1. Erasure New Album
2. Erasure Songs
3. Erasure Wonderland Album Covers

The duo's full debut was a sparkling collection of synth-pop tunes that made up in enthusiasm and immediate catchiness what it lacked in overall variety or any sense of artistic progression from Clarke's past. Though the production, one of Flood's earliest high-profile efforts, is detailed and often lush, anyone who had followed Clarke's career wouldn't be surprised by anything on Wonderland.

1. ERASURE - WONDERLAND (ALBUM) Label: GDC/Sonet: Entry: 1986-06-11 (Position 20) Last week in charts: 1986-08-27 (Position 45). CD Mute LCDSTUMM25 / 0820172.
2. (A Man After Midnight)', the first time Erasure covered a song from the ABBA songbook. It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. To herald the June release of Erasure's debut album Wonderland, but became the third consecutive commercial failure for the band in both territories. Despite its low chart.

Wonderland is the debut studio album by Erasure, recorded in 1985 soon after the duo's formation. It was released on 1 May 1986 by Sire Records in the USA and 2 June 1986 by Mute Records in the UK and Germany.^[2] Not an immediate success, the three singles released from it failed to crack the Top 40 in the UK, nor did any of them enter the Billboard Hot 100. 'Who Needs Love Like That' would eventually make the British Top 10 in 1992, and 'Oh L'amour' became a 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 was a Top 20 success.

Erasure's initial exposure in the US came via dance clubs, as two singles did hit the top ten 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. Early reviews of the album dubbed Andy Bell as 'an Alison Moyet imitator'.^{[citation needed]}

Wonderland is widely revered as a classic example of mid-80s synthpop, by most critics, and is appreciated now as the beginning stages of one of electronic music's most enduring acts.

Track listing[edit]

All songs were written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, except where noted.

USA release (Sire)[edit]

Side one[edit]

1. 'Who Needs Love Like That' (Vince Clarke) - 3:19
2. 'Reunion' - 3:25
3. 'Cry So Easy' (Andy Bell) - 3:35
4. 'Senseless' - 5:20
5. 'Heavenly Action' - 3:30

Side two[edit]

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' (Clarke) - 4:31
10. 'Oh L'amour' - 3:04

CD bonus tracks[edit]

11. 'Who Needs Love Like That (The Love That Mix Version)' - 6:11
12. 'Oh L'amour (The Funky Sisters Remix)' - 7:17

UK and Germany releases (Mute)[edit]

Side one[edit]

1. 'Who Needs Love Like That' (Clarke)
2. 'Reunion'
3. 'Cry So Easy' (Bell)
4. 'Push Me Shove Me' (Clarke)
5. 'Heavenly Action'

Side two[edit]

6. 'Say What'
7. 'Love is a Loser'
8. 'Senseless'
9. 'My Heart.. So Blue' (Clarke)
10. 'Oh L'amour'
11. 'Pistol'

CD bonus tracks[edit]

12. 'Say What' (remix)
13. 'March on Down the Line' (remix)
14. 'Senseless' (remix)

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 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.

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.

Chart performance[edit]

Original release[edit]

1988 re-issue[edit]

1989 re-issue[edit]

Release history[edit]

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.

Track listing[edit]

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 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' USA Audiophile Remaster LP[edit]

Erasure New Album

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 Brothers in the USA. 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.

References[edit]

1. ^Allmusic review
2. ^'Erasure • Albums • Wonderland'. Erasureinfo.com. 2 June 1986. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
3. ^'charts.de'. charts.de. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
4. ^http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Erasure&titel=Wonderland&cat=a
5. ^'The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search'. The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
6. ^'The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search'. The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
7. ^'The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search'. The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.

'Oh L'amour' is a song by English synthpop duo Erasure, released in April 1986 as their third single. Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it is a lament from someone experiencing unrequited love ('broke my heart / now I'm aching for you').

The song is an uptempo, synthpop dance track and its popularity was further fueled in dance clubs by the 'Funky Sisters Remix', which appeared on the UK 12 inch single and as a bonus track on the U.S. edition of Wonderland. A different mix of the song was submitted for the single release, adding new instrumentation and extra sounds. This version appears on all of the band's compilation albums. A version of the 12' single was included with early copies of the debut LP Wonderland. One of the B-sides is a cover version of 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)', the first time Erasure covered a song from the ABBA songbook. It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. to herald the June release of Erasure's debut album Wonderland, but became the third consecutive commercial failure for the band in both territories. Despite its low chart placing, 'Oh L'amour' has proven to be one of Erasure's signature songs, due to its popularity in dance clubs. It remains a favourite among fans, particularly when performed live.

