I'm No Hero
Encyclopedia
I'm No Hero is a 1980 album by Cliff Richard
. It featured the singles "Dreamin'" and "A Little in Love", which were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.
" which was written and arranged by Alan Tarney
, the record company were keen to use his services again. For the follow-up album in 1980, he was employed as producer for the entire album. This gave I'm No Hero a cohesive sound but was criticised at the time for being too unadventurous. The songs on the album were similar in style to "We Don't Talk Anymore", but it was also a success, generating two top 20 singles, while the album itself made the top five in the UK.
With the lead single "Dreamin'" released in August 1980, the album came out a few weeks later. "Dreamin'" became a top 10 hit in both the UK and US, while follow-up "A Little in Love", released belatedly in January 1981 reached No.15 in the UK and No.17 in the US. The album itself made No.4 in the UK album charts, but due to the lack of singles, failed to sustain as lengthy a run in the Top 75 as his previous album. The delayed release of the second single was most likely due to the release of "Suddenly", a duet with Olivia Newton John, which had been featured on the Xanadu
soundtrack. This was also a top 20 hit in the UK and US - making this the most successful period for Cliff Richard in the American market.
The album received positive reviews and kept Richard high in the charts during this, his revival period. It was also the last time he would appear in the US top 20. Album track "Give a Little Bit More", which was co-written by Andy Hill
, who was about to become famous as writer and producer for Bucks Fizz
, was released in some countries as a single, as was "In the Night" - although this wasn't the same as the Barbara Dickson
song which was released around the time (and was also produced by Tarney). "Give a Little Bit More" gave Richard a third hit from the album in the US, peaking at No.41.
I'm No Hero was remastered and re-issued on compact disc in July 2001.
Side Two
Bonus tracks (2001 re-issue):
NOTE: NR - not released
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
. It featured the singles "Dreamin'" and "A Little in Love", which were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.
Background
Following the success of his 1979 single "We Don't Talk AnymoreWe Don't Talk Anymore
"We Don't Talk Anymore" is a song recorded by Cliff Richard that reached number one in the UK singles chart in August 1979, remaining there for four weeks...
" which was written and arranged by Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
, the record company were keen to use his services again. For the follow-up album in 1980, he was employed as producer for the entire album. This gave I'm No Hero a cohesive sound but was criticised at the time for being too unadventurous. The songs on the album were similar in style to "We Don't Talk Anymore", but it was also a success, generating two top 20 singles, while the album itself made the top five in the UK.
With the lead single "Dreamin'" released in August 1980, the album came out a few weeks later. "Dreamin'" became a top 10 hit in both the UK and US, while follow-up "A Little in Love", released belatedly in January 1981 reached No.15 in the UK and No.17 in the US. The album itself made No.4 in the UK album charts, but due to the lack of singles, failed to sustain as lengthy a run in the Top 75 as his previous album. The delayed release of the second single was most likely due to the release of "Suddenly", a duet with Olivia Newton John, which had been featured on the Xanadu
Xanadu (Soundtrack)
Xanadu is the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name, featuring the Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and the Britsh group Electric Light Orchestra....
soundtrack. This was also a top 20 hit in the UK and US - making this the most successful period for Cliff Richard in the American market.
The album received positive reviews and kept Richard high in the charts during this, his revival period. It was also the last time he would appear in the US top 20. Album track "Give a Little Bit More", which was co-written by Andy Hill
Andy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
, who was about to become famous as writer and producer for Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
, was released in some countries as a single, as was "In the Night" - although this wasn't the same as the Barbara Dickson
Barbara Dickson
Barbara Ruth Dickson, OBE is a Scottish singer whose hits include "I Know Him So Well" and "January February"...
song which was released around the time (and was also produced by Tarney). "Give a Little Bit More" gave Richard a third hit from the album in the US, peaking at No.41.
I'm No Hero was remastered and re-issued on compact disc in July 2001.
Track listing
Side One- "Take Another Look" (Alan TarneyAlan TarneyAlan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
) 4:11 - "Anything I Can Do" (Alan Tarney) 4:01
- "A Little in Love" (Alan Tarney) 3:42
- "Here (So Doggone Blue)" (Alan Tarney) 3:50
- "Give a Little Bit More" (Andy HillAndy Hill (composer)Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
, Jonathan Hodge) 3:35
Side Two
- "In the Night" (Rod Bowkett) 3:48
- "I'm No Hero" (Trevor Spencer, Alan Tarney) 3:25
- "Dreamin'" (Leo SayerLeo SayerLeo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
, Alan Tarney) 3:40 - "A Heart Will Break" (Trevor Spencer, Alan Tarney) 3:59
- "Everyman" (Alan Tarney) 4:11
Bonus tracks (2001 re-issue):
- "Dynamite" (Ian Ralph SamwellIan SamwellIan "Sammy" Samwell was an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut hit "Move It" and his association with the rock band America with whom he had his biggest commercial success with their hit single "A Horse With No Name"...
) 3:12 - "Keep on Looking" (Alan Tarney) 3:40
Chart performance
| Release date | Single title | UK Chart peak | US Chart peak | Australia | Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| August 1980 | "Dreamin'" | 8 | 10 | 4 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 1981 | "A Little in Love" | 15 | 17 | 66 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 1981 | "Give a Little Bit More" | NR | 41 | NR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Release date | Album title | UK Chart peak | US Chart peak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 1980 | I'm No Hero | 4 | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: NR - not released