After releasing The Two Ring Circus, a remix

Remix

A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....

 album in 1987, The Innocents was the third proper studio release from Erasure

Erasure

Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...

, released in 1988. This album, produced by Stephen Hague

Stephen Hague

Stephen Hague is an American music producer most active with various British acts in the 1980s. He was an influential figure in the synthpop movement.-Early career:...

 and released by Mute Records

Mute Records

Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...

 in the UK and Sire Records

Sire Records

Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...

 in the U.S., was the release that catapulted Erasure to super-stardom in their home country and gave them their long-awaited breakthrough in the U.S.

The Innocents became the first in a string of number one albums by Erasure in the UK, turning double platinum, with sales over 600,000. Thanks to heavy exposure on MTV

MTV

MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

, it also spawned two major Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 hits, a Top 50 placing on the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 and Platinum album certification in the U.S.

The album was remastered and re-released on to celebrate its 21st anniversary. Prefaced by an EP of remixes led by album track "Phantom Bride

Phantom Bride EP

Phantom Bride is a remix EP by Erasure. It was released by Mute Records on CD and download to commemorate the release of the 21st anniversary edition of The Innocents.The EP features new remixes of tracks from The Innocents album....

," the 21st Anniversary Edition came in a couple of flavours including a limited edition two CD / DVD set, packed inside a CD-sized 20-page hardback book that includes interviews with Vince Clarke and Andy Bell about the making of the record and their thoughts on all the tracks.

The second CD includes various rarities, including the 7″ version of the duo’s take on "River Deep, Mountain High" and US-specific remixes of "Chains of Love" and "A Little Respect" that weren’t released on the UK singles boxset.

Track listing

All tracks by Clarke/Bell unless otherwise noted

1. "A Little Respect
   A Little Respect
   American band Wheatus released the song in July 2001 as their second single from their debut album. The single peaked at number three in the United Kingdom, while reaching number 19 in Austria and number 41 in New Zealand.-Critical reception:...
   
   " - 3:32
2. "Ship of Fools
   Ship of Fools (Erasure song)
   "Ship of Fools" is a song by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in February 1988 as the duo's eighth single overall.The song was issued by Mute Records as the lead single from Erasure's third album The Innocents...
   
   " - 4:01
3. "Phantom Bride" - 3:32
4. "Chains of Love
   Chains of Love (Erasure song)
   "Chains of Love" is a song by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in May 1988 as their ninth single overall.The song was released by Mute Records as the second single from Erasure's third studio album The Innocents. In the United States, Sire Records released it as the first single...
   
   " - 3:45
5. "Hallowed Ground" - 4:05
6. "Sixty-Five Thousand" - 3:23
7. "Heart of Stone" - 3:20
8. "Yahoo!" - 3:48
9. "Imagination" - 3:28
10. "Witch in the Ditch" - 3:45
11. "Weight of the World" - 3:40
12. "When I Needed You" (Melancholic Mix) - 4:22
13. "River Deep, Mountain High" (Private Dance Mix) (Barry
    Jeff Barry
    Jeff Barry is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer.-Early career:...
    
    , Greenwich
    Ellie Greenwich
    Eleanor Louise "Ellie" Greenwich was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She wrote or co-wrote "Be My Baby", "Christmas ", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Leader of the Pack", "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", and "River Deep, Mountain High", among many others...
    
    , Spector
    Phil Spector
    Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
    
    ) - 7:00

CD Two

1. "Ship Of Fools" (Shiver Me Timbers Mix)
2. "When I Needed You"
3. "River Deep Mountain High" (7" Version)
4. "Chains Of Love" (The Unfettered Mix)
5. "Don’t Suppose" (Country Joe Mix)
6. "The Good The Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous Remix)
7. "A Little Respect" (12" House Mix)
8. "Like Zsa Zsa Zsa Gabor" (Mark Freegard Mix))
9. "Love Is Colder Than Death"
10. "Phantom Bride" (BBC 'In Concert' live recording)
11. "Heart Of Stone" (BBC 'In Concert' live recording)
12. "Hallowed Ground" (BBC 'In Concert' live recording)
13. "Witch In The Ditch" (BBC 'In Concert' live recording)

DVD

The Innocents Live – NEC Birmingham 15/11/88

1. "Chains Of Love"
2. "A Little Respect"
3. "The Circus"
4. "The Hardest Part"
5. "Push Me Shove Me"
6. "Spiralling"
7. "Hallowed Ground"
8. "Oh L’Amour"
9. "Who Needs Love Like That"
10. "Stop!"
11. "Victim Of Love"
12. "Ship Of Fools"
13. "Knocking On Your Door"
14. "Sometimes"
15. "Witch In The Ditch" (previously unreleased)
16. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" (previously unreleased)

The Innocents At The BBC

1. "Ship Of Fools" – Going Live!
2. "A Little Respect" – Top Of The Pops
3. "The Innocents Live" (BBC 35-minute TV Special - First Broadcast December 12, 1988)

The Innocents - Promotional Videos

1. "Ship Of Fools"
2. "Chains Of Love"
3. "A Little Respect"

The Innocents Live - Downloads

1. MP3 files of The Innocents Live

Chart performance

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Canadian Albums Chart	54
German Albums Chart	10
New Zealand Albums Chart	50
Norwegian Albums Chart	18
Swedish Albums Chart	13
Swiss Albums Chart	15
UK Albums Chart	1
US Billboard 200	49