The Innocents (Erasure album)


The Innocents is the third studio album by Erasure, released in 1988. Produced by Stephen Hague and released by Mute Records in Germany and the UK and Sire/Reprise Records in the USA, it was the release that made Erasure superstars in their home country and gave them their long-awaited breakthrough in the U.S.
The Innocents became the first in a string of number-one albums by Erasure in the UK, turning double platinum with sales over 600,000. Thanks to heavy exposure on MTV, it also spawned two major Billboard Hot 100 hits, a Top 50 placing on the Billboard 200 and Platinum album certification in the U.S. According To Nielsen SoundScan, 23 years after its release the album has sold a total of 5 million copies worldwide. It is their best selling album to date.
The album was remastered and re-released on to celebrate its 21st anniversary. Prefaced by an EP of remixes led by album track "Phantom Bride," the 21st Anniversary Edition came in a couple of flavours including a limited edition two CD / DVD set, packed inside a CD-sized 20-page hardback book that includes interviews with Vince Clarke and Andy Bell about the making of the record and their thoughts on all the tracks.
The second CD includes various rarities, including the 7″ version of the duo's take on "River Deep, Mountain High" and US-specific remixes of "Chains of Love" and "A Little Respect" that weren't released in the UK singles box set.

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, unless otherwise noted.

Standard edition

  1. "A Little Respect" - 3:32
  2. "Ship of Fools" - 4:01
  3. "Phantom Bride" - 3:32
  4. "Chains of Love" - 3:45
  5. "Hallowed Ground" - 4:05
  6. "Sixty-Five Thousand" - 3:23
  7. "Heart of Stone" - 3:20
  8. "Yahoo!" - 3:48
  9. "Imagination" - 3:28
  10. "Witch in the Ditch" - 3:45
  11. "Weight of the World" - 3:40

    CD bonus tracks

  12. "When I Needed You"
  13. "River Deep, Mountain High "

    21st Anniversary Edition

CD One

same as above

CD Two

  1. "Ship of Fools"
  2. "When I Needed You"
  3. "River Deep Mountain High"
  4. "Chains of Love"
  5. "Don’t Suppose"
  6. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
  7. "A Little Respect"
  8. "Like Zsa Zsa Zsa Gabor" )
  9. "Love Is Colder Than Death"
  10. "Phantom Bride"
  11. "Heart of Stone"
  12. "Hallowed Ground"
  13. "Witch in the Ditch"

    DVD

The Innocents Live – NEC Birmingham 15/11/88
  1. "Chains of Love"
  2. "A Little Respect"
  3. "The Circus"
  4. "The Hardest Part"
  5. "Push Me Shove Me"
  6. "Spiralling"
  7. "Hallowed Ground"
  8. "Oh L’Amour"
  9. "Who Needs Love Like That"
  10. "Stop!"
  11. "Victim of Love"
  12. "Ship of Fools"
  13. "Knocking on Your Door"
  14. "Sometimes"
  15. "Witch in the Ditch"
  16. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
The Innocents at the BBC
  1. "Ship of Fools" – Going Live!
  2. "A Little Respect" – Top of the Pops
  3. "The Innocents Live"
The Innocents - Promotional Videos
  1. "Ship of Fools"
  2. "Chains of Love"
  3. "A Little Respect"
The Innocents Live - Downloads
  1. MP3 files of The Innocents Live

    2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

Chart performance