Free (Rick Astley album)

Free is the third studio album by English singer Rick Astley, released on 18 February 1991 by RCA Records. It was his first album not to be produced by the noted production team of Stock Aitken Waterman. It gave Astley another hit single in the ballad "Cry for Help", which became a Top 10 hit in both the UK and US. Further singles "Move Right Out" and "Never Knew Love" were less successful. Free reached the UK Top 10 and the US Top 40 and marked the end of a successful four-year period for Astley.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
MSN Music	[4]
NME	3/10[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
The Vancouver Sun	[7]

Free
Studio album by Rick Astley
Released	18 February 1991[1]
Recorded	1990
Length	51:33
Label	RCA
Producer	Gary Stevenson Rick Astley
Rick Astley chronology
Dance Mixes (1990) Free (1991) Body & Soul (1993)
Singles from Free
"Cry for Help" Released: 14 January 1991 "Move Right Out" Released: 18 March 1991 "Never Knew Love" Released: 17 June 1991

Track listing

1. "In the Name of Love" – 4:27 (Michael McDonald)
2. "Cry for Help" – 4:54 (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher)
3. "Move Right Out" – 3:50 (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher)
4. "Be with You" – 4:07 (Rick Astley, Mark King)
5. "Really Got a Problem" – 4:15 (Rick Astley, Mark King)
6. "Is This Really Love"† – 3:26 (Rick Astley)
7. "This Must Be Heaven" – 4:42 (Nicky Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Jon Lind)
8. "Never Knew Love" – 3:07 (Derek Bordeaux, John Paul Taylor)
9. "The Bottom Line" – 5:13 (Rick Astley)
10. "Some Kinda Love" (Japan bonus track) – 4:30 (Rick Astley)
11. "Wonderful You" – 5:08 (Rick Astley)
12. "Behind the Smile" – 4:33 (Rick Astley)

Note

• † Not on LP PL74896

2010 re-issue

On 3 May 2010 an expanded edition of Free was released in a package containing both newly expanded and remastered editions of Free and Body and Soul.^[8]

1. "In the Name of Love" – 4:27
2. "Cry for Help" – 4:54
3. "Move Right Out" – 3:50
4. "Be With You" – 4:07
5. "Really Got a Problem" – 4:15
6. "Is This Really Love" – 3:26
7. "This Must Be Heaven" – 4:42
8. "Never Knew Love" – 3:07
9. "The Bottom Line" – 5:13
10. "Wonderful You" – 5:08
11. "Behind the Smile" – 4:33
12. "Some Kinda Love" – 4:26
13. "So Glad" – 3:23
14. "Cry for Help" (single edit) – 4:19
15. "Move Right Out" (7" version) – 3:53
16. "Never Knew Love" (7" remix) – 3:08
17. "Cry for Help" (12" version) – 6:27
18. "Move Right Out" (vox/strings/piano version) – 3:35

2024 Remaster

A 2024 remastered edition of the album was announced to be released on 30 August 2024, including a double CD album with a reimagined version of "Cry for Help" on the CD1 from his compilation album The Best of Me, also included with B-sides, instrumentals, and remixes for the CD2 and an LP vinyl.^[9][10]

• Disc One

1. "In The Name of Love" (2024 Remaster) (Michael McDonald) - 4:30
2. "Cry for Help" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 4:53
3. "Move Right Out" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 3:54
4. "Be With You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:14
5. "Really Got a Problem" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:20
6. "Is This Really Love" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 3:29
7. "This Must Be Heaven" (2024 Remaster) (Nicky Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Jon Lind) - 4:47
8. "Never Knew Love" (2024 Remaster) (Derek Bordeaux, John Paul Taylor) – 3:10
9. "The Bottom Line" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:18
10. "Wonderful You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:14
11. "Behind the Smite" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 4:37
12. "Cry for Help" (Reimagined) – 3:49
13. "Some Kinda Love" (Rick Astley) – 4:27
14. "So Glad" (Demo) – 3:22
15. "Call Me" – 4:02
16. "Move Right Out" (Vox, Piano, Strings Mix) – 3:38

• Disc Two

1. "Cry For Help" (7" Version) – 4:19
2. "Move Right Out" (7" Version) – 3:55
3. "Never Knew Love" (7" Remix) - 3:05
4. "Cry for Help" (Single Edit) – 4:05
5. "Move Right Out" (Rick's Mix) – 3:52
6. "In The Name of Love " (Arty Olive Mix) – 4:20
7. "Cry For Help" (12" Version) – 6:27
8. "Move Right Out" (12" Version) – 6:35
9. "Never Knew Love" (3 Day Mix) - 8:37
10. "Move Right Out" (Instrumental) – 3:51
11. "Never Knew Love" (Instrumental) - 3:09
12. "This Must Be Heaven" (Instrumental) - 4:46
13. "Call Me" (Instrumental) - 3:59

