Here's to Future Days

Here's to Future Days is the fifth studio album by the British pop group Thompson Twins. It was the third and final release for the band as a trio, which was their most successful and recognisable line-up. Released in September 1985, it peaked at no. 5 in the UK, and no. 20 in the US.

Here's to Future Days
Studio album by
Thompson Twins
Released17 September 1985[1]
Recorded1984-1985
GenreNew wave, pop, rock
Length42:52
LabelArista
ProducerNile Rodgers, Tom Bailey, Alex Sadkin
Thompson Twins chronology
Into the Gap
(1984)		 Here's to Future Days
(1985)		 Close to the Bone
(1987)
Singles from Here's to Future Days
  1. "Lay Your Hands on Me"
    Released: 26 November 1984 (UK/Australia)
    26 July 1985 (U.S./Canada)
  2. "Don't Mess with Doctor Dream"
    Released: 19 August 1985
  3. "King for a Day"
    Released: 11 October 1985
  4. "Revolution"
    Released: 29 November 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
Record Collector[4]
Rolling Stonefavourable[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Smash Hits5/10[7]

Following on from the band's highly successful fourth album, Into the Gap, the writing and recording of Here's to Future Days began in late 1984. The band recorded the single "Lay Your Hands on Me" which was co-produced by Alex Sadkin and vocalist/guitarist Tom Bailey. Sadkin had produced the last two Thompson Twins albums, which were the band's biggest commercial successes to date, and the new single climbed to No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart. However, the band then decided to part company with Sadkin and opted to produce the new album by themselves in Paris, France.

In March 1985, with the album nearing completion and the next single "Roll Over" just about to be released in the UK, Tom Bailey suddenly fell ill. After collapsing in his hotel room, he was diagnosed with nervous exhaustion and ordered to rest by doctors. The incident prompted the band to recall all copies of "Roll Over", despite the fact that some of them had already been shipped to retail outlets. Holding off on the album's release led the band to reconsider the entire project, and they began work on it again following Bailey's recovery. This time they enlisted Nile Rodgers to take over production and rework the material they had already recorded. The direction of the new recordings featured a more guitar-oriented side to it.

Before the album's release, the Thompson Twins performed at Live Aid in July 1985, where they revealed their new material by playing a rock oriented version of the Beatles' song "Revolution". The band were also joined onstage for this number by Rodgers himself, Madonna, and guitarist Steve Stevens.

Although the album was a chart success in the UK and the US, it was considerably less successful than their previous album Into the Gap. Subsequent singles from the album also met with mixed results. The new Nile Rodgers-produced version of "Lay Your Hands on Me" (now with a more distinct gospel sound) reached No. 6 in the United States, while the next UK single "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" reached No. 15. "King for a Day" followed in both markets, peaking at No. 8 in the US and becoming their third and final Top 10 hit there, but only reaching No. 22 in the UK. The aforementioned "Revolution" was also released as a single in the UK, but failed to make the top 40, signifying an end to the Thompson Twins' commercial viability there.

The US and Canadian pressing of the vinyl album does not include the track "Breakaway" but contained a new, Nile Rodgers-produced version of the track "Roll Over", though the song was omitted altogether in all other countries. The US and Canadian cassette and CD versions of the album contain both "Roll Over" and "Breakaway".

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway, except where noted.

LP: Arista 207164
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Mess with Doctor Dream"4:25
2."Lay Your Hands on Me"4:22
3."Future Days"3:00
4."You Killed the Clown"4:54
5."Revolution" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)4:06
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."King for a Day"5:22
2."Love Is the Law"4:45
3."Emperor's Clothes (Part 1)"4:46
4."Tokyo"3:39
5."Breakaway"3:34

Some UK copies came with a "free 5-track album of re-mixes" (this disc having cat. no. FRE TT 1). The remixes were also included as bonus tracks on the cassette version of the album.

Re-Mixes Side A
No.TitleRemixerLength
1."Shoot Out" (Engineered by Jay Mark)Tom Bailey6:23
2."Alice"Nile Rodgers, Tom Bailey4:59
3."Heavens Above!"Jay Mark3:20
Re-Mixes Side B
No.TitleRemixerLength
1."The Kiss"Jay Mark5:44
2."Desert Dancers"Jay Mark7:05

New Expanded Edition

On 4 August 2008, Here's to Future Days was digitally remastered and reissued as a 2-disc set by Edsel Records . The reissue includes the five bonus remixes that originally appeared on the cassette version of the album in 1985, and also features most of the major 12" versions and B-sides, some of which appear on CD for the very first time.

