Im No Hero

I`m No Hero is the 23rd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1980. The album includes three hit singles, of which "Dreamin`" and "A Little in Love" were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.

Background

Following the success of Richard`s 1979 single "We Don`t Talk Anymore", which was written and arranged by Alan Tarney, the record company was keen to use his services again. For the follow-up album in 1980, Tarney was employed as producer for the entire album. This gave I`m No Hero a cohesive sound but was criticised at the time for being too unadventurous. The songs on the album were similar in style to "We Don`t Talk Anymore", but it was also a success, generating two top 20 singles, while the album itself made the top five in the UK.

With the lead single "Dreamin`" released in August 1980, the album came out a few weeks later. "Dreamin`" became a top 10 hit in both the UK and US, while the follow-up, "A Little in Love", released belatedly in January 1981, reached No.15 in the UK and No.17 in the US.[5][6][7] The album itself reached No.4 in the UK Albums Chart, but due to the lack of singles, failed to sustain as lengthy a run in the top 75 as Richard`s previous album, Rock `n` Roll Juvenile.[5] The delayed release of the second single was due to the release of "Suddenly", a duet with Olivia Newton-John, taken from the Xanadu soundtrack. This was also a top 20 hit in the UK and US - making this Richard`s most successful period in the American market.

The album received positive reviews and kept Richard high in the charts during this, his revival period.[8] It was also the last time he appeared in the US top 20. The track "Give a Little Bit More", which was co-written by Andy Hill, who was about to become famous as the writer and producer for Bucks Fizz, was released in some countries as a single, as was "In the Night" (not the same as the Barbara Dickson song which was released around that time and also produced by Tarney).[9] "Give a Little Bit More" gave Richard a third hit from the album in the US, peaking at No. 41.[10] This track was unreleased as a single in the UK, where it was covered by Johnny Logan in September 1980, but his version failed to chart.[11]

I`m No Hero was remastered and re-issued on compact disc in July 2001.[12]

Track listing

All tracks written by Alan Tarney, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Take Another Look" – 4:11
2. "Anything I Can Do" – 4:01
3. "A Little in Love" – 3:42
4. "Here (So Doggone Blue)" – 3:50
5. "Give a Little Bit More" (Andy Hill, Jonathan Hodge) – 3:35

Side two

1. "In the Night" (Rod Bowkett) – 3:48
2. "I`m No Hero" (Trevor Spencer, Tarney) – 3:25
3. "Dreamin`" (Leo Sayer, Tarney) – 3:40
4. "A Heart Will Break" (Spencer, Tarney) – 3:59
5. "Everyman" – 4:11

CD bonus tracks (2001 re-issue)

1. "Dynamite" (Ian Ralph Samwell) – 3:12
2. "Keep on Looking" – 3:40

Personnel

• Cliff Richard – vocals
• Alan Tarney – bass guitar, guitars, arrangements
• Trevor Spencer – drums
• Michael Boddicker, Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

NOTES:

^ "Dreaming" also reached no.83 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1980" chart.[17]

^^ "A Little in Love" also reached no. 33 on the Canadian RPM "Top 100 Singles of 1981" chart.[18]

NR - not released

Certifications