Better the Devil You Know (album)

Better the Devil You Know is the third album by British pop star Sonia.[2] It was released on the back of her entry into the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest with the title track.

Better the Devil You Know
Studio album by
Released17 May 1993
Recorded1992–1993
GenrePop
Length44:08
LabelArista
ProducerNigel Wright and others
Sonia chronology
Sonia
(1991)
Better the Devil You Know
(1993)
Love Train - The Philly Album
(1998)
Singles from Better the Devil You Know
  1. "Boogie Nights"
    Released: 31 August 1992
  2. "Better the Devil You Know"
    Released: 19 April 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Music Week[1]

Overview

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Released in May 1993, the album followed Sonia's appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest. The previous year, Sonia had been selected to be the UK representative and she performed all eight songs in the Song for Europe. The 1992 participant Michael Ball had enjoyed great success with his album based on the contest when it reached No.1 in the charts, and Sonia's management were keen to see similar results.[3] "Better the Devil You Know" featured four songs from the contest (the top four placed songs: "A Little Love", "Our World", "So Much of Your Love" and the winner "Better the Devil You Know").[4] However, the album failed to replicate Ball's success and peaked at No.32 in the charts. The title track however finished a close second in the Contest and reached No.15 on the UK charts.[5]

An earlier single, a cover of the disco hit "Boogie Nights" was also included on the album, while a planned follow-up to the Eurovision song, "Rescue Me" (also a cover) went unreleased.[6] This album marked the end of Sonia's hit-making period, which had lasted since 1989. From this point, Sonia concentrated on TV and stage work, while two more singles and a final album failed to find success.

Track listing

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  1. "Better the Devil You Know" (Dean Collinson, Red) 2:38
  2. "Young Hearts Run Free" (Dave Crawford) 3:47
  3. "So Much of Your Love" (Patrick McGlynne, Jane Andrews) 3:43
  4. "A Little Love" (Phil Harding, Curnow, Imrie) 3:22
  5. "Our World" (Johnny Warman, Nick Graham) 2:47
  6. "Set Me on Fire" (Lisa Stansfield, Ian Devaney, Andy Morris) 4:10
  7. "Rescue Me" (Raynard Miner, Carl William Smith) 3:09
  8. "Boogie Nights" (Rod Temperton) 3:41
  9. "Not What I Call Love" (A. Parker, Sonia Evans) 4:08
  10. "My Light" (Mark Taylor, Tracy Ackerman, Sonia Evans) 3:56
  11. "Next to You" (A. Parker, Sonia Evans) 4:11
  12. "From Me to You" (A. Parker, Sonia Evans) 3:34
  13. "Just One Look" (Ian Levine, Pamela Sheyne) 3:31

Personnel

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  • Nigel Wright - Producer on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  • Mark Taylor, Tracy Ackerman - Producers on tracks 8,10
  • Mark Cyrus - Producer on tracks 9, 11, 12
  • Ian Levine - Producer on track 13
  • Phil Harding / Curnow - Mixers of track 8
  • Pete Hammond - Mixer of track 13
  • Robin Sellars - Engineer on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

References

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  1. ^ Jones, Alan (22 May 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Soniaontheweb.com | Sonia discography". Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Michael Ball - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  4. ^ Geocities.com | 1993 Song for Europe final
  5. ^ "Sonia - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Soniaontheweb.com | Sonia singles discography". Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2008.