Disc 1
  1. "Don't Mess with Doctor Dream" - 4.25
  2. "Lay Your Hands on Me" - 4.21
  3. "Future Days" - 3.00
  4. "You Killed the Clown" - 4.52
  5. "Revolution" - 4.05
  6. "King for a Day" - 5.18
  7. "Love Is the Law" - 4.43
  8. "Emperor's Clothes (Part 1)" - 4.45
  9. "Tokyo" - 3.38
  10. "Breakaway"- 3.33
  11. "Roll Over" - 4.58 - Bonus Track (Album version that only appeared on North American copies of the original album in 1985)
  12. "Shoot Out" - 6.22 (Remix of "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" that appeared previously on the UK 12" single known as the "[(U4A)+(U3A)=REMIX]", catalogue number TWINS229)
  13. "Alice" - 4.59 (Instrumental version of "Lay Your Hands On Me")
  14. "Heavens Above!" - 3.19 (Instrumental remix of "Future Days")
  15. "The Kiss" - 5.42 (Remix of "Tokyo")
  16. "Desert Dancers" - 7.07 (Remix of "Breakaway")

Disc 2
  1. "Lay Your Hands on Me" (Original UK 12" Version) - 6.05
  2. "The Lewis Carol (Adventures in Wonderland)" - 4.14 (Original B-Side of the "Lay Your Hands on Me" UK 7" and 12" singles)
  3. "Lay Your Hands on Me (US Re-Mix)" - 6.23
  4. "Lay Your Hands on Me (Extended Version)" - 6.00 (12" version of the album version)
  5. "Roll Over (Again)" - 6.50 (Previously unreleased 12" mix of "Roll Over")
  6. "Fools in Paradise (Extended Mix)" - 5.25 (B-Side of the "King For A Day" 12" single)
  7. "Don't Mess with Doctor Dream (Smackattack!)" - 6.10 (Original 12" version)
  8. "Very Big Business" - 5.06 (B-Side of "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" 12" single)
  9. "King for a Day (Extended Mix)" - 8.02 (Original 12" version)
  10. "Rollunder" - 6.50 (Previously unreleased B-Side of the "Roll Over" 12" single)
  11. "King for a Day (U.S. Re-Mix)" - 7.20 (Original second 12" version)
  12. "The Fourth Sunday" - 4.18 (B-Side of the "Revolution" 7" and 12" singles)
  13. "Revolution (Extended Mix)" - 5.58 (Original UK 12" single)

Personnel
Thompson Twins
Additional Personnel
  • Nile Rodgers – guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Stevens – guitar ("Revolution", "Breakaway", "Roll Over")
  • Steve Elsin – tenor saxophone ("You Killed the Clown")
  • East Harlem Hobo Choir – backing vocals ("Lay Your Hands on Me", "Future Days")

Production
  • Tom Bailey – producer (1, 3-10)
  • Nile Rodgers – producer (1, 3-10)
  • Alex Sadkin – producer (2)
  • James Farber – engineer (1, 3-10), mixing
  • John "Tokes" Potoker – engineer (1, 3-10)
  • Terry Becker – engineer (2)
  • Scott Ansell – second engineer
  • Olivier De Bosson – second engineer
  • Knut Bøhn – additional second engineer
  • Jay Mark – additional engineer
  • Lee Charteris – technical assistant
  • Steve Dewey – technical assistant
  • Alex Melnyk – project coordinator
  • Alannah Currie – art direction
  • Andie Airfix – design, artwork
  • Rebecca Blake – photography
Studios
  • Recorded at Studio Marcadet (Paris, France); Studio Guillaume Tell (Suresnes, France); Skyline Studios (New York City, New York, USA).
  • Mixed at Skyline Studios.

Charts
Chart (1985/86) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 8
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 5
United States (Billboard 200) 20

Sales and certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[9] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[10] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[12] Platinum 15,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Songs used in other media
  • "Lay Your Hands on Me" made an appearance in the 1985 film, Perfect.
  • The song "King For a Day" appeared in the 1986 film, Lucas.

References
  1. Here's To Future Days [Deluxe 2 CD Edition] - Liner Notes. Edsel Records. Catalog: EDSD 2012
  2. Here's to Future Days at AllMusic
  3. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  4. Peel, Ian (October 2008). "Thompson Twins - Here's To Future Days". Record Collector.
  5. Coleman, Mark (7 November 1985). "Thompson Twins: Here's to Future Days". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 May 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  6. DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly, eds. (1992). "Thompson Twins". The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. ISBN 0-679-73729-4. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  7. Cranna, Ian (11 September 1985). "Album Reviews". Smash Hits. EMAP Metro. 7 (18): 77.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 309. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. "Canadian album certifications – Thompson Twins – Here's to Future Days". Music Canada.
  10. "British album certifications – Thompson Twins – Here's to Future Days". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Here's to Future Days in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  11. "American album certifications – Thompson Twins – Here's to Future Days". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  12. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
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