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Beautiful People (Big Country song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Beautiful People'" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, which was released in 1991 as the second and final single from their fifth studio album 'No Place Like Home'. It was written by Stuart Adamson and produced by Pat Moran. "Beautiful People" reached No. 72 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 36 on the BBC's Heavy Metal/Rock chart.
The song's music video was directed by Roger Pomphrey and shot at Peckham, London. Speaking to the Big Country fanzine 'Inwards' in 1991, Adamson said of the song: "This is about how you can find cool things in the most fucked-up places."
Reception
Upon release, Peter Kinghorn of 'Newcastle Evening Chronicle' described "Beautiful People" as a "gently rolling singalong tune" with "plinking banjo and piano". Craig McLean of 'Vox' felt the song's piano "honks and tonks agreeably". Steve Stewart of 'The Press and Journal' considered 'No Place Like Home' to present "a different style of music" from Big Country. He commented: "There is a slower, more relaxed feel to their sound, as displayed in "Beautiful People"." In a review of one of the band's 1991 concerts, David Sinclair of 'The Times' noted the song's "honky-tonk piano, mandolin and mellow sentiments".
John Peel, reviewing the single for 'New Musical Express', commented: "It sounds like Mungo Jerry. My dad would have described it as half-baked piffle and he'd have been right. Sorry, Stuart." In a retrospective review of the single, JT Griffith of AllMusic felt "Return to the Two Headed King" and "Fly Like An Eagle" were "unimpressive", with "Beautiful People" being "by far [the] strongest song".
Track listing
;7" and cassette single
#"Beautiful People" - 3:23
#"Return to the Two Headed King" - 4:27
;12" single
#"Beautiful People" - 3:23
#"Return to the Two Headed King" - 4:27
#"Fly Like An Eagle" - 4:46
#"Rockin in the Free World" (Live) - 6:35
;CD single
#"Beautiful People" - 3:23
#"Return to the Two Headed King" - 4:27
#"Fly Like An Eagle" - 4:46
#"Rockin in the Free World" (Live) - 6:35
Personnel
'Big Country'
*Stuart Adamson - vocals, guitar
*Bruce Watson - guitar
*Tony Butler - bass
'Production'
* Pat Moran - producer, engineer
* Big Country - producers of "Return to the Two Headed King"
* Bruce Watson - producer of "Fly Like An Eagle" and "Rockin in the Free World"
* Nigel Luby - mixing on "Fly Like An Eagle" and "Rockin in the Free World"
'Other'
* Zarkowski Designs - design, artwork
Charts
References
Category:1991 songs
Category:1991 singles
Category:Vertigo Records singles
Category:Phonogram Records singles
Category:Big Country songs
Category:Songs written by Stuart Adamson
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