The Long Play Explained

The Long Play
Type:	studio
Artist:	Sandra
Cover:	Sandra - The Long Play.png
Released:	11 November 1985
Recorded:	1985
Genre:	Synth-pop Europop pop disco
Length:	37:15
Label:	Virgin
Producer:	Michael Cretu
Next Title:	Mirrors
Next Year:	1986

The Long Play is the debut studio album by German singer Sandra, released on 11 November 1985 by Virgin Records.^[1] The album was a great commercial success and spawned Sandra's signature number-one single "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" as well as the international top-five single "In the Heat of the Night".

Singles

The lead single "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" was released in March 1985 and went on to top the charts in 21 countries worldwide.^[2] It spent 16 weeks in the German top 20, remaining Sandra's only chart-topper in her home country, and is now considered her signature song.

"In the Heat of the Night" was chosen as the follow-up single to "Maria Magdalena" in late 1985. The song charted within the top five in a number of European countries, later earning Sandra second place at the Tokyo Music Festival in 1986. The single version would only become available on CD on The Platinum Collection in 2009.

The third and final commercial single taken from The Long Play was "Little Girl", released in early 1986. The song's music video was filmed entirely on location in Venice, Italy. "Little Girl" met with modest success in international music market.

"Sisters and Brothers" was released in 1988 as a promotional single in Japan only. The song, dedicated to Sandra's brother Gaston, is a cover version of Michael Cretu's song "Zeitlose Reise" from his 1983 solo album Legionäre.^[3]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Long Play.^[4]

• Sandra – lead vocals
• Michael Cretu – digital and conventional keyboards, drum computers, background vocals, arrangement, production
• Markus Löhr – guitars
• Hubert Kemmler – background vocals
• Mike Schmidt – cover design
• Dieter Eikelpoth – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1985–1986)! scope="col"

Peak position
European Albums (Eurotipsheet)^[5]	17
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[6]	1
Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)^[7]	4
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)^[8]	25

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)! scope="col"

Position
European Albums (Music & Media)^[9]	49
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[10]	60

Release history

Date	Label	Format	Catalog number
1985	Virgin	LP	207 356-630
CD	610 627-225
Cassette	407 356-630
1992	CD	077778696827

Notes and References

1. Web site: "The Long Play" von Sandra . . 2 February 2021.
2. Web site: Sandra-Comeback: Häschen mit den Grübchen . Winkler . Thomas . . de . 30 April 2009.
3. Web site: The Long Play . sandranet.com . 17 July 2020.
4. Sandra . Sandra (singer) . The Long Play . liner notes . . 1985 . 610 627-225.
5. European Hot 100 Albums . . 3 . 7 . 22 February 1986 . 15 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
6. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
7. News: Ísland (LP-plötur) . . is . 11 April 1986 . 43 . 1021-8254 . Timarit.is.
8. Book: Salaverrie, Fernando . September 2005 . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . es . 1st . Madrid . . 84-8048-639-2.
9. European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986 . Music & Media . 3 . 51/52 . 27 December 1986 . 35 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
10. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1986 . de . GfK Entertainment . 14 March 2020.