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Between Two Fires is the third solo album by English singer Paul Young. Released in October 1986, it reached No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart, and No. 77 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. The album has been certified Platinum (300,000 copies) by the British Phonographic Industry.[7]

Between Two Fires
Studio album by Paul Young
Released	20 October 1986
Recorded	1986
Studio	Lark Recording Studios (Carimate, Italy); Logic Studios (Milan, Italy).
Genre	Pop rock, soul
Length	44:45
Label	Columbia/CBS Records
Producer	Hugh Padgham Paul Young Ian Kewley
Paul Young chronology
The Secret of Association (1985) Between Two Fires (1986) Other Voices (1990)
Singles from Between Two Fires
"Wonderland" Released: September 1986[1] "Some People" Released: November 1986[2] "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong" Released: January 1987[3] "In the Long Run" Released: 1987[4] "War Games" Released: 1987[5]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone	(3.5/5)[6]

Between Two Fires follows the pattern of Young's first two albums combining cover versions with original songs written by Young and keyboard player Ian Kewley. However, after the numerous covers contained in the previous two works there were only two on this album with the Young/Kewley partnership contributing eight of the tracks, two co-written with bass player Pino Palladino.

Three singles were taken from the album; "Wonderland", "Some People", and "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong", though none of these made the UK Top 20 unlike Young's previous singles. "Wonderland", written by Betsy Cook who also provided backing vocals on the album, reached No. 24 in the UK (Cook would later release her own version of the song on her 1992 album The Girl Who Ate Herself). "Some People" reached No. 56 in the UK and No. 65 in the US, while "Why Does a Man have to Be Strong" reached No. 63 in the UK.

Critical reception

In a review for Rolling Stone, Laura Fissinger wrote: "Through the first few listens, the album seems muted and reticent, a bashful mishmash of pop riffs and references. But after those initial plays, Between Two Fires takes on remarkable colours, as if its ten tracks were strips of film coming to life in a photographer's darkroom. The record finally reveals itself to be a detailed portrait of the problems human beings have with sharing things – whether it's a whole planet or just a queen-size bed."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Paul Young and Ian Kewley; except where indicated.

1. "Some People" - 4:42
2. "Wonderland" (Betsy Cook) - 4:56
3. "War Games" (Andrew Barfield) - 4:16
4. "In the Long Run" (Young, Kewley, Pino Palladino) - 4:14
5. "Wasting My Time" - 5:11
6. "Prisoner of Conscience" (Young, Kewley, Palladino) - 4:18
7. "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong?" - 4:19
8. "A Certain Passion" - 4:12
9. "Between Two Fires" - 3:48
10. "Wedding Day" - 4:49
11. "Steps to Go" - 5:12

Note

• Track 11 included on some CD releases.

Personnel

• Paul Young – lead vocals, arrangements
• Matt Irving – keyboards
• Ian Kewley – keyboards, Hammond organ, arrangements
• Steve Boltz – guitars, sitar
• Pino Palladino – bass, arrangements
• David Palmer – drums, drum programming
• Danny Cummings – percussion
• Tony Jackson – backing vocals
• Hamish Stuart – backing vocals
• Betsy Cook – backing vocals

Production

• Ian Kewley – producer
• Paul Young – producer
• Hugh Padgham – producer, engineer
• Pino Palladino – production assistance
• Paul "Croydon" Cook – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Masterdisk (New York City, New York) – mastering location
• Rob O'Connor – art direction, design
• Stylorouge – art direction, design
• John Swannell – sleeve photography
• Ged Doherty – management
• Renegade Artists Management Ltd. – management company

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8]	40
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9]	23
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10]	63
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11]	39
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12]	19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13]	27
UK Albums (OCC)[14]	4
US Billboard 200[15]	77

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[16]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[17]	Platinum	300,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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