In 2003, the song was remixed and released as a single again to promote the greatest hits package Hits! The Very Best of Erasure. In its remixed form, the song became a UK Top 20 hit, peaking at number 13 in autumn 2003. The original artwork of the 'Oh L'amour' single featured illustrations from The Railway Series of characters Percy and Rheneas. As permission had not been given, this cover was withdrawn and replaced with a plain black cover with only the title and band name.

Critical reception[edit]

Ned Raggett from AllMusic commented, 'A lovely a cappella opening and instantly catchy hook, not to mention sprightly performances from Clarke and Bell both (the latter wisely undersings rather than pushing the flamboyance, letting loose more on the chorus), ensured its classic status.'^[1] He also called it 'brilliant', noting 'the soothing jump' of the song.^[2] Chris Gerard from Metro Weekly described it as 'the first truly great Erasure single', adding it as 'an infectious dance/pop classic'.^[3] Darren Lee from The Quietus noted 'the effete hormonal cravings' of the song, stating that it is one of 'the most gloriously effervescent pop anthems ever recorded.'^[4]

Chart performance[edit]

Erasure Songs

In 1986, 'Oh L'amour' climbed to number 85 on the UK Singles Chart and became Erasure's first big hit in South Africa (number two), in Germany (number 16), in Australia (number 13) and their only one in France (number 14). Yupptv kannada news. In the United States, the song's biggest impact was on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it hit number three on July 26, 1986.^[5]

Track listings[edit]

Charts[edit]

Erasure Wonderland Album Covers

August Mix (2003)[edit]

Dollar version[edit]

In 1987, British pop duoDollar released a cover version retitled 'O L'amour'. Chart-wise, this version was more successful in the UK as it reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, with a total of 11 weeks on the chart,^[19] and No. 4 in Ireland. It also reached No. 27 in Germany.^[20] The single was the duo's last major hit.

It was sampled by electronic duo Orbital on their track 'Style', which appeared on the 1999 album The Middle of Nowhere.

Track listing[edit]

UK 12' single

A. 'O L'amour'

B1. 'B-Beat'

B2. 'Who Were You With in the Moonlight'

UK 7' single

1. 'O L'amour'
2. 'B-Beat'

Other versions[edit]

• A Hi-NRG/Eurotrance cover of the song by Spellbound featuring Deejé was released in 2000.^[21]
• A cover version by DJ Dero featuring Alejandro Sergi (of the Argentine electropop band Miranda!) was recorded in 2007 and included on the dance music compilation Verano 2008.^[22]
• A cover version by Czech singer Petr Muk (alongside cover versions of 'Love to Hate You', 'Ship of Fools', 'Stop!' and 'Sometimes', all with Czech lyrics) was included on the album Oh L'amour, recorded in 2004.^[23]

References[edit]

1. ^Raggett, Ned. 'Erasure – Wonderland'. AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
2. ^Raggett, Ned. 'Erasure – Pop! The First 20 Hits'. AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
3. ^Gerard, Chris (17 September 2014). 'Erasure's 40 Greatest Tracks'. Metro Weekly. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
4. ^Lee, Darren (27 February 2009). 'Erasure – TOTAL POP! ERASURE'S FIRST 40 HITS'. The Quietus. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
5. ^'Dance Club Songs: The week of July 26, 1986'. Billboard Magazine.
6. ^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 104. ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
7. ^'Lescharts.com – Erasure – Oh L'amour' (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
8. ^'The Irish Charts - All there is to know > Search results for 'Erasure' (from irishcharts.ie)'. Fireball Media, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
9. ^'Charts.nz – Erasure – Oh L'amour'. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
10. ^Brian Currin. 'South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (E)'. Rock.co.za. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
11. ^'Swedishcharts.com – Erasure – Oh L'amour'. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
12. ^'Official Singles Chart Top 100'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
13. ^'Billboard > Erasure Chart History > Dance Club Songs'. Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
14. ^ ^ab'Billboard > Erasure Chart History > Dance Singles Sales'. Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
15. ^'Erasure – Oh L'amour (song)' (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
16. ^'Kent Music Report No 650 – 29 December 1986 > National Top 100 Singles for 1986'. Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
17. ^Steffen Hung. 'Erasure - Oh l'amour 2003'. danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
18. ^'The Official Charts Company - Oh L'Amour by Erasure Search'. The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
19. ^'DOLLAR | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company'. officialcharts.com.
20. ^https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-1756
21. ^'Covers Of Erasure Tracks » Erasure Discography » Onge's Erasure Page'. Onges-erasure-page.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
22. ^http://www.sinvueltasfm.com.ar/musica.php?_pagi_pg=17
23. ^Michaela Mishka Sucha, www.mishka.cz. 'Petr MUK –– oficiální stránky'. petrmuk.cz. Retrieved 9 November 2016.