Secret Passion

Untitled

Secret Passion is the seventh studio album by French singer Amanda Lear, first released on Carrere Records in early 1987. It included single releases "Wild Thing", a dance cover of The Troggs 1965 classic, the romantic pop ditty "Aphrodisiac" and the howlingly vampire-esque rocker "She Wolf". This album, was a commercial failure and failed to chart.

Album information

Secret Passion was Lear's first full-length album since 1983's disappointing Tam-Tam and her first for French Carrere, a major label in Francophone countries like France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada in the 70's and 80's.

"Secret Passion" was a contemporary new wave dance production baring more than a fleeting resemblance to Madonna's True Blue album, mainly recorded in Los Angeles with American composers, musicians and arrangers, making it her first album to be recorded outside of Europe.

With Carrere signing Lear and investing money in a project produced in the States it was most likely not only intended to be her European comeback, but also a serious attempt to launch the husky-voiced French disco diva in English-speaking countries like the USA, Canada and the United Kingdown as well. During the years 1982 - 1986 Lear had spent most of her time working as a successful and appreciated TV-host in Italy, and had only released the occasional single on various labels on the French and Italian markets, most notably 1984's "Assasino" for WEA and 1986's "No Credit Card" on minor Italian label Merak. Now she was ready to focus completely on her musical career again. Sadly, she was getting ready to start promoting "Secret Passion" she was seriously injured in a near fatal car crash. She had to spend months in convalescence and was unable to promote the album or any of its singles.

"Secret Passion" was indeed released in a few countries like France, Italy, Canada and Greece but naturally with Lear not being available for either personal appearances or video recordings it didn't fare as well commercially as everybody had hoped and planned for. It is still generally considered to be Lear's best pop album of the 80's since having parted with label Ariola and producer Anthony Monn but due to the circumstances it was also to be her last attempt to resurrect her international recording career. It also became her last English language release until 1993's Eurodance album Cadavrexquis.

During the album sessions Lear had also recorded two French language versions that were released as A-side singles in France, "Les Femmes" ("She Wolf") and "Aphrodisiaque" ("Aphrodisiac"), and an updated single-only Hi-NRG version of her signature tune "Follow Me", released to promote the album, but not included on the actual album.

While the album hasn't had a proper CD release as such, tracks have surfaced on a number of compilations licensed by Siebenpunkts Verlag Gmbh/ZYX Music/Mint Records over the years and all eight songs are featured on compilations Living Legend and I'm A Mistery - The Whole Story.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Titel	Length
1.	"Desire" (Cale Roberts, Frank Anselmo)	4:18
2.	"Wild Thing" (Chip Taylor)	3:36
3.	"I Want My Name On A Billboard" (Steve Singer, Margaret Harris, Peter Van Asten, Richard DeBois)	4:25
4.	"She Wolf" (Madelynn Von Ritz, Gary M. Johnson)	4:17

Side two

No.	Titel	Length
1.	"Mannequin" (Michael Price, Amanda Lear)	3:32
2.	"I'm A Mistery" (Seraphim, Amanda Lear, Roland Vincent)	4:35
3.	"Aphrodisiac" (Mike Stepstone, Steve Singer, Amanda Lear, Lenny Macaluso)	3:44
4.	"Times Up" (Mara Cubeddu, Michael Bernard, Bob Esty)	4:55

Credits

• Produced, arranged by Christian De Walden and Steve Singer for Zig Zag Productions, USA
• Executive producers: Steve Singer, Carlo Mezzano & Christian De Walden
• Mixed by Greg Penny & Christian De Walden
• Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grudman Mastering, Hollywood
• Engineered by Greg Penny, Joe Seta & Kiko Fusco
• Assisted by John Inglodsby, Maurizio Mariani & Eddiy Petrolati
• Vocals arranged by Carol Parks & Christian De Walden
• Roberto Rocchi — cover photo
• Claude Caudron — artwork
• Rocco Barocco — dress
• Amanda Lear — vocals
• Denny Fongheiser — drums
• Tom Walsh — drums
• Dean Parks — guitar
• John C. Parr — guitar
• Marco Manusso — guitar

• Bob Parr — bass
• Steve Singer — synthesizer
• Kim Bullard — synthesizers
• Michael Price — synthesizers
• Doug Norwine — saxophone
• Rick Braun — trumpet
• Michael Fisher — percussion
• Carol Parks — backing vocals
• Debbie Rider — backing vocals
• Victoria Miller — backing vocals
• Stacey Dunne — backing vocals
• Leslie Perkins — backing vocals
• Denise Rosner — backing vocals
• Charlie Cannon — backing vocals
• Rosie D'Andrea — backing vocals
• Annie Robert — backing vocals
• Frank Castiglia — backing vocals

Release history

Release format	Land	Cat. No.	Release date
LP	France, Italy, Canada	66 408	1987
Cassette	Frankreich	76 508	1987
LP	Griechenland	062-2407601	1987

Single releases

7"

• 1986: "Wild Thing" / "Aphrodisiac" (France, Carrere 14.152)
• 1986: "Wild Thing" / "Aphrodisiac" (Italy, Carrere 72 014)
• 1986: "Wild Thing" / "Aphrodisiac" (Portugal, Carrere 503 454)
• 1986: "Les Femmes" ("She Wolf" - French Language Version) ** / "She Wolf" (France, Merak MKNP 210)
• 1986: "Les Femmes" ("She Wolf" - French Language Version) ** / "She Wolf" (France, Ibach 884 686-7)
• 1987: "Wild Thing" / "Aphrodisiac" (Canada, Power PX7-120)
• 1987: "Follow Me´" (1987 Re-Recording - 7" Edit) * / "I'm A Mistery" (West Germany, Carrere CAR 6.14811)
• 1987: "Aphrodisiaque" ("Aphrodisiac" - French Language Version) ** / "Desire" (France, Carrere 14.212)

12"

• 1987: "Follow Me" (1987 re-recording - Extended) */** / "Follow Me" (1987 re-recording - Radio Mix) * / "I'm A Mistery" (Remix) ** (West Germany, WEA 249 375-0)
• 1987: "Follow Me" (1987 re-recording - Extended) */** / "Follow Me" (1987 re-recording - Radio Mix) * / "I'm A Mistery" (Remix) ** (West Germany, Carrere CAR 6 20780)
• 1987: "Wild Thing" (Extended) ** / "I'm A Mistery" (Remix) ** / "Aphrodisiac" (France, Carrere/Ibach 8731)
• 1987: "Wild Thing" (Extended) ** / "Follow Me" (1987 Re-recording - Extended) */** (Canada, Power PXD-089)
• 1987: "She Wolf" (Extended) ** / "Les Femmes" ("She Wolf" - French Language Version) ** / "Time's Up" (Extended) ** (France, Carrere/Ibach 884686)
• 1987: "Time's Up" / "Aphrodisiac" (UK, Carrere CART 409)
• * Non-album track
• ** Non-album version