Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the debut double album by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, first released on 29 October 1984, by ZTT and Island Records. Originally issued as a vinyl double album, it was assured of a UK chart entry at number one due to reported advance sales of over one million. The album was also a top ten seller internationally in countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, and New Zealand.

While commercially successful, the album also drew criticism for containing new versions of all of the songs from the group’s (already much-remixed) hit singles from the same year (“Relax” and “Two Tribes”, plus B-side “War”), as well as a surfeit of cover versions in lieu of much new original material. It was later revealed that Trevor Horn’s production dominated the record so thoroughly that the band’s own instrumental performances were often replaced by session musicians or Horn himself. Frankie’s second album, Liverpool, actively featured the full band.

However, the album’s evergreen ballad “The Power of Love” subsequently provided the group with their third consecutive UK number one single.

Side 1: “F – Pray Frankie Pray”

1. “Well…”   Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Andy Richards 0:55

2. “The World Is My Oyster”     1:02

3. “Snatch of Fury (Stay)”   Gerry Marsden 0:36

4. “Welcome to the Pleasuredome”     12:58

Side 2: “G – Say Frankie Say”

5. “Relax (Come Fighting)”     3:56

6. “War (…and Hide)”   Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield 6:12

7. “Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment)”     3:23

8. “(Tag)” (unlisted track)   0:35

Side 3: “T – Stay Frankie Stay”

9. “Ferry (Go)”   Marsden 1:49

10. “Born to Run”   Bruce Springsteen 3:56

11. “San Jose (The Way)”   Burt Bacharach, Hal David 3:09

12. “Wish (The Lads Were Here)”     2:48

13. “The Ballad of 32”     4:47

Side 4: “H – Play Frankie Play”

14. “Krisco Kisses”     2:57

15. “Black Night White Light”     4:05

16. “The Only Star in Heaven”     4:16

17. “The Power of Love”     5:28

18. “Bang”     1:08