Paintings in Yellow

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Paintings in Yellow
Studio album by
Sandra
Released26 March 1990
Recorded1989–1990
StudioA.R.T. (Ibiza, Spain)
Genre
Length48:59
LabelVirgin
ProducerMichael Cretu
Sandra chronology
Everlasting Love
(1988) 		Paintings in Yellow
(1990) 		Close to Seven
(1992)
Singles from Paintings in Yellow
  1. "Hiroshima"
    Released: February 1990
  2. "(Life May Be) A Big Insanity"
    Released: May 1990
  3. "One More Night"
    Released: September 1990

Paintings in Yellow is the fourth studio album by German singer Sandra, released on 26 March 1990 by Virgin Records. It was commercially successful and spawned the single "Hiroshima".

Background and release[edit]

The album was recorded at A.R.T. Studios, Sandra and Michael Cretu's home studio in Ibiza, Spain. The material showcased more mature sound, departing from Sandra's previous, up-tempo dance songs in favour of a more reflective and sophisticated style. Much of the material, especially the five-part track "The Journey", foreshadowed the sound of Enigma, a new-age music project that Michael and Sandra were working on during the making of the album. Frank Peterson, who was the co-producer on the Enigma project, took up the role of co-writing some of the tracks on Paintings in Yellow.

The cover of Wishful Thinking's "Hiroshima" was released as the lead single in February 1990, becoming a top-five chart success in Germany and Switzerland. It was followed by two further singles in 1990, "(Life May Be) A Big Insanity" and the ballad "One More Night", which were moderately successful on the charts.

Paintings in Yellow became Sandra's highest-charting album in Germany at number four, in addition to a top-10 peak in Switzerland. The record has been certified gold in Germany and France, and platinum in Switzerland.

Critical reception[edit]

Music & Media described the album as "[w]ell balanced and seamlessly commercial" and commented that "Sandra's sensual voice is wrapped in a sea of breathy instrumentation", but concluded that "despite the undeniable commerciality of it all this is rather predictable."[1]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Hiroshima"David MorganMorgan6:50
2."(Life May Be) A Big Insanity"
Cretu4:29
3."Johnny Wanna Live"
  • Cretu
  • Hirschburger
4:26
4."Lovelight in Your Eyes"
  • Cretu
  • Hirschburger
Cretu5:27
5."One More Night"
  • Cretu
  • Hirschburger
  • Cretu
  • Peterson
4:06
6."The Skin I'm In"
  • Peterson
  • Hirschburger
  • Cretu
  • Peterson
3:40
7."Paintings in Yellow"
  • Cretu
  • Hirschburger
Cretu5:50
8."The Journey"
a. "Cold Out Here"
b. "I'm Alive"
c. "Paintings"
d. "Come Alive"
e. "The End"
  • Cretu
  • Hirschburger
  • Cretu
  • Peterson
7:27
9."Hiroshima" (extended club mix)MorganMorgan6:44
Total length:48:59

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Paintings in Yellow.[2]

  • Sandra – vocals
  • Michael Cretu – production, arrangements, performance, engineering
  • Frank Peterson – arrangements, performance, engineering
  • Tom Leonardt – all acoustic and electric guitars
  • Mike Schmidt – art direction
  • Stefan Langner – photography

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for Paintings in Yellow
Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[12] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[13] Gold 250,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[14] Platinum 50,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Previews – Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 15. 14 April 1990. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  2. ^ Sandra (1990). Paintings in Yellow (liner notes). Virgin Records. 260 518-222.
  3. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Sandra – Paintings in Yellow" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  4. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 19. 12 May 1990. p. VIII. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  6. ^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved 6 August 2019. Select "SANDRA" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
  7. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sandra – Paintings in Yellow" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sandra – Paintings in Yellow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Sandra – Paintings in Yellow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  10. ^ "European Top 100 Albums – 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 38. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  12. ^ "French album certifications – Sandra – Paintings in Yellow" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 7 August 2019. Select SANDRA and click OK. 
  13. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sandra; 'Paintings in Yellow')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  14. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Paintings in Yellow')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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