Music Hub
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
in: Bands

Fairground Attraction

Edit
video
File:Placeholder


Fairground Attraction is a Scottish pop/folk band.

Content[]

 [hide]*1 History

History[Edit][]

Fairground Attraction began when Eddi Reader (vocals/lyrics), working with Alison Moyet and Eurythmics already had worked as a backup singer, to her friend Mark e. Nevin (author/guitar) asked to write songs for her. Complemented by Roy Dodds (percussion) and Simon Edwards (guitaron) Fairground Attraction came to life. The group played in small clubs and pubs and were gradually more famous.

They signed a contract with RCA in 1987 and in april 1988 they released their debut single Perfect . This number is rendered as a pop/rockabilly-style turned out to be a true success and stood in no time in the highest reaches of the charts, with even 2 weeks number one in the UK single chart.

Their debut album, The First Of A Million Kisses, was a good display of their musical qualities. It was a collection of songs with a mix of folk, jazz, cajun, country and acoustic pop and romantic lyric texts mixed by Mark e. Nevin and the emotional and expressive vocals by Eddi Reader. The album fared well in the album listings. Released in May 1988, the album came in at number three (top position: number two) of the UK-album list.

At the Brit Awards by the following year they got the prize for the best Album for this album as well as the prize for the best single for Perfect. In addition to Perfect three songs from the album were released: Find My Love, A Smile In A Whisper and Clare. Perfect was again later released to promote the compilation album Celtic heart.

They were also popular in other European countries and even did a tour in the Usa. In Japan, where their popularity was just as high as in the UK, they toured around in June and July 1989, at which they gave six sold-out shows. One is recorded and released on the live CD Kawasaki Live in Japan, which 14 years later (2003) was released.

Shortly after their tour in Japan, in september 1989, some sources reported that there is disagreement had arisen during the recording of their second-unreleased-album. It was expected that there would be many songs on that were played during the tour in Japan already. Many of the songs were later released on the album Goodbye to Songtown will honour Sweetmouth, consisting of the former Fairground Attraction memberMark e. Nevin and Brian Kennedy (who had appeared on the Japanese tour by Fairground Attraction).

In January 1990 it was announced officially to the band one more album Ay Fond Kiss with B-sides of earlier singles and some live tracks. The single Walking Round Midnight was released as farewell single.

After leaving Fairground Attraction are Eddi Reader and Mark e. Nevin solo moved on.

Their best known Perfect number is later used in commercials of Hertog Jan beer on the Dutch TV.

Members[Edit][]

Eddi Reader-vocals and lyrics

Mark e. Nevin-guitar, lyrics and music

Roy Dodds-Percussion

Simon Edwards-Guitaron

Discography[Edit][]

Albums[Edit][]

  • The First of A Million Kisses (1988)
  1. A Smile in A Whisper
  2. Perfect
  3. Moon On the Rain
  4. Find My Love
  5. Fairground Attraction
  6. The Wind Knows My Name
  7. Clare
  8. Comedy Waltz
  9. The Moon Is Mine
  10. Station Street
  11. Whispers
  12. Allelujah
  13. Falling Backwards
  14. Mythology

Credits

(Lyrics and music)
1 ～ 10 and 12 ～ 14. Mark E. Nevin
11. Eddi Reader
(Producer)
Fairground Attraction and Kevin Moloney

Tracks 13 and 14 are published only on Bonus Cds

  • Ay Fond Kiss (1990)
  1. Jock O' Hazeldean
  2. The Game of Love
  3. Walking After Midnight
  4. You Send Me
  5. Trying Times
  6. Mystery Train
  7. Winter Rose
  8. Do You Want to Know a Secret?
  9. Allelujah (Live)
  10. Cajun Band
  11. Watching the Party
  12. Ay Fond Kiss

