| Talk on Corners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 October 1997 (1997-10-17) | |||
| Recorded | July 1996 – May 1997 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 56:58 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| The Corrs chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Talk on Corners | ||||
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Talk on Corners is the second studio album by Irish familypop rock bandthe Corrs. It was released on 17 October 1997 by143,Lava andAtlantic Records. Preceded bylead single "Only When I Sleep", which became a top ten hit internationally, the album was an immediate commercial success in several territories, including Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Its commercial performance elsewhere was initially modest, however.
The Corrs' entire concert from theRoyal Albert Hall was broadcast live the following year onBBC One onSaint Patrick's Day, where they were joined during their performance of "Dreams" byFleetwood Mac drummerMick Fleetwood. This event did much to raise the band's international profile. A remixed version of "Dreams" went on to become their first top ten hit on theUK Singles Chart. The record was reissued the following month to include the song as a bonus track. This would be the first of several different editions ofTalk on Corners to be released over the album's two-year-long promotional cycle.
Over this period, the band released a string of increasingly successful hit singles, culminating with aTin Tin Out remix of "Runaway" peaking at number two in the UK. The Corrs also toured extensively to promote the record: theTalk on Corners World Tour saw them perform almost 160 concerts across twelve separate legs. The album spent ten weeks at number one in the UK. It ended its run asthe highest-selling album of the year, and remains one of thebest-selling albums of all time there, as well as the highest-selling album ever by an Irish act.
The Corrs began work on new material inCalifornia in July 1996, initially under the supervision ofproducerDavid Foster. Lead vocalistAndrea Corr has described the making ofTalk on Corners as being "a struggle", with the band put under pressure byAtlantic Records to deliver a successful follow-up to their 1995 debut albumForgiven, Not Forgotten. Their managerJohn Hughes citedsecond album syndrome as a common source of pressure for all recording artists, but said further demands came from the label, who were concerned that none of the songs they were being presented with seemed like potential hit singles. The label disliked "What Can I Do" and "So Young", particularly the latter, and the band had to fight hard for their inclusion on the album.[1]
Additional co-writers and producers were brought in to help improve the album's hit potential, includingCarole Bayer Sager,Glen Ballard,Oliver Leiber,Rick Nowels andBilly Steinberg. The use of different producers on different tracks introduced further difficulties: the band found it hard to achieve consistency throughout the entire album, although this would be remedied by the Corrs using over forty hours of studio time to recordoverdubs. In May 1997, the finalised album was delivered to Atlantic, who were unimpressed by the material and ordered the band to continue recording new tracks. When they refused, the label threatened to sue the band for breach of contract. This dispute was only resolved when John Hughes signed a contract guaranteeing future album sales, with the manager being held personally liable ifTalk on Corners failed to yield a profit for Atlantic.[1]
Talk on Corners is predominantly apop rock album, although it also incorporates elements ofCeltic andtraditional Irish music. Andrea Corr was the album's primary lyricist, co-writing numerous songs with established composers and producers: she co-wrote "Queen of Hollywood" with Glen Ballard, best known for co-writingMichael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" (1987) as well as for co-writing and producing theAlanis Morissette albumJagged Little Pill (1995). "Intimacy" was co-written byPat Benatar guitaristNeil Giraldo, and Billy Steinberg—the writer of hit singles includingMadonna's "Like a Virgin" (1984) and "Eternal Flame" bythe Bangles (1989). Several songs on the record were co-written and produced byOliver Leiber, the son of composerJerry Leiber, who, alongsideMike Stoller, co-wrote some of the biggest hits of the'50s and'60s, includingElvis Presley's "Hound Dog" (1953) and "Jailhouse Rock" (1957) as well asBen E. King's "Stand by Me" (1961). Their cover of theJimi Hendrix song "Little Wing" features Irish folk collectivethe Chieftains. The album's title is derived from a lyric in the song "Queen of Hollywood".[2][3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
