True Colours (Level 42 album) explained

True Colours
Type:	Album
Artist:	Level 42
Cover:	Truecolours level.jpg
Released:	^[1]
Recorded:	1984
Studio:	Genetic Sound (Berkshire) Park Gate Studios (East Sussex) Total Access (Redondo Beach, California)
Genre:	Jazz-funk dance-rock pop
Length:	44:50
Label:	Polydor
Producer:	Ken Scott
Prev Title:	Standing in the Light
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	A Physical Presence
Next Year:	1985

True Colours is the fifth studio album by the English jazz-funk band Level 42, released on 5 October 1984 by Polydor Records. Beyond the band's native United Kingdom, the album was released in 10-plus other countries, including Japan, Germany and the United States of America.^[2] The album peaked at #14 in the UK Albums Chart.^[3]

The first single released, "Hot Water", hit #18 on the UK Singles Chart,^[3] #7 in Belgium and #3 in the Netherlands, and has become a staple in Level 42's live sets to the present day. The second single "The Chant Has Begun", released in many countries, peaked at #41 in the UK Singles Chart.

"Hot Water" was released in the US in 1986 (after being featured in a single version on the US version of band's follow-up studio album World Machine) and entered the Billboard Hot 100, at #87.

Track listing

Side A

1. "The Chant Has Begun" (King, P. Gould) – 5:23
2. "Kansas City Milkman" (Badarou, King, Lindup, P. Gould) – 5.31
3. "Seven Days" (P. Gould, King, Lindup, R. Gould) – 4:26
4. "Hot Water" (King, P. Gould, Lindup, Badarou) – 5:41

Side B

5. "A Floating Life" (King, P. Gould) – 5:14
6. "True Believers" (King, P. Gould) – 5:03
7. "My Hero" (King, P. Gould, R. Gould) – 4:15 [originally a bonus track on the CD and cassette]
8. "Kouyate" (King, P. Gould, Badarou) – 4:52
9. "Hours by the Window" (King, P. Gould) – 5:10

Personnel

Level 42

• Mark King – vocals, bass, percussion
• Mike Lindup – vocals, keyboards
• Boon Gould – guitars
• Phil Gould – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

• Wally Badarou – keyboards
• Gary Barnacle – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, electric saxophone

Production

• Produced and engineered by Ken Scott for KoMos Productions.
• Assisted by James Tippett-IIes and Jim Russell
• Mixed at Park Gate Studios
• Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Studios (Los Angeles, CA)
• Sleeve design – Baker Dave and Malcolm Garrett for Assorted Images.
• Photography – Sheila Rock

Chart positions

Album charts

Year	Chart	Position
1984	United Kingdom	14
1984	Germany	23
1984	Sweden	29

Single charts

Year	Song	Chart	Position
1984	"Hot Water"	UK Singles Chart	18
1986	"Hot Water"	Billboard Hot 100	87
1984	"The Chant Has Begun"	UK Singles Chart	41

Notes and References

1. 29 September 1984. News. Record Mirror. 4. 14 August 2022.
2. Web site: The Definitive Online Level 42 Collectors Resource: Media . Ultimatelevel42.com . 2014-05-22.
3. Book: Roberts , David . 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5. 318/9.