Seal (1991 album)

Seal
Studio album by Seal
Released
  • 24 May 1991 (UK)
  • 7 June 1991 (US)
Recorded November 1990 – April 1991
Genre
Length 52:17
Label
Producer Trevor Horn
Seal chronology
Seal
(1991)		 Seal
(1994)Seal1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
The Village Voice[7]

Seal is the debut studio album by Seal, released in 1991. It contains the singles "Crazy", "Future Love Paradise", "The Beginning", "Killer" and "Violet". The album debuted at #1 in the UK and went on to win Best British Album at the 1992 Brit Awards. Seal's following album, released in 1994, was also named Seal. It is usually referred to as Seal II.

There are two versions of the album, with minor and major differences in three songs.[8] The shorter version of "Wild" is more rock-based and heavy than the original. The shorter version of "Violet" contains no dialogue within the singing. Track lengths of both versions are given for each song affected. "Killer" is a re-recorded version of the UK number one single by Adamski, which also features Seal on vocals.

Many of the songs (including various ZTT mixes) were featured in the Greg Stump 1991 film Groove Requiem in the Key of Ski. Later Seal tracks appeared in other Stump films as well. The track "Killer" was also featured on the American crime series Homicide: Life on the Street and was included on the 2-disc soundtrack album.

The song "Crazy" was covered by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes on their album Take a Break, by Mushroomhead on their album XIII, by Talisman on their 1995 album Life, by Alanis Morissette on her 2005 compilation album Alanis Morissette: The Collection, and by German power metal band Iron Savior.

Track listing

All lyrics and music written by Seal, except where noted.

  1. "The Beginning" (Seal, Guy Sigsworth) – 5:40
  2. "Deep Water" – 5:56
  3. "Crazy" (Seal, Guy Sigsworth) – 4:47 or 5:57
  4. "Killer" (Adam Tinley, Seal) – 6:22
  5. "Whirlpool" – 3:56 or 3:51
  6. "Future Love Paradise" – 4:20
  7. "Wild" (Seal, Guy Sigsworth) – 5:19 or 5:28
  8. "Show Me" – 5:59
  9. "Violet" (Seal, Guy Sigsworth) – 8:06 or 8:31

Personnel

Singles

Release date Title Peak
23 November 1990 "Crazy" 2
12 April 1991 "Future Love Paradise" 12
19 July 1991 "The Beginning" 24
22 November 1991 "Killer" 8
14 February 1992 "Violet" 34

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[10] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[11] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[12] 3× Platinum 300,000^
France (SNEP)[13] Gold 261,600[14]
Germany (BVMI)[15] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[16] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[17] Gold 7,500^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[18] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Seal [1991] – Seal". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  2. ↑ May, Mitchell (18 July 1991). "Seal: Seal (Sire)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-85712-595-8.
  4. ↑ Linden, Amy (16 August 1991). "Seal". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Hochman, Steve (14 July 1991). "Seal, 'Seal,' Sire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  6. ↑ Hunter, James (2004). "Seal". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 723. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (3 March 1991). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Seal (Debut album) remixed/edited version". Futureloveparadise.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  9. ↑ About Chrissy Shefts
  10. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Seal in the field Interpret. Enter Seal in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  11. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
  12. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Seal – Seal". Music Canada.
  13. ↑ "French album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  14. ↑ "Les Albums Or". infodisc.fr. SNEP. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  15. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Seal; 'Seal')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  16. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Seal in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  17. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Seal – Seal". Recorded Music NZ.
  18. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Seal; 'Seal')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  19. ↑ "British album certifications – Seal – Seal". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Seal in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  20. ↑ "American album certifications – Seal – Seal". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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