "King Without a Crown" – 4:41
8. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
9. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
10. "One Day" – 5:35
11. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42
12. "Minneapolis" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 2:57
13. "Chicago [Abridged]" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 3:42
14. "24 Carat Plastic" – 3:34
15. "The Night You Murdered Love [The Reply With Contessa Lady V]" (Martin Fry/Mark White/Vaughan Arnell
    Vaughan Arnell
    Vaughan Arnell is a British music videos and television commercials director. Although having done films for high profile clients in the tv commercial field, including Nestlé and Levi's, he is mostly known for his music video work. He is a frequent collaborator of music artist Robbie Williams...
    
    /Anthea Benton
    Anthea Benton
    Anthea Benton is a British television commercial and music video director, best known for her adverts for Stella Artois and Levi's.Benton began her career as a Fashion Designer, and moved into directing in 1982 as half of the directing duo Vaughan and Anthea...
    
    ) – 4:50
16. "One Day [Instrumental With Real Strings]" – 5:47
17. "King Without a Crown [Monarchy Mix]" – 8:46

Personnel

• Martin Fry
  Martin Fry
  Martin Fry is lead singer of the band, ABC.-Biography:He grew up in Bramhall, Stockport, alongside his younger brother Jamie .-ABC:...
  
  : vocals
• Mark White
  Mark White (musician)
  Mark White is an English musician, best known for being part of the pop band ABC, from 1980 to 1992. His last contribution to the band was their 1991 album, Abracadabara....
  
  : guitars,keyboards, programming
• Graham Broad
  Graham Broad
  Graham Broad is an English drummer who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen, after attending the Royal College of Music in 1970....
  
  : drums
• Brad Lang: bass
• Dave Clayton
  Dave Clayton
  Dave Clayton is a British keyboard player and record producer. He has recorded or played with, among others, Simply Red, ABC, Depeche Mode and Paul McCartney. He also has production credits with Kraftwerk and The Human League....
  
  : keyboards
• Danny Thompson
  Danny Thompson
  Daniel Henry Edward 'Danny' Thompson is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist and businessman...
  
  : double bass
• Judd Lander: harmonica
• Luis Jardim
  Luís Jardim
  Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
  
  : percussion
• Howie Casey
  Howie Casey
  Howard William "Howie" Casey is a British rhythm and blues and rock saxophonist. He first came to prominence in the early 1960s as a member of Derry and the Seniors, the first rock and roll band from Liverpool to play clubs in Germany, and later, as leader of the renamed Howie Casey and the...
  
  : saxophone
• Anne Dudley
  Anne Dudley
  Anne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
  
  : string arrangements on "One Day" & "Bad Blood"
• Tessa Niles
  Tessa Niles
  Tessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
  
  : background vocals
• Dolette McDonald: background vocals
• Miriam Stockley
  Miriam Stockley
  Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
  
  : background vocals
• Linda Taylor: background vocals
• Alan Carvell: background vocals
• Richard Niles
  Richard Niles
  Richard Niles is an American composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, broadcaster and journalist. He has lived in London since 1975. Because of his extensive work across many genres Sound on Sound magazine referred to him as "one of the most versatile men in modern music".-Early years:Niles was...
  
  : string arrangements on "When Smokey Sings
  When Smokey Sings
  "When Smokey Sings" is the name of a song by the New Wave band ABC. The lyrics and name of the song are a tribute to R&B and Soul singer Smokey Robinson. It was released in mid-1987, on ABC's album Alphabet City...
  
  " & "The Night You Murdered Love"
• Pandit Dinesh: percussion/tabla

The 2005 reissue is digitally remastered.