"Perfect"
Single by Fairground Attraction
from the album The First of a Million Kisses
B-side
  • "Mythology"
  • "Falling Backwards"
  • "Mystery Train"
Released21 March 1988 (1988-03-21)[1]
Length3:36
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Mark E. Nevin
Producer(s)
  • Fairground Attraction
  • Kevin Moloney
Fairground Attraction singles chronology
"Perfect"
(1988)		 "Find My Love"
(1988)
Music video
"Perfect" on YouTube

"Perfect" is the debut single by the English folk and soft rock band Fairground Attraction, written by Mark E. Nevin. Released on 21 March 1988 by RCA, the single reached number one in the United Kingdom on 14 May 1988, where it stayed for one week. It also reached number one in Australia, Ireland, and South Africa. In the United States, the song peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] "Perfect" won the award for British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards 1989.

Release

In the UK, "Perfect" was released as a 7-inch single, 12-inch single, and CD single. The song was included on the band's debut studio album, The First of a Million Kisses, released later the same year. A version of the song with a different vocalist was used in television advertising for the British supermarket chain Asda in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was re-released as a single in 1993 after it had reappeared on the compilation album Celtic Heart.

Critical reception

Tony Reed from Melody Maker wrote, "Acoustic folky rockabilly, and a brilliant, brilliant woman singing it. A minor triumph, to be sure, but for what it is — perfect."[3] Neil Taylor from NME said, "Pop seems to be the order of the day in this pile and this single is one of the best. Eddi Reader's confident, strident vocal sounds like a mish-mash of country and high glitz, but a strong backbeat pulls the record into the safety zone of rock."[4]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Sweden (GLF)[41] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[1] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Baillie & the Boys version

"Perfect"
Single by Baillie & the Boys
from the album The Lights of Home
B-side"Lovin' by Numbers"
Released14 April 1990
GenreCountry
Length2:57
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Mark E. Nevin
Producer(s)Kyle Lehning
Baillie & the Boys singles chronology
"I Can't Turn the Tide"
(1989)		 "Perfect"
(1990)		 "Fool Such as I"
(1990)

American country music group Baillie & the Boys released their version in April 1990 as the first single from their third studio album The Lights of Home. The song reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.[42]

Charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[43] 16
US Country Songs (Billboard) 23

References

  1. 1 2 "British single certifications – Fairground Attraction – Perfect". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  3. ↑ Reed, Tony (2 April 1988). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Taylor, Neil (2 April 1988). "Singles". NME. p. 12. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Perfect (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records. 1988. PB 41845.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ Perfect (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records. 1988. PT 41846.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ Perfect (UK CD single disc notes). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records. 1988. PD 41846.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ Perfect (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13491 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ Perfect (UK CD single liner notes). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13491 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "Top 3 in Europe". Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 31. 30 July 1988. p. 20.
  14. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 21. 21 May 1988. p. 20.
  15. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Fairground Attraction". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 78. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Fairground Attraction". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  19. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  20. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect". VG-lista. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  22. ↑ "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs P–R". rock.co.za. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  23. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  24. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  25. ↑ "Fairground Attraction – Perfect". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  26. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 14 January 1989. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  28. ↑ "Hot Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 3. 21 January 1989. p. 18.
  29. ↑ "Hot Country Songs". Billboard. 28 January 1989. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  30. ↑ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 10 December 1988. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  31. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Fairground Attraction – Perfect" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  32. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1988". ARIA. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  33. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1988" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  34. ↑ "Hot 100 Singles 1988". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 30.
  35. ↑ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  36. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  37. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  38. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988". rock.co.za. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  39. ↑ "Top 100 Singles: Year-End Chart 1988". Music Week. 4 March 1989. p. 12.
  40. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1988" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  41. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  42. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 37.
  43. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1258." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 23 June 1990. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
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