The record received generally positive reviews from music critics.AllMusic writer Becky Byrkit rated it four stars out of five and praised the band for their vocal harmonies, as well as the album's consistency, writing that "each and every cut sounds wired for radio play". She highlighted their cover of "Little Wing" as being the album's "best and most spirited Celtic cut".[4] Stephen Segerman of South African music magazineRock rated the album eight out of ten, and complimented it for incorporating a "fuller androckier atmosphere [thanForgiven, Not Forgotten]". He also praised the record for containing "generous sprinklings of traditional Irish sounds and touches", which he said helped enhance the material.[3]
The special edition of the album received mixed reviews from the American music press. James Hunter ofRolling Stone criticised Ballard's production on "Queen of Hollywood" for "forcing an Alanis-like edge where it's unneeded", and called the David Foster-produced tracks "goofy", but said that, "otherwise, this is a high-flying reintroduction to someblue chip popsters."[5] A writer forPeople was critical of the re-release, as well as the remixed tracks, calling it "A collection of pretty,pop-lite tunes that could use more Celtic flavoring and less studio gloss, the album is best when harking back to the sounds ofthe Old Sod: reelingfiddles, soaring harmonies and the haunting tin whistle played by sister Andrea. Her lead vocals are as pretty to listen to as she and her sisters are to look at, but the string-sweetenedarrangements are as bland and flat as aDublin car park."[6]
British rock magazineNME have retrospectively been highly critical of the album, placing it at number three in their 2014 list of "25 unfathomably popular albums of the90's".[7] The album also appeared in a 2016 article titled "8 of the all-time best-selling albums in the UK [which] have no redeeming features whatsoever".[8] In contrast,The Independent included it in their 2024 list of 20 most underrated albums ever at number 10, comparing it favourably toCome On Over (1997) byShania Twain.[9]
The original edition of the album was released internationally on 17 October 1997, and was an immediate commercial success in several territories. Within five months of release,Talk on Corners had sold over a million copies worldwide, and was certified sextuple platinum in their home country, as well as double platinum in Australia and Spain, platinum in Denmark and New Zealand, and gold in both Japan and Sweden.[10] Its commercial success elsewhere was initially modest, however, with the album debuting at number 23 in France and at number 56 in Germany.[11][12] In the UK, it debuted at number 7, but would fall out of the top forty there within a month of release.[13] "Only When I Sleep" and "I Never Loved You Anyway" were released as the album's first two singles, with the former becoming a top ten hit in Ireland,[14] while both songs peaked within the top forty of theAustralian Singles Chart.[15] "What Can I Do" was released as the album's third single, and also went on to be a top forty hit in Ireland.[14] All three singles failed to reach the top forty of theUK Singles Chart.[13]
Fleetwood Mac drummerMick Fleetwood joined the band at their concert in theRoyal Albert Hall on 17 March 1998 during their performance of "Dreams", which the band had recently contributed to the albumLegacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac'sRumours. The entire concert was broadcast live onBBC One as part of that organisation's coverage ofSaint Patrick's Day, and the event did much to raise the band's profile.[10] The cover would become the Corrs' first top forty hit in the UK, after it peaked at number six.[13] The following month,Talk on Corners was reissued in numerous territories with "Dreams" included as a bonus track, and the album finally peaked at number one in the UK on 21 June 1998, its 35th week on the chart.[16] This edition of the album was the first to be released in the United States. It was released on 5 May,[10] and peaked at number 17 onBillboard'sTop Heatseekers Albums.[17]The Corrs: Live at the Royal Albert Hall was released in August.
