Circle of One explained

Circle of One
Type:	studio
Artist:	Oleta Adams
Cover:	Oleta_Adams_Circle_of_One.jpg
Border:	yes
Released:	May 14, 1990
Recorded:	Real World Studios
Genre:	R&B, soul
Length:	47:05
Label:	Fontana
Producer:	Roland Orzabal and David Bascombe
Prev Title:	Going on Record
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	Evolution
Next Year:	1993

Circle of One is the third album by American vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Oleta Adams and was released in 1990. Circle of One was Adams' first album to receive wide distribution; her two earlier albums (an untitled album in 1982 and Going on Record in 1983) were self-financed and received only local distribution.^[1]

History

After a successful collaboration with Tears for Fears on their 1989 album The Seeds of Love, Adams was offered a record deal of her own with Tears for Fears then-label Fontana Records.^[2] Produced by Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabal with Dave Bascombe, the album was initially unsuccessful (peaking at no.49 in the UK) as were the first two singles "Rhythm of Life" and "Circle of One". However, Adams had a hit in early 1991 with the third single from the album, her cover of Brenda Russell's "Get Here," which peaked at #4 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[3] The album, which had received considerable critical acclaim,^[4] was re-released with two additional tracks and re-entered the UK Albums Chart at no.1 and made the Top 20 of the US Billboard 200. It was certified Gold in both the UK and the US^[4] and received two Grammy nominations.^[5] "Rhythm of Life" was actually released as a single four times in the UK (twice in 1990, and again in 1991 as a double A-side with the track "You've Got To Give Me Room"). Each time, it missed the Top 40 until a remix of the track was released in late 1995 which peaked at no.38.

An expanded double CD reissue was released in 2018 via Caroline International.^[6]

Track listing

• Note: Tracks 9 and 10 were not on the original 1990 release.

2018 deluxe edition:

9. "Don't Look Too Closely" (Adams) 4:27
10. "I've Got to Sing My Song" (live at Santa Barbara)(B-Side of "Get Here") 4:31
11. "Birdland" (B-Side of "Get Here") 3:17
12. "Think Again" (B-Side of "Circle of One") (Adams)
13. "Watch What Happens" (B-Side of "Circle of One") 4:21
14. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Single Mix) 5:55
15. "Rhythm of Life" (Rhythm & Prophet) 4:33
16. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Edit) 3:40
17. "Rhythm of Life" (Gospella) 4:19

CD 2:

1. "Circle of One" (Full Cycle 12") 6:29
2. "Circle of One" (Hot Mix 12") 4:18
3. "Circle of One" (T Remix) 6:00
4. "Circle of One" (Yvonne's Circle Club Mix) 6:06

"Rhythm of Life" (1991 remixes)

5. "Rhythm of Life" (Full Mega) 8:05
6. "Rhythm of Life" (Rhythm Dub) 5:40
7. "Rhythm of Life" (Syncopated Urban Mix 7" Version) 4:07
8. "Rhythm of Life" (Syncopated Urban Mix 12" Version) 5:08

"Rhythm of Life" (1995 remixes)

9. "Rhythm of Life" (Heavenly Edit) 5:21
10. "Rhythm of Life" (Reverend Jefferson's Choo Choo Dub Mix) 6:35
11. "Rhythm of Life" (Reverend Jefferson's Deeper Rhythm Mix) 9:22
12. "Rhythm of Life" (Jules & Skin's Rhythm Mix) 7:17

Personnel

• Oleta Adams – vocals, keyboards (1, 2, 4, 9), Hammond organ (1, 6, 7), acoustic piano (2, 5-8), backing vocals (9)
• David Bascombe – synthesizers (1)
• Roland Orzabal – Fairlight programming (1, 3), guitar solo (1), synthesizers (2), backing vocals (5)
• Matthew Vaughan – additional programming (1)
• Simon Clark – Hammond organ (3, 5)
• Neil Taylor – guitars (7)
• Pino Palladino – bass (1, 2, 5-9)
• John Cushon – drums (1, 2, 5-9)
• Luís Jardim – percussion (1, 2, 5, 6, 8), ting (8)
• Carole Steele – percussion (7)
• Will Gregory – baritone saxophone (3)
• Guy Barker – flugelhorn (4), brass (6, 7), flugelhorn solo (8)
• Phil Todd – brass (6, 7), sax solo (6, 7)
• Chris White – brass (6, 7)
• John Barclay – brass (6, 7)
• William Orbit – rhythm arrangements (1)
• Anne Dudley – brass arrangements (6, 7), string arrangements (8)
• Andy Caine – backing vocals (1, 3)
• Carol Kenyon – backing vocals (1, 3, 5)
• Tessa Niles – backing vocals (1, 3, 5)
• Ian Wilson – backing vocals (1, 3)
• Adele Bertel – backing vocals (7)
• Biti Strauchn – backing vocals (7)

Production

• David Bascombe – producer
• Roland Orzabal – producer
• William Orbit – remixing (1)
• Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk (New York, NY)
• The Unknown Partnership – sleeve design
• David Scheinmann – photography
• David Wernham – management

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1991)	Position
US Billboard 200^[8]	89
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[9]	30

Notes and References

1. Sutcliffe. Phil. 5 March 1991. Stories. Q Magazine. 55. 10.
2. Sutcliffe. Phil. 5 March 1991. Stories. Q Magazine. 55. 10.
3. Sutcliffe. Phil. 5 March 1991. Stories. Q Magazine. 55. 10.
4. Billboard.com
5. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n10_v51/ai_18544356/pg_1 Ebony
6. Web site: Oleta Adams / Circle of One 2CD deluxe – SuperDeluxeEdition. 2021-12-15. en-US.
7. Web site: Oleta Adams ARIA Chart history to 2024. ARIA. Imgur.com. July 26, 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
8. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991. Billboard. August 9, 2021.
9. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1991. Billboard. August 9, 2021.