Sonia - Everybody Knows - The SIngles Box Set

by Fiona Hutchings

published: 7 / 4 / 2021

Sonia - Everybody Knows - The SIngles Box Set

Label: Cherry Red Records
Format: CD Box

Pure pop perfection on six CD box set from Hit Factory starlet Sonia

Review

As soon as the drum loop kicks off 'You’ll Never Stop Me From Loving You' I am ten again, spending every Saturday with my cousin taping his plentiful pop record collection as we made our own radio shows. I think it’s fair to say the SAW (Stock, Aitken, Waterman) Hit Factory provided the majority of the songs we played to our imaginary audience. They were unfailingly cheerful and upbeat sounding and we could sing along happily for hours. I can remember being somewhat confused the more attention I paid to the lyrics. This first single in particular from Sonia sounded a bit stalker like. We’d spin the records and I’d read Phillip Hodson's advice page in 'Fast Forward' magazine, increasingly pondering how at odds his advice and pop music seemed to be. The boxset is full of retro touches and nostalgia. Each of the six CDs are presented with the original artwork and there is a 24 page booklet featuring notes from Tom Parker, alongside a handwritten introduction and commentary on the tracks from Sonia herself. After introducing herself to Pete Waterman aged 17, Sonia found herself on the Coco Cola roadshow alongside other members of the Hit Factory as SAW became known. The problem was the mega producers were a bit busy so hadn’t actually got round to writing her any songs just yet. Instead she sold merchandise and remembers on one occasion having nothing to wear so having to borrow Hazell Dean;s jeans. And had a role on the then huge BBC show 'Bread'. Soon enough Sonia got her moment to shine. “You’ll Never Stop Me From Loving You” went straight to number 1. At 18 It meant she was the youngest woman to hit the top spot since Mary Hopkins in 1968. The notes also proclaim her as the first UK artist to achieve five top 20 hits from one album. So to the singles and the six CDs they are spread over... Unsurprisingly there are a lot of remixes and instrumentals to be found here. The first CD is dedicated whole to that debut. The rest include two tracks each plus remixes. At the request of Esther Rantzen, Sonia teamed up with Big Fun to record a charity record. 'You’ve Got a Friend' was the tune selected and there is a version of the Carole King classic here. For reasons best known to themselves, SAW decided they could do better and wrote their own song of the same name which was eventually released. My fears that too little content would be spread way too thin aren’t realised. SAW did the perfect type of pop to dance to. It’s no surprise that Sonia was a hit on the first Hitman (no Her yet) Roadshow and would remain a firm favourite. The remixes feel sufficently different to be interesting. Plus they are such perfect slices of bubblegum pop. As this is celebrating thirty years since the release of 'Everybody Knows', there’s no sign of Sonia's runner up Eurovison entry 'Better the Devil You Know' (not to be confused with the Kylie track of the same name released three years prior). There is no inclusion either of her 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' cover. She starred, along with mall-storming pop poppet Debbie Gibson and 'Neighbours' star Craig McLachlan in the 1994 revival of 'Grease'. Which feels so early 90s a sentence it almost hurts. As you would expect from Cherry Red and certainly Sonia herself,, the box set is packaged in a bright and very on point manner. Sonia always looked like a big kid who’d been let loose in the dressing up box and was having a whale of a time. The photos are so cheerful you have to smile ficking through. Love them or hate them SAW had a huge impact on music at the end of the 1980s. If you’re already a fan, this set is a comprehensive addition to your music collection.

Track Listing:-

1 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU
2 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (EXTENDED VERSION)
3 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (SONIA’S KISS MIX)
4 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (X.X.X. KISS MIX)
5 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (KISS MIX EDIT)
6 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (DEMO VERSION)
7 YOU’LL NEVER STOP ME LOVING YOU (INSTRUMENTAL)
8 CAN’T FORGET YOU
9 CLIMB TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN (ORIGINAL MIX)
10 CAN’T FORGET YOU (EXTENDED VERSION)
11 CAN’T FORGET YOU (INSTRUMENTAL)
12 CLIMB TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN (ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTAL)
13 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
14 BETTER THAN EVER
15 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART (EXTENDED VERSION)
16 BETTER THAN EVER (ORIGINAL MIX)
17 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART (INSTRUMENTAL)
18 BETTER THAN EVER (7” INSTRUMENTAL)
19 BETTER THAN EVER (ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTAL)
20 COUNTING EVERY MINUTE
21 EVERYBODY KNOWS
22 COUNTING EVERY MINUTE (THE DON MIGUEL MIX)
23 COUNTING EVERY MINUTE (TICK-TOCK REMIX)
24 COUNTING EVERY MINUTE (THE KING’S COUNTING HOUSE MIX)
25 COUNTING EVERY MINUTE (INSTRUMENTAL)
26 EVERYBODY KNOWS (INSTRUMENTAL)
27 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND
28 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND (COVER VERSION)
29 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND (EXTENDED VERSION)
30 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND (7” INSTRUMENTAL)
31 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND (12” INSTRUMENTAL)
32 END OF THE WORLD
33 CAN’T HELP THE WAY THAT I FEEL
34 END OF THE WORLD (EXTENDED VERSION)
35 END OF THE WORLD (ALTERNATIVE MIX)
36 MEGAMIX
37 MEGAMIX (HITMAN ROADSHOW VERSION)
38 END OF THE WORLD (7” INSTRUMENTAL)
39 END OF THE WORLD (ALTERNATIVE INSTRUMENTAL)
40 CAN’T HELP THE WAY THAT I FEEL (INSTRUMENTAL)