Kylie Minogue – “Enjoy Yourself”
Reviewed by Christopher Smith
Kylie’s second studio album came in the early Autumn of 1989. With the phenomenal success of her debut, there were great expectations for its follow up. Prior to its release, two singles had been released and become huge chart hits across the world, thus giving a taste of what was to come.
The title says it all. Enjoy yourself. So, pop on some headphones (or blast some dust from those speakers) and let’s do just that!
1. Hand On Your Heart
With five smash hit singles released in 1988, the Hit Factory wasted no time at all in cementing Kylie’s place at the top of her game with the release of “Hand On Your Heart” in April 1989. And 1989 Kylie doesn’t disappoint. “Put your hand on your heart and tell me, that we’re through ooh woooah” she belts accapella before the drum beat rolls and the hip new sound plays. This is much more slick than what had gone before. Harder edged than say “I Should Be So Lucky”, yet still bubbly enough to appeal to PWL’s target audience, it’s hardly surprising this was a massive hit and one of the year’s biggest sellers. Oh and where did THOSE dresses from the video go?
2. Wouldn’t Change A Thing
Hot on the heals of HOYH, Kylie came out with this funky anthem in July of ’89 and it was perfect for that long hot summer. This is so cool. Great guitar on the backing track and keyboards particularly on the final choruses. It deserved to be another big hit the world over. Unfortunately, it was kept off the top in the UK by a certain cartoon bunny rabbit. Hmm!
3. Never Too Late
The hits keep coming, track number 3 was released in October 1989 and its a gloriously fun SAW number that doesn’t outstay its welcome at all. It’s simple in its construction as is often the case with PWL song of the 1980’s but that’s why they are so successful. It doesn’t take too much brain energy to process a SAW number and “Never Too Late” is perfect ‘ear candy’.
4. Nothing To Lose
So many tracks on this album could of been singles, and here’s one of them. “Nothing To Lose” is very much a follow on from WCAT and in the similar style. It has another vocal opening that makes you fall in love with this song even before the music plays. Kylie’s vocal is subdued in each verse but soon boldly informs up that “I won’t share you with any other girl, cause I’ve got my pride”. Could this of been a message to the man she met that year, that was to have such a profound influence on her life and her music?(!)
5. Tell Tale Signs
After four pop classics, what’s this? A ballad. And what a song! With a definite 1930’s feel to it, “Tell Tale Signs” is a sad song about the end of a relationship and within, Kylie demonstrates the awesome range and power of her voice. It could of been a big Christmas hit if released as a single, but we’re grateful it’s here, and at 2 minutes 26 seconds it definitely needs a second hearing.
6. My Secret Heart
Kylie stays with the slow numbers and belts out another sensational song with “My Secret Heart”. This has a big showy feel to it especially with all the “ahh’s” on the backing vocals. Kylie once again gives it everything and pulls off some amazing chords, highlighting just how great a singer she really is.
7. I’m Over Dreaming Over You
After two very beautiful ballads we need some thumping pop to get us up and dancing and here comes “Over Dreaming”. The bass on this song is much deeper than the earlier songs on the album and has a more clubbier feel to it that would manifest itself on later Kylie albums. “You can’t keep hanging on, now the magic’s gone…” No it hasn’t!
8. Tears On My Pillow
Kylie’s cover of Little Anthony and The Imperials 1958 hit was for her debut movie ‘The Delinquents’ and takes us back to ballad territory. Once again her voice shines especially on the final “caused by youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu“(!) that repeats to fade. It feels like this is an album of two halves and should perhaps of been arranged differently. Side A could of been for all the pop songs and side B for all the ballads and show tunes. Over to you PWL for your comments on that…
9. Heaven And Earth
Another slow number and another ‘show tune’. And another song about a failed and dying relationship. More superb vocals from Kylie, soaring music and a long instrumental fade away. Kylie begs her man “there’s never been a better time, to make up your mind and put this thing right”. Let’s hope he could and did!
10. Enjoy Yourself
It’s back to the dance floor for this last number and yet another potential single. Like “Over Dreaming”, the bass on this song is thumping and continuous with keyboard programming that builds and builds throughout the chorus and by the time the song come to its end, its completely infectious and a riot of sound. “Don’t wait till tomorrow when you should be living today”. Those words made an indeliblemark on me as a teenager growing up in the late 1980’s. And still do. Hail “Enjoy Yourself”!
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Often described as ‘that difficult second album’, particularly when a debut is so successful, SAW produced a great follow up for Kylie that in many ways eclipses its predecessor. This album blends harder and more richer pop/dance anthems with beautiful heartfelt ballads and epic show tunes that seem to compliment each other perfectly. Coupled with Kylie’s great voice which seems to have improved greatly since her debut a year earlier.
“Enjoy Yourself” was a sure-fire hit, entering the UK album chart at the very top with pre sales alone of 300,000 copies, eventually gaining a quadruple Platinum certification for sales over over 1.2 million copies. The album was also much more successful in Japan than the former and that helped to classify “Enjoy Yourself” as a big hit, selling millions of copies the world over and confirming that Kylie was not a one-hit wonder and maybe, just maybe here to stay for some time yet…enjoy, it!
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