A special edition of the record was released internationally on 9 November 1998. This revised edition contained five remixed tracks, several of which were then released or re-released as singles. The previously released remix of "Dreams" byTodd Terry was included, along with a previously unreleasedK-Klass remix of "So Young" (released as a single the following week), as well as an alternate mix of "I Never Loved You Anyway". Englishelectronic music duoTin Tin Out remixed a further two tracks: "What Can I Do" (which had already been released as a single) and "Runaway"—a song from their debut album. Tin Tin Out enlisted Europeanstring ensemble theDuke Quartet to provideorchestration for both tracks. The former would go on to become the Corrs' first top three hit in the UK when it was released as a single,[13] while the remix of "Runaway" became their highest-peaking single yet, after it peaked at number two behindBritney Spears' "...Baby One More Time".[18] "Dreams" and "So Young" have been certified silver by theBPI for sales in excess of 200,000 copies each, while "What Can I Do" and "Runaway" were certified gold for sales of over 400,000 copies each.[19] As of 2017, "What Can I Do" had sold 351,000 copies in the UK.[20]
Following the success of the album in Europe and Australasia, an abridged version of the special edition was released in the US on 16 February 1999, and peaked at number 72 on theBillboard 200.[17] To promote this edition, the band performed as the opening act on several dates ofThe Rolling Stones'No Security Tour,[21] as well as their own national concert tour and appearances on numeroustalk shows: includingSaturday Night Live,The Rosie O'Donnell Show,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and theLate Show with David Letterman.The Corrs: Live at the Royal Albert Hall was repeatedly aired onPBS.[17]
This edition was the highest-selling incarnation of the album in several territories.Talk on Corners would go on to spend a total of ten weeks at number one on theUK Albums Chart. On its final week atop the chart there, on the chart dated 4 April 1999,Forgiven, Not Forgotten reached a new peak of number two.[22] It ended 1998 as the UK's highest-selling album,[23] and was also the eighth highest-selling album of 1999.[24] As of 2022,Talk on Corners has sold over 2.97 million copies in the UK,[25] and remains the highest-selling album of all time by an Irish act there,[26] as well as one of thebest-selling albums of all time in the country.[27]
Similarly, it was certified 20× platinum in Ireland,[28] indicating shipments in excess of 300,000 units, and remains thehighest-certified album of all time there, as well as the twelfth best-selling album ever.[29] In 2001, the record was certified sextuple platinum by theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry for shipments in excess of 6 million units throughout Europe.[30]
All tracks are written bythe Corrs, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Only When I Sleep" | Leiber | 4:24 | |
| 2. | "When He's Not Around" | David Foster | 4:25 | |
| 3. | "Dreams" (re-release bonus track) | Stevie Nicks |
| 4:01 |
| 4. | "What Can I Do" | Jim Corr | 4:18 | |
| 5. | "I Never Loved You Anyway" |
| Foster | 4:27 |
| 6. | "So Young" |
| 3:53 | |
| 7. | "Don't Say You Love Me" |
| Foster | 4:39 |
| 8. | "Love Gives, Love Takes" |
| Leiber | 3:42 |
| 9. | "Hopelessly Addicted" |
| Leiber | 4:03 |
| 10. | "Paddy McCarthy" (instrumental) | 4:58 | ||
| 11. | "Intimacy" |
| 3:57 | |
| 12. | "Queen of Hollywood" |
| 5:02 | |
| 13. | "No Good for Me" | Foster | 4:00 | |
| 14. | "Little Wing" | Jimi Hendrix | John Hughes | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 60:59 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Remember" |
| 4:04 | |
| 16. | "What I Know" |
| Ballard | 3:49 |
| 17. | "Dreams" (Tee's radio mix) | Nicks |
| 3:54 |
| Total length: | 72:46 | |||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Runaway" |
| 4:27 |
| 16. | "Forgiven, Not Forgotten" |
| 4:18 |
