Communards (album)


Communards is the debut studio album by British synth-pop duo the Communards, released on 14 July 1986 by London Records. The album was produced by Mike Thorne, who had previously produced lead singer Jimmy Somerville's earlier band, Bronski Beat. Although the singles released ahead of the album were only moderately successful, the first single to be lifted from it after release, "Don't Leave Me This Way", topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks and became the best-selling single in the UK that year. During the single's four-week run at number one, the album itself peaked at number seven, going on to spend a total of 45 weeks in the UK Albums Chart.
Musically, the album contains tracks that largely fall into one of two styles, either Hi-NRG or piano ballads showcasing the talents of Richard Coles, a classically trained pianist. The standard "Lover Man" is arranged as a straight jazz number, albeit with the unusual twist of being performed as a duet.
The front sleeve features a stark graphic design consisting of the group's name and logo against a black background. A photo of the duo appears on the back, while the inner sleeve features small photos of Coles, Somerville and Sarah Jane Morris, alongside the album credits and full lyrics for all the songs.
Two songs had dedications in the sleevenotes: "Don't Leave Me This Way" was dedicated to the GLC, and "Reprise" to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Track listing

All tracks by Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles, except where noted.

Original 1986 LP release

  1. "Don't Leave Me This Way" – 4:50
  2. "La Dolarosa" – 2:43
  3. "Disenchanted" – 4:13
  4. "Reprise" – 5:22
  5. "So Cold the Night" – 5:45
  6. "You Are My World" – 4:30
  7. "Lover Man" – 3:52
  8. "Don't Slip Away" – 2:58
  9. "Heavens Above" – 3:58
  10. "Forbidden Love" – 5:02

Original 1986 CD release

  1. "Don't Leave Me This Way" – 6:26
  2. "La Dolarosa" – 2:43
  3. "Disenchanted" – 6:12
  4. "Reprise" – 5:22
  5. "So Cold the Night" – 6:48
  6. "You Are My World" – 8:01
  7. "Lover Man" – 3:52
  8. "Don't Slip Away" – 2:58
  9. "Heavens Above" – 3:58
  10. "Forbidden Love" – 5:02
  11. "Breadline Britain" – 2:31
  12. "Disenchanted " – 8:46

1997 CD reissue

  1. "Don't Leave Me This Way" – 4:50
  2. "La Dolarosa" – 2:43
  3. "Disenchanted" – 4:13
  4. "Reprise" – 5:22
  5. "So Cold the Night" – 5:45
  6. "You Are My World" – 4:30
  7. "Lover Man" – 3:52
  8. "Don't Slip Away" – 2:58
  9. "Heavens Above" – 3:58
  10. "Forbidden Love" – 5:02
  11. "Breadline Britain" – 2:31
  12. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 22:55
The 1997 remastered version of the album replaces "Disenchanted " with "Don't Leave Me This Way ", a 22:55 version of the song which also incorporates the Communards song "Sanctified". This track was originally issued in 1986 as "The Gotham City Mix", when it was split across two sides of a 12-inch single.

2012 CD reissue

Disc one
  1. "Don't Leave Me This Way" – 4:52
  2. "La Dolarosa" – 2:43
  3. "Disenchanted" – 4:13
  4. "Reprise" – 5:23
  5. "So Cold the Night" – 5:46
  6. "You Are My World" – 4:30
  7. "Lover Man" – 3:52
  8. "Don't Slip Away" – 2:58
  9. "Heavens Above" – 3:59
  10. "Forbidden Love" – 5:02
  11. "Breadline Britain" – 2:31
  12. "Disenchanted " – 8:44
  13. "Judgement Day" – 5:14
  14. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 11:42
  15. "When The Walls Come Tumbling Down " – 6:34
Disc two
  1. "You Are My World " – 4:16
  2. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 10:23
  3. "So Cold the Night " – 8:24
  4. "Heavens Above " – 3:30
  5. "Johnny Verso" – 3:46
  6. "Sentimental Journey" – 3:36
  7. "The Message" – 7:26
  8. "Disenchanted " – 8:41
  9. "So Cold the Night " – 9:10
  10. "Never No More" – 2:59
  11. "Sanctified" – 2:36
  12. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" – 4:23
  13. "The Multimix" – 7:50
  14. "Annie" – 1:43

35th Anniversary Edition (2021)

Disc one
  1. "Don't Leave Me This Way" – 6:27
  2. "La Dolarosa" – 2:43
  3. "Disenchanted" – 6:14
  4. "Reprise" – 5:22
  5. "So Cold the Night" – 6:48
  6. "You Are My World" – 8:01
  7. "Lover Man" – 3:52
  8. "Don't Slip Away" – 2:58
  9. "Heavens Above" – 3:59
  10. "Forbidden Love" – 5:04
  11. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 11:38
  12. "Disenchanted " – 8:44
  13. "Sentimental Journey" – 3:33
  14. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" – 4:20
Disc two
  1. "So Cold the Night " – 3:46
  2. "Don't Slip Away " – 2:33
  3. "America " – 4:16
  4. "Forbidden Love " – 2:49
  5. "La Dolarosa " – 2:36
  6. "You Are My World " – 9:52
  7. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 8:27
  8. "Heavens Above – 3:19
  9. "Summertime " – 3:17
  10. "Lover Man " – 4:04
  11. "Forbidden Love " – 5:01
  12. "Breadline Britain" – 2:32
  13. "Never No More" – 3:01
  14. "So Cold the Night " – 8:22
  15. "Judgement Day" – 5:14
  16. "Don't Leave Me This Way " – 8:25

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position
Scottish Albums 63

Year-end charts

Chart Position
European Albums 17
German Albums 74
UK Albums 98