The Story of a Young Heart
1984 studio album by A Flock of Seagulls
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The Story of a Young Heart is the third studio album by A Flock of Seagulls, released on 20 August 1984 by Jive Records. It was their last album—until 2018's Ascension—to feature the original line-up of the band, as guitarist Paul Reynolds left shortly after the album's release.[9] Three singles were released from the album, some only in select countries: "The More You Live, the More You Love", "Never Again (The Dancer)" and "Remember David". The album was reissued in 2008 by Cherry Red Records with bonus tracks.
| The Story of a Young Heart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 August 1984[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1983–1984 | |||
| Studio | Ridge Farm (Capel, England) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:24 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Producer | Steve Lovell | |||
| A Flock of Seagulls chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Story of a Young Heart | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
| Smash Hits | 6/10[8] |
Lead singer Mike Score has recalled of the album, "The Story of a Young Heart [1984 album], there was some great stuff on that, that weren't hits - there was a bit deeper stuff, like "Suicide Day." To do something like "Suicide Day" after "Space Age Love Song" and "The More You Live" and all that, then you're on a darker track. Stuff like that, I think at that time, it showed where we could have gone if it hadn't have gone awry with the band - we could have become deep and meaningful, kind of an '80s Pink Floyd."[10]
Reception
Tom Demalon from AllMusic retrospectively praised the "less cluttered, more polished" sound of the album's production, but felt the songs lacked warmth. He took a greater liking to songs such as "Over My Head" and "Heart of Steel", and believed that "Remember David" closely recaptured the band's "hyperkinetic glory" of their first two albums.[6]
People stated that the album, at first listen, seemed "unsatisfyingly bloodless and facile", but believed tracks such as "European (I Wish I Was)", "Over My Head", and "Heart of Steel" "tend[ed] to sound better the more they are played."[11]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Story of a Young Heart" | 6:07 |
| 2. | "Never Again (The Dancer)" | 5:05 |
| 3. | "The More You Live, the More You Love" | 4:10 |
| 4. | "European (I Wish I Was)" | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Remember David" | 4:06 |
| 6. | "Over My Head" | 3:55 |
| 7. | "Heart of Steel" | 5:45 |
| 8. | "The End" | 3:34 |
| 9. | "Suicide Day" | 5:20 |
| Total length: | 42:24 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "The More You Live, the More You Love" (7″ version) | 4:13 |
| 11. | "The More You Live, the More You Love" (Full Moon mix) | 6:17 |
| 12. | "Lost Control (Totally)" | 4:12 |
| 13. | "Never Again (The Dancer)" (7″ version) | 3:46 |
| 14. | "Never Again (The Dancer)" (12″ dance mix) | 5:17 |
| 15. | "Living in Heaven" | 5:32 |
| 16. | "Remember David" (7″ version) | 4:07 |
Personnel
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A Flock of Seagulls
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Additional personnel
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Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] | 32 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] | 17 |
| European Albums (Eurotipsheet)[14] | 25 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 31 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] | 36 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 30 |
| US Billboard 200[18] | 66 |