| Total length: | 69:44 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Never Loved You Anyway" (acoustic version) |
| 3:25 | |
| 2. | "The Right Time" (live in Denmark, July 1996) | Torben Schmidt | 4:34 | |
| 3. | "Queen of Hollywood" (live atThe Royal Albert Hall, London, March 1998) |
|
| 5:11 |
| 4. | "Toss the Feathers" (live in Dublin, Ireland) | Traditional(arranged by The Corrs) | 3:56 | |
| 5. | "Closer" (live in Melbourne, Australia, February 1997) | Paul Petran | 4:29 | |
| Total length: | 21:35 | |||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What Can I Do" (Tin Tin Out remix) |
| 4:17 |
| 2. | "So Young" (K-Klass remix) | 4:14 | |
| 3. | "Only When I Sleep" | Leiber | 4:23 |
| 4. | "When He's Not Around" | Foster | 4:24 |
| 5. | "Dreams" (Tee's radio mix) |
| 3:52 |
| 6. | "I Never Loved You Anyway" |
| 4:26 |
| 7. | "Don't Say You Love Me" | Foster | 4:39 |
| 8. | "Love Gives Love Takes" | Leiber | 3:42 |
| 9. | "Runaway" (Tin Tin Out remix) | 4:35 | |
| 10. | "Hopelessly Addicted" | Leiber | 4:03 |
| 11. | "Paddy McCarthy" (instrumental) | 4:58 | |
| 12. | "Intimacy" |
| 3:57 |
| 13. | "Queen of Hollywood" | 5:02 | |
| 14. | "No Good for Me" | Foster | 4:00 |
| 15. | "Little Wing" | Hughes | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 64:54 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What Can I Do?" (Tin Tin Out remix) | 4:17 |
| 2. | "Only When I Sleep" | 4:23 |
| 3. | "So Young" (K-Klass remix) | 4:14 |
| 4. | "Dreams" (Tee's radio mix) | 3:52 |
| 5. | "Runaway" (Tin Tin Out remix) | 4:35 |
| 6. | "I Never Loved You Anyway" (alternate version) | 3:40 |
| 7. | "Paddy McCarthy" (instrumental) | 4:58 |
| 8. | "Queen of Hollywood" | 5:02 |
| 9. | "Hopelessly Addicted" | 4:03 |
| 10. | "When He's Not Around" | 4:24 |
| 11. | "No Good for Me" | 4:00 |
| 12. | "Little Wing" | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 52:36 | |
Notes
Credits adapted from the liner notes ofTalk of Corners.[31]
The Corrs
Musicians
Technical
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
All-time charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[63] | 5× Platinum | 350,000^ |
| Belgium (BRMA)[64] | Platinum | 50,000* |
| Canada (Music Canada)[65] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[10] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
| Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[66] | Gold | 26,356[66] |
| France (SNEP)[67] | 2× Platinum | 200,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[68] | Gold | 250,000^ |
| Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 20× Platinum | 300,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI)[69] | Platinum | 100,000* |
| Japan (RIAJ)[10] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| Malaysia | — | 100,000[70] |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[71] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] | 6× Platinum | 90,000^ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[73] | Gold | 25,000* |
| Philippines | — | 90,000[74] |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[43] | 6× Platinum | 600,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[75] | 2× Platinum | 160,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[76] | Gold | 25,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[19] | 9× Platinum | 2,970,000[25] |
| United States (RIAA)[77] | Gold | 500,000^ |
| Summaries | ||
| Europe (IFPI)[30] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Version | Format | Label | Catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 17 October 1997 | Original edition | 7567 83051-2 | ||
| Germany | 20 October 1997 | ||||
| Japan | 29 October 1997 | AMCY-2319 | |||
| Australia | 2 November 1997 | 83051-2 | |||
| Worldwide | April 1998 | 1998 reissue(with "Dreams") | 83106-2 | ||
| August 1998 | Tour Edition | 80885-2 | |||
| Special Edition | November 1998 | 80917-2 | |||
| North America | |||||
| Original Edition | 9 June 1998 | 83106-2P | |||
| Special Edition | 16 February 1999 | 83164-2 |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
