The Official Secrets Act (album)

The Official Secrets Act is M's second album, released in 1980 on Sire Records. The track "Official Secrets" was released as a single and charted in the UK at No. 64 in November 1980. The follow-up single was "Keep It To Yourself". The track "Maniac" featured Level 42 members Phil Gould on drums and Mark King on bass.

The Official Secrets Act
Studio album by
Released1980
GenreNew wave
Length40:02
LabelSire
ProducerRobin Scott
M chronology
New York • London • Paris • Munich
(1979)
The Official Secrets Act
(1980)
Famous Last Words
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The album title is a reference to the various UK Official Secrets Acts.

Track listing edit

LP: MCF 3085 edit

Side one edit

  1. "Transmission (The World Is at Your Fingertips)" – 4:30
  2. "Join the Party" – 3:39
  3. "Working for the Corporation" – 3:35
  4. "Your Country Needs You" – 3:20
  5. "M'aider" – 5:26

Side two edit

  1. "Relax" – 3:42
  2. "Maniac" – 3:22
  3. "Keep it to Yourself" – 3:34
  4. "Abracadabra" – 2:51
  5. "Official Secrets" – 6:03

1997 Westside CD Reissue: WESM 502 edit

  1. "Transmission" – 4:30
  2. "Join the Party" – 3:39
  3. "Working for the Corporation" – 3:35
  4. "Your Country Needs You" – 3:20
  5. "Mayday" – 5:26
  6. "Relax" – 3:42
  7. "Maniac" – 3:22
  8. "Keep it to Yourself" – 3:34
  9. "Abracadabra" – 2:51 (1)
  10. "Official Secrets" – 6:03
  11. "Abracadabra (Sunset–Sunrise Mix) – 2:51
  12. "Danube" – 3:33 (1)
  13. "The Wedding Dance" – 3:37 (1)
  14. "Mambo La" – 2:29 (2)
  15. "Don't Believe What the Papers Say" – 1:12
  16. "The Bride of Fortune" – 4:20 (3)

All tracks written by Robin Scott except,
(1) "Abracadabra", "Danube" & "The Wedding Dance" written by Scott/Novik
(2) "Mambo La" written by Unknown
(3) "The Bride of Fortune" written by Scott/Westwood

Personnel edit

with:

  • Paddy Keenan - Uilleann pipes on "Keep It to Yourself"
  • Dónal Lunny - arrangement on "Keep It to Yourself"
  • Bill Whelan - arrangements on "Relax" and "Official Secrets"
  • The Dublin Symphony Orchestra - orchestra on "Relax" and "Official Secrets"; Audrey Parkes - leader
  • Billy Brown, Brigit Vinchon, Deidre Costello, Denis Blackham, Des Smith, John Keogh, Mog Aherne, Robin Scott - vocals and whistling on "Working for The Corporation"
Technical
  • Dave Aston, Denis Blackham, Philip Begley - engineer
  • Peter Ashworth - front cover photography

References edit

  1. ^ LeRoy, Dan. The Official Secrets Act at AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2012.