Without The Lover Speaks, there would be no No More I Love You’s, Annie Lennox wouldn’t have become the first female from the UK to win a Grammy for best pop vocal performance, it wouldn’t have been her most succesful single and we would never have had “those” ballet dancers!

David Freedman and Jospeh Hughes known as The Lover Speak released their album in August 1986 which been recorded at The Church, and had an instant audience as being one of the support acts on Eurythmics Revenge tour in the UK.  The Revenge programme had a flyer for the band which is featured in the gallery below.

Dave Stewart also went on to produce a non album single called I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten (Originally by Dusty Springfield) for the band against Dave’s advice.  Few other bands paths have criss crossed with Eurythmics, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox so many times.

This CD Expanded Edition that has just been issued by Cherry Red in the UK gives fans of The Lover Speaks the opportunity to have 6 tracks on CD for the first time, taken from the many 12″ remixes that were produced for the single releases, as well as the original album being remastered

Both David and Joseph give very honest and candid liner notes for the first time, David mentions that he only ever thought that David Bowie for Bryan Ferry would be able to justice to No More I Love You’s, commenting that Annie Lennox “Nailed It” She has the ability to be camp and soulful, we were very lucky that she recorded our song.

Vinny Vero has done an outstanding job on bringing this expanded edition to life, and I am glad to have helped in a small way, and through this release, I have a tick on my bucket list of being credited on liner notes of an album!

You can order the album here directly from Cherry Red, and while you are there, take a look around their huge store, as they are running a great offer of 25% discount if you buy 5 CD’s priced at £9.95

Here’s the official press release and track listing: – Keep scrolling for a gallery and video

Now, for the first time ever, the gorgeous, debut album by THE LOVER SPEAKS has been digitally remastered and expanded.

Released in 1986, the British duo of David Freeman and Joseph Hughes recorded their self-titled, debut album in Los Angeles with legendary producer Jimmy Iovine (Simple Minds, Stevie Nicks, Pretenders, Eurythmics, Alison Moyet, U2, Tom Petty).

The album has been long out-of-print. The original CD is nearly impossible to find and sells for staggering amounts of money when it turns up online.

This expanded edition features 18 tracks including the original 10-track album alongside six bonus tracks that have never appeared on CD before.

Three singles were released from the album including ‘No More ‘I Love You’s’’ (UK #58), ‘Every Lover’s Sign’ (US #6 Dance), and ‘Tremble Dancing’. · Also included is their powerful recording of the Dusty Springfield classic, ‘I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten’, which was released as a stand alone single in early 1987. The track was produced by Dave Stewart.

In 1995, Annie Lennox famously covered ‘No More ‘I Love You’s’’ and was rewarded with her biggest, international solo single which peaked at #2 in the UK and #23 in the US.

The 16-page booklet contains comprehensive liner notes, photos, an illustrated discography, lyrics, complete credits, and insightful track annotations from band members David Freeman (vocals) and Joseph Hughes (guitars, keyboards).

 

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. EVERY LOVER’S SIGN

2. NO MORE “I LOVE YOU’S”

3. NEVER TO FORGET YOU

4. FACE ME AND SMILE

5. ABSENT ONE

6. LOVE IS: “I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING”

7. “THIS CAN’T GO ON!”

8. STILL FAKING THIS ART OF LOVE

9. TREMBLE DANCING

10. OF TEARS

BONUS TRACKSSINGLE VERSIONS

11. EVERY LOVER’S SIGN (7” Remix)*

NON-ALBUM SINGLES

12. I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN

REMIXES AND ALTERNATE VERSIONS

13. TREMBLE DANCING (Extended)

14. EVERY LOVER’S SIGN (New York Mix) (aka New Extended Mix)*

15. I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN (12” Dance Mix)*

16. EVERY LOVER’S SIGN (Dub Mix)*

17. I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN (Reprise)*

18. EVERY LOVER’S SIGN (Dub Mix Edit)*

*Previously unavailable on CD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgwnXp1Zb4Q