EMI must believe in miracles, because they've prepped a set that combines all of the studio albums by pop group Hot Chocolate.
The Brixton-based band, fronted by Jamaican singer Errol Brown, first gained prominence for one single on The Beatles' Apple label, a reggae-fied cover of "Give Peace a Chance." (That song, credited to "The Hot Chocolate Band," was resurrected on last year's Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records compilation.) Several Top 10 hits followed - in fact, the band had at least one U.K. hit for 14 years straight, between 1970 and 1984 - but the most enduring would have to be British chart-topper "So You Win Again" and "You Sexy Thing," the upbeat disco hit that remains their best-known song here in the U.S.
The Cherry Red offshoot label 7Ts expanded the band's first four albums - Cicero Park (1974), Hot Chocolate (1975), Man to Man (1976) and Every 1's a Winner (1978) - in 2009 with non-LP tracks and mixes (none of which appear here). But Box Selection: Their 8 RAK Albums 1974-1983, presents all the studio albums newly remastered across four discs. Notable, then are the widespread CD release of the latter four albums, which included hits like "No Doubt About It" (a U.K. No. 2) but some interesting covers on the actual albums (1980's Class has versions of The Police's "Walking on the Moon" and "Green Shirt" by Elvis Costello and The Attractions!)
This set will be released January 31 in the U.K.; pre-order it here and check out the track list after the jump.
Hot Chocolate, Box Selection: Their 8 RAK Albums 1974-1983 (EMI 50999 947487 2 7, 2011)
Disc 1: Cicero Park and Hot Chocolate
- Cicero Park
- Could Have Been Born in the Ghetto
- A Love Like Yours
- You're a Natural High
- Emma
- Changing World
- Disco Queen
- Makin' Music
- Funky Rock 'n' Roll
- Bump and Dilly Down
- Hello America
- The Street
- Call the Police
- You Sexy Thing
- A Child's Prayer
- A Warm Smile
- Amazing Skin Song
- Love's Coming on Strong
- Lay Me Down
Disc 1, Tracks 1-10 released as Cicero Park (RAK SRAK-507 (U.K.), 1974)
Disc 1, Tracks 11-19 released as Hot Chocolate (RAK SRAK-516 (U.K.), 1975)
Disc 2: Man to Man and Every 1's a Winner
- Dollar Sign
- Heaven is in the Back Seat of My Cadillac
- Living on a Shoe String
- Sugar Daddy
- Man to Man
- You Could've Been a Lady
- Sex Appeal
- Harry
- Don't Stop It Now
- Seventeen Years of Age
- Every 1's a Winner
- Confetti Day
- Sometimes It Hurts to Be a Friend
- So You Win Again
- Stay with Me
- Runaway Girl
- I'm Gonna Make You Feel Like a Woman
- Put Your Love in Me
Disc 2, Tracks 1-10 from Man to Man (RAK SRAK-522, 1976)
Disc 2, Tracks 11-18 from Every 1's a Winner (RAK SRAK-531, 1978)
Disc 3: Going Through the Motions and Class
- Love is the Answer One More Time
- Going Through the Motions
- I Just Love What You're Doing
- Dreaming of You
- Dance (Get Down to It)
- Mindless Boogie
- Night Ride
- Congas Man
- Love Me to Sleep
- Losing You
- Gotta Give Up Your Love
- Walking on the Moon
- Green Shirt
- Children of Spacemen
- Brand New Christmas
- Are You Getting Enough of What Makes You Happy
Disc 3, Tracks 1-8 from Going Through the Motions (RAK SRAK-536, 1979)
Disc 3, Tracks 9-16 from Class (RAK SRAK-543, 1980)
Disc 4: Mystery and Love Shot
- Girl Crazy
- Mystery
- Are You Getting Enough Happiness
- No Tears
- Chances
- It Started with a Kiss
- You'll Never Be So Wrong
- Emotion Explosion
- One Night's Not Enough
- Sexy Carribean Girl
- Let's Try Again
- Secret Hideaway
- Tears on the Telephone
- Jeannie
- I'm Sorry
- Friend of Mine
- Touch the Night
- Love is a Good Thing
- I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I)
Disc 4, Tracks 1-9 from Mystery (RAK SRAK-549, 1982)
Disc 4, Tracks 10-19 from Love Shot (RAK SRAK-1653831, 1983)
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