2024 Remaster (Digital)

• Disc One

1. "In The Name of Love" (2024 Remaster) (Michael McDonald) - 4:30
2. "Cry for Help" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 4:53
3. "Move Right Out" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 3:54
4. "Be With You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:14
5. "Really Got a Problem" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:20
6. "Is This Really Love" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 3:29
7. "This Must Be Heaven" (2024 Remaster) (Nicky Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Jon Lind) - 4:47
8. "Never Knew Love" (2024 Remaster) (Derek Bordeaux, John Paul Taylor) – 3:10
9. "The Bottom Line" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:18
10. "Wonderful You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:14
11. "Behind the Smite" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 4:37
12. "Cry for Help" (Reimagined) – 3:49
13. "Some Kinda Love" (Rick Astley) – 4:27
14. "So Glad" (Demo) – 3:22
15. "Call Me" – 4:02
16. "Move Right Out" (Vox, Piano, Strings Mix) – 3:38
17. "Cry For Help" (7" Version) – 4:19
18. "Move Right Out" (7" Version) – 3:55
19. "Cry for Help" (7" Remix) - 3:05
20. "Cry For Help" (Single Edit) – 4:05
21. "Move Right Out" (Rick's Mix) – 3:52
22. "In The Name of Love " (Arty Olive Mix) – 4:20
23. "Cry For Help" (12" Version) – 6:27
24. "Move Right Out" (12" Version) – 6:35
25. "Cry for Help" (3 Day Mix) - 8:37
26. "Move Right Out" (Instrumental) – 3:51
27. "Cry for Help" (Instrumental) - 3:09
28. "This Must Be Heaven" (Instrumental) - 4:46
29. "Call Me" (Instrumental) - 3:59

LP vinyl

• Side A

1. "In The Name of Love" (2024 Remaster) (Michael McDonald) - 4:30
2. "Cry for Help" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 4:53
3. "Move Right Out" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Rob Fisher) – 3:54
4. "Be With You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:14
5. "Really Got a Problem" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley, Mark King) – 4:20
6. "Is This Really Love" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 3:29

• Side B

1. "This Must Be Heaven" (2024 Remaster) (Nicky Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Jon Lind) - 4:47
2. "Never Knew Love" (2024 Remaster) (Derek Bordeaux, John Paul Taylor) – 3:10
3. "The Bottom Line" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:18
4. "Wonderful You" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 5:14
5. "Behind the Smite" (2024 Remaster) (Rick Astley) – 4:37

Personnel

Musicians

• Rick Astley – lead and backing vocals
• Dave West – synthesizers (1–8), drum programming (1, 4, 5, 7, 8), acoustic piano (2, 5, 6, 8), organ (2, 3, 7), Fender Rhodes (2, 8, 9)
• Rob Fisher – acoustic piano (3)
• Nichlas Medin – acoustic piano (4, 7, 9)
• Henrik Nilson – organ (4, 9)
• Elton John – acoustic piano (10, 11)
• Paul Halberg – guitars (1)
• Hywel Maggs – guitars (2–5, 7, 8)
• Robert Ahwai – guitars (3, 9, 10)
• Gene Black – guitars (6)
• Lars Danielsson – bass guitar (3, 8)
• Mark King – bass guitar (4)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (5)
• Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – double bass (9, 10)
• Jacob Andersen – Latin percussion (1–3, 5–8)
• Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (2, 6)
• Per Lindval – drums (3, 9, 10), drum overdubs (4–8)
• Anne Dudley – string arrangements and conductor (1–3, 8, 10, 11)
• Jerry Hey – brass arrangements (3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
• Larry Williams – saxophone (3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
• Dan Higgins – saxophone solo (5, 8, 10)
• Bill Reichenbach, Jr. – trombone (3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
• Larry Hall – trumpet (3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
• Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals (1, 8, 10)
• Michael McDonald – backing vocals (1)
• Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 8, 10)
• The Andraé Crouch Choir – backing vocals (2)
• Carol Kenyon – backing vocals (3, 6–9)
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals (3, 5–9)

Production

• Producers – Rick Astley and Gary Stevenson
• Engineers – Gary Stevenson and Henrik Nilson
• Assistant engineers – Andy Baker, Allan Krohn and Craig Portells
• Mixing – Ren Swan
• Art direction – Rick Astley
• Sleeve design – Mike Orr and the Broughton Design Group
• Photography – Paul Cox
• Management – Tony Henderson

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Free Chart (1991) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[11] 20 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[12] 24 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] 23 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 8 Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)[15] 18 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 16 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 26 UK Albums (OCC)[18] 9 US Billboard 200[19] 31

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Free Chart (1991) Position German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] 71

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Free

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22]	Gold	100,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.