Tropico (Pat Benatar album)
1984 studio album by Pat Benatar
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Tropico is the fifth studio album by American rock singer Pat Benatar, released on November 1, 1984, by Chrysalis Records. It is the first album to feature bassist Donnie Nossov, who replaced Roger Capps in Benatar's band. It marks Benatar and Giraldo's first attempt to move away from Benatar's famed "hard rock" sound and start experimenting with new "gentler" styles and new wave sounds.[2][3]
| Tropico | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cover photo by Rebecca Blake | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1, 1984[1] | |||
| Recorded | May–September 1984 | |||
| Studio | MCA Whitney Studios (Glendale, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:57 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Producer |
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| Pat Benatar chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Tropico | ||||
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The album peaked at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart[4] and produced the Grammy-nominated[5] Top Five Pop hit "We Belong".[6] Other well-known songs from the album include "Painted Desert", "Outlaw Blues" and "Ooh Ooh Song" (also a Top 40 hit).[6] A Spanish version of "Ooh Ooh Song" was on the B-side of the US single and appeared also on her 1999 compilation, Synchronistic Wanderings. Tropico was Benatar's sixth consecutive Platinum-certified album in the United States.[7]
BGO Records reissued Tropico on CD with Seven the Hard Way.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
The European magazine Music & Media praised Tropico's "excellent production" and noted the "softer and sophisticated direction" compared to earlier works, and recommended the tracks "Painted Desert" and "Love in the Ice Age".[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Diamond Field" | Neil Giraldo, Myron Grombacher, Pat Benatar | 3:20 |
| 2. | "We Belong" | Eric Lowen, Dan Navarro | 3:40 |
| 3. | "Painted Desert" | Giraldo, Grombacher | 5:24 |
| 4. | "Temporary Heroes" | Nick Trevesick, Ginny Clee | 4:30 |
| 5. | "Love in the Ice Age" | Giraldo, Charles Giordano, Grombacher, Benatar | 4:05 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Ooh Ooh Song" | Giraldo, Benatar | 4:28 |
| 7. | "The Outlaw Blues" | Giraldo, Grombacher | 3:47 |
| 8. | "Suburban King" | Giraldo, Billy Steinberg | 1:48 |
| 9. | "A Crazy World Like This" | Giraldo, Tom Kelly, Steinberg | 4:02 |
| 10. | "Takin' It Back" | Giraldo, Benatar | 4:07 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Diamond Field" | Giraldo, Grombacher, Benatar | 3:20 |
| 2. | "We Belong" | Lowen, Navarro | 3:40 |
| 3. | "Painted Desert" | Giraldo, Grombacher | 5:24 |
| 4. | "Temporary Heroes" | Trevesick, Clee | 4:30 |
| 5. | "Love Is a Battlefield" | Holly Knight, Mike Chapman | 5:24 |
| 6. | "Ooh Ooh Song" | Giraldo, Benatar | 4:28 |
| 7. | "The Outlaw Blues" | Giraldo, Grombacher | 3:47 |
| 8. | "Suburban King" | Giraldo, Steinberg | 1:48 |
| 9. | "A Crazy World Like This" | Giraldo, Kelly, Steinberg | 4:02 |
| 10. | "Takin' It Back" | Giraldo, Benatar | 4:07 |
| 11. | "Love in the Ice Age" | Giraldo, Giordano, Grombacher, Benatar | 4:05 |
Personnel
Band members
- Pat Benatar – vocals
- Neil Giraldo – guitars, harmonica, percussion
- Charlie Giordano – keyboards, percussion
- Donnie Nossov – bass, backing vocals on track 6
- Myron Grombacher – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Roger Capps – bass on tracks 2 and 3
- Lenny Castro – percussion on tracks 3 and 9
- Unknown[a] – backing vocals on track 2
Production
- Neil Giraldo, Peter Coleman – producers, mixing at The Complex Studios and Sound Castle Studios, Los Angeles
- Dave Hernandez – assistant engineer, Spanish translation of track 6
- Murray Dvorkin, Bino Espinoza – mixing assistants
- George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[23] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[24] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[25] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[26] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[27] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Notes
- The record sleeve says "Thanks […] The Kids on «We Belong» […]".