Black & White 050505

Black & White 050505 is the fourteenth studio album (of original material) by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in the UK in September 2005. The album was not officially released in the US.

Black & White 050505
Studio album by Simple Minds
Released	12 September 2005
Recorded	2004–5 May 2005
Studio	Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands
Genre	Pop rock, synth-pop
Length	40:57
Label	Sanctuary Records
Producer	Simple Minds, Jez Coad
Simple Minds chronology
Silver Box (2004) Black & White 050505 (2005) Sunday Express – Live (Vol. 1 & 2) (2007)
Simple Minds studio albums chronology
Cry (2002) Black & White 050505 (2005) Graffiti Soul (2009)
Singles from Black & White 050505
"Home" Released: 5 September 2005 "Stranger" Released: 14 November 2005[1]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
BBC	(very positive)[3]
Q	[4]
Daily Express	[5]
PopMatters	(8/10)[6]
Record Collector	[7]
The Times	[8]

Overview

Work on this follow-up to Cry started in 2002 and was heavily influenced by the band's live work from that period. At the time of the album release, Jim Kerr stated about the new album: "Having delivered Black and White 050505, an album that we believe is classic Simple Minds, albeit with a whole new energy. We can honestly say that we are delighted with the results and look forward with a totally revitalised outlook to this next phase of our on going creativity."^[9]

Recording

The sessions for Black And White 050505 yielded an album and a half of material. The tracks "Light Travels" and "Fortune Teller" were left off the album because Jim Kerr did not want to compromise the album's structure or overall feel.

Demoed for Black And White 050505, "Light Travels" was later rerecorded and released on Graffiti Soul (2009).^[10]

After initially appearing as an idea of a melody during the recording sessions for Good News from the Next World (1995) and recorded for Black And White 050505 (2005) as "Fortune Teller", the song was then considered for Graffiti Soul (2009) but, again, not released until it was finally rerecorded (and retitled) as "Magic" for Walk Between Worlds (2018).^[11]

The recording sessions for the album ended on 5 May 2005 (05/05/05), hence the number in the album's title.

Track listing

Standard edition

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Stay Visible"	Jim Kerr	Jez Coad	5:19
2.	"Home"	Kerr	Charlie Burchill, Gordy Goudie	4:23
3.	"Stranger"	Kerr, Daniele Tignino	Tignino, Pat Legato	4:07
4.	"Different World (Taormina.Me)"	Kerr, Coad	Burchill	4:37
5.	"Underneath the Ice"	Kerr	Burchill, Coad	4:45
6.	"The Jeweller Part 2"	Kerr	Burchill	4:18
7.	"A Life Shot in Black and White"	Kerr	Coad, Burchill	3:35
8.	"Kiss the Ground"	Kerr	Burchill	4:06
9.	"Dolphins"	Kerr	Burchill	5:57

2019 Deluxe Edition and Rejuvenation 2001–2014 box set bonus tracks

Source:^[12][13]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Origin	Length
10.	"Too Much Television"	Sean Kelly	Kelly	iTunes download;[14] B-side to "Stranger";[15] Japanese edition bonus track[16]	4:20
11.	"Bird on a Wire"	Kerr	Burchill, Kevin Hunter	B-side to "Stranger"[15]	3:54
12.	"Mighty Joe Moon"	Grant Lee Phillips	Phillips	B-side to "Home"[17]	3:42

Left-overs

At least, another track was demoed for Black & White 050505: "Angel Under My Skin" written by Mark Kerr and Erikah Karst during the Cry period (2002). The song was later worked on for Graffiti Soul (2009) before it was finally recorded and released on Walk Between Worlds (2018).^[18]

Live performances

All the songs have been played live:^[19][20]

1. "Stay Visible" during the 2005 "Intimate", 2006 "Black And White", 2009 "30 Years Live European" & 2009 "Graffiti Soul" tours
2. "Home" during the 2005 "Intimate", 2006 "Black And White", 2008 "Celebrate 30 Years Live", 2009 "30 Years Live European" & 2009 "Graffiti Soul", 2010 "Festival Show", 2010 "Final Shows" tours
3. "Stranger" during the 2005 "Intimate" & 2006 "Black And White" tours
4. "Different World [taormina.me]" during the 2005 "Intimate", 2006 "Black And White" & 2009 "30 Years Live European" tours
5. "Underneath The Ice" only during the 2006 "Black And White" tour
6. "The Jeweller Part 2" during the 2005 "Intimate" & 2006 "Black And White" tours
7. "A Life Shot in Black & White" only during the 2006 "Black And White" tour
8. "Kiss The Ground" only one time (in Copenhagen, Denmark) during the 2006 "Black And White" tour
9. "Dolphins" during the 2006 "Black And White" & 2009 "30 Years Live European" tours

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes,^[21] except where noted.

Simple Minds

• Jim Kerr — vocals
• Charlie Burchill — guitars, keyboards, programming on "Bird on a Wire"^[15]
• Mel Gaynor — drums, percussion
• Eddie Duffy — bass guitar, percussion

Additional musicians

• Andy Gillespie — keyboards
• Jez Coad — additional guitars and keyboards
• Daniele Tignino — backing vocals on "Stranger"
• John Biancale — backing vocals on "Stranger"
• Sean Kelly — guest vocals on "Too Much Television"^[15]

Technical

• Simple Minds — producer, arrangements
• Jez Coad — producer, arrangements
• Kevin Hunter — producer on "Bird on a Wire"^[15]
• Arjen Mensinga — engineer
• Michiel Hoogenboezem — engineer
• Chris Fuderich — engineer on "Bird on a Wire"^[15]
• Bob Clearmountain — mixing
• Brandon Duncan — mixing assistant
• Kevin Harp — mixing on "Bird on a Wire"^[15]
• Bob Ludwig — mastering
• Daniele Tignino — pre-production in Taormina, Sicily
• Ottavio Leo — pre-production in Taormina, Sicily
• Gordy Goudie — pre-production in Glasgow, Scotland
• Kevin Burleigh — pre-production in Glasgow, Scotland
• Andy Gillespie — pre-production in Glasgow, Scotland
• Fabrique — design
• Chris van Diemen — art direction, design, photography
• Jeroen van Erp — art direction, design
• Arjan van den Berg — band photography
• Chantal Wouters — photography

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[22]	Gold	40,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.