No One Is to Blame

"No One Is to Blame"
Single by Howard Jones
from the album Dream Into Action and One to One
Released	15 March 1986 (UK) 24 March 1986 (US)
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1985
Genre	Pop, New wave
Length	3:29 (1985 version) 4:13 (1986 version)
Label	WEA Records (UK) Elektra Records (US)
Writer(s)	Howard Jones
Producer	Phil Collins
Howard Jones singles chronology
"Life In One Day" (1985) "No One Is to Blame" (1986) "All I Want" (1986)

"No One Is to Blame" is a song by British new wave musician Howard Jones. The song, in its original version, can be found on Jones's second studio album, Dream Into Action, which was released in 1985. Following the success of the previous singles taken from the album, the original track for "No One Is to Blame" was re-recorded to give the song a more radio-friendly sound. Phil Collins produced the re-recording, adding his own backing vocals and drum work.^[1] The radio remix of the song was included on Jones' 1986 studio album, One to One.^[2]

"No One Is to Blame" was released as a single in March 1986 and became Jones' biggest hit single in the United States, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1] The song also became the first of his two #1 songs on the U.S. adult contemporary chart ("Everlasting Love" would top this chart three years later, in 1989).^[3] The song was also a top 10 hit in Australia and a #16 hit in the U.K..^[4]

The song is about unfulfilled attractions, saying that these are normal and commonplace ("We want everyone - no one is to blame"). It uses a number of metaphors, such as "You can look at the menu, but you just can't eat" and "It's the last piece of the puzzle, but you just can't make it fit," to describe the frustration of experiencing attraction but being unable to act on it, for whatever reason.

Track list

7”

• ”No One Is to Blame” – 4:14
• ”The Chase” – 2:53

12”

• ”No One Is to Blame (Extended Mix)” – 5:16
• ”The Chase” – 2:53
• ”No One Is to Blame (The Long Mix)” – 3:07

The Long Mix is a piano and vocal-only version of the song recorded in session for the BBC Radio 1 Janice Long show.

Other versions

• Played by Jones on grand piano accompanied only by a percussionist, the song appeared on the 1996 album “Live Acoustic America”.
• An entirely re-recorded version featuring the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra was included on Jones’ 2000 studio album ”Perform.00” (released the following year in the US as “Perform.01”).

Cover versions

In 2007, American singer-songwriter Katrina Carlson recorded a cover version, on which Jones contributed piano and backing vocals. Carlson’s version, which is taken from her album Here and Now, reached #20 on the US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Emile Millar covered the song for the soundtrack of Waitress in 2007.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. pp. 180, 453. ISBN 0-87586-207-1. 
2. ^ One to One track listing Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
3. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 307.
4. ^ UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 29 April 2009.

External links

• Billboard.com for US artist chart history
• Chartstats.com for UK artist chart history
• Here And Now at cdbaby.com
• Katrina Carlson at Billboard.com