Credits

(Lyrics/Music)
1. w. Scott -arranged by Fairground Attraction
2, 7, 9, 11. Mark E. Nevin
3. Don Hecht-Alan Block
4. Sam Cooke
5. Donny Hathaway & l. Hutson
6. Tom Parker & Sam Philips
8. John Lennon & Paul McCartney
10. Anthony Thistlethwaitelid of the waterboys
12. r. Burns -arranged by Fairground Attraction
(Producer)
Fairground Attraction and Kevin Moloney
  • Kawasaki Live in Japan 02.07.89 (2003)
  1. Winter Rose + Allelujah/Medley
  2. The Waltz Continues *
  3. The Moon Is Mine + Get Happy/Medley
  4. Don't Be A Stranger *
  5. Dangerous *
  6. I Know Why The Willow Weeps *
  7. Home To Heartache *
  8. Fear Is The Enemy Of Love *
  9. Find My Love
  10. Broken By A Breeze *
  11. Whispers
  12. Goodbye To Songtown *
  13. Fairground Attraction
  14. Clare
  15. Perfect
  16. Moon On The Rain

* all these songs are also released on the album "Goodbye to songtown" by the honour Sweetmouth (Mark e. Nevin & Brian Kennedy).

Compilation albums[Edit][]

  • The Collection: Fairground Attraction feat. Eddi Reader
  1. Perfect
  2. Do you want to know a secret?
  3. A smile in a whisper
  4. Walking after midnight
  5. Find my love
  6. You send me
  7. The moon is mine
  8. Moon on the rain
  9. Winter rose
  10. The wind knows my name
  11. Comedy waltz (live)
  12. Allelujah
  13. Ay fond kiss
  14. Clare (live)
  15. Watching the party
  16. Fairground attraction

  • 80s Eternal Best: Fairground Attraction Best (1998)
  1. Perfect
  2. Find My Love
  3. Fairground Attraction
  4. A Smile in a Whisper
  5. Clare
  6. Walking After Midnight
  7. Do You Want to Know a Secret?
  8. Allelujah
  9. The Moon is Mine
  10. Watching the Party
  11. Winter Rose
  12. The Wind Knows My Name
  13. Jock Hazeldean O7
  14. The Game of Love
  15. Comedy Waltz
  16. You Send Me
  17. Ay Fond Kiss
  18. Clare (Live)

Released only in Japan.

  • The Very Best of Fairground Attraction featuring Eddi Reader (1996)
  1. Perfect
  2. Find my love
  3. Fairground attraction
  4. A smile in a whisper
  5. Clare
  6. Walking after midnight
  7. Do you want to know a secret?
  8. Allelujah
  9. The moon is mine
  10. Watching the party
  11. Winter rose
  12. The wind knows my name
  13. Jock O'Hazeldean
  14. Comedy waltz
  15. You send me
  16. Ay fond kiss

  • The Masters (1997)
  1. Perfect
  2. Find my love
  3. The game of love
  4. Walking after midnight
  5. Fairground attraction
  6. A smile in a whisper
  7. Do you want to know a secret?
  8. Moon on the rain
  9. Whispers
  10. Clare
  11. Allelujah
  12. The moon is mine
  13. Comedy waltz
  14. Ay fond kiss
  15. The wind knows my name
  16. Station street

  • Perfect: The Best of Fairground Attraction (1995)
  1. Perfect
  2. Find my love
  3. The game of love
  4. Fairground attraction
  5. A smile in a whisper
  6. Clare
  7. You send me
  8. Do you want to know a secret?
  9. Walkin' after midnight
  10. Mystery train
  11. Allelujah
  12. Moon on the rain
  13. The moon is mine
  14. Mythology
  15. Cajun band
  16. Comedy waltz

Singles[Edit][]

  • Perfect (Original, 1988)
  • Perfect (Celtic Heart,???)
  • Find My Love (1988)
  • A Smile in A Whisper (1989)
  • Clare (1989)
  • Walking After Midnight (1991)

Radio 2 Top 2000[Edit][]

Number (s) with markings

in the Radio 2 Top 2000

' 99 ' 00 ' 01 ' 02 ' 03 ' 04 ' 05 ' 06 ' 07 ' 08 ' 09 ' 10 ' 11 ' 12 ' 13
Perfect 1563 - - 1493 - - - - - - - - - - -
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More Music Hub