The Optimist (DD Smash album)
1984 studio album by DD Smash
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The Optimist is a 1984 album by the New Zealand band DD Smash, their final studio album led by Dave Dobbyn before he launched his solo career. The album reached number 6 on the New Zealand music charts and remained in the chart for 26 weeks.[1]
Released5 November 1984
StudiosTrafalgar Studios (Sydney)
Paradise Studios (Sydney)
Paradise Studios (Sydney)
GenreRock
Length46:59
| The Optimist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 5 November 1984 | |||
| Studios | Trafalgar Studios (Sydney) Paradise Studios (Sydney) | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 46:59 | |||
| Label | Mushroom | |||
| Producer | Charles Fisher | |||
| DD Smash chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Optimist | ||||
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Track listing
All tracks are written by Dave Dobbyn except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Magic (What She Do)" | 3:48 | |
| 2. | "The Optimist" | 4:05 | |
| 3. | "Surrender" | 4:15 | |
| 4. | "She Loves Me Back" | Luther Vandross | 4:08 |
| 5. | "Actor" |
| 4:14 |
| 6. | "Whaling" |
| 3:43 |
| Total length: | 24:13 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Open Up" | 3:22 | |
| 8. | "What a Day" | 3:33 | |
| 9. | "Don't Give Up" | 3:48 | |
| 10. | "Guilty Thru Neglect" |
| 4:43 |
| 11. | "Tobacco Indian" | 4:04 | |
| 12. | "Headstart" | 3:16 | |
| Total length: | 22:46 46:59 | ||
Personnel
Personnel as listed in the album's liner notes are:[2]
DD Smash
- Dave Dobbyn — vocals (all tracks), piano (2, 3, 10, 12), synthesizers (2, 6, 11), guitars (2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11), Sonor drums (6)
- Peter Warren — drums (all tracks), backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6), percussion (5)
Additional musicians
- Bruce Lynch — bass guitar (1, 3, 4, 9, 11), E-mu Emulator (1, 9), strings (3), electric organ (9), trumpet (12)
- Sam McNally — synthesizer (1, 2, 4, 8), sequencer (2), piano (4, 7)
- Ian Mason — piano (1, 4), Fairlight CMI (1), vibraphone (3)
- Maggie McKinney — backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 7–10)
- Jenny Morris — backing vocals (1, 6)
- Jackie Orszaczky — bass guitar (2, 7, 8)
- Sunil Da Silva — percussion (3, 7, 8, 11)
- Rex Goh — guitar (4, 7, 8), classical guitar (12)
- Steve Ball — organ (4), Yamaha DX7 marimba (11)
- Cheryl Gray — backing vocals (4, 7–10)
- Mark Williams — backing vocals (4, 7–9)
- The Root 'n Tooters (4, 5, 7, 8, 10)
- Ralph White — trombone; trumpet (11), flugelhorn (11)
- Kevin Dubber — trumpet
- Garry Monks — tenor saxophone
- Andrew Thompson — saxophone
- Ian Morris — bass guitar (5, 6)
- Gary Langsford — guitars (5, 10)
- Dan Bourke — violin (6)
- Jeff Oakes — tenor saxophone (7)
- Peter Cross — trumpet (7)
- Andrew Clouston — saxophone (10)
- Clive Harrison — bass guitar (10)
- Sharon O'Neill — backing vocals (10)
- Ashley Irwin — Yamaha DX7 bass (11)
Production
- Charles Fisher — producer, drum programming (11)
- Alan Thorne — recording engineer
- John Sayers — mixing engineer
- Okidoke Design — cover artwork
- P.J.M, Paul Clarke — photography
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[4] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
