Rocktrospectiva: Basia's Masterpiece Album "London Warsaw New York" Turns 35

Released on 19 February 1990, "London Warsaw New York" was the second studio album by Polish-born singer–songwriter Basia, It spawned one of Basia's biggest hits, "Cruising for Bruising", alongside "Baby You're Mine", was released as the lead single in early 1990 and was met with moderate success. "Cruising for Bruising" followed as the second single and became Basia's biggest hit yet. In North America, it served as the first single. "Copernicus" was a Japan-only single, and although never commercially released elsewhere. The final single was the cover of "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" which charted on Billboard's Adult Contemporary list.

The album's title was inspired by the tag "London Paris New York" often seen on perfume packaging. Basia decided to replace Paris with Warsaw to emphasize the fact that she is Polish, and that the album was written between the three countries represented by those cities. All three cities are name-checked in the song "Copernicus": "Our love will take this globe by storm/If it's London, Warsaw, or New York". The line is also sung in Polish later in the track: "Naszą miłością podbijemy glob/Londyn, Warszawę albo Nowy Jork". The other song incorporating Basia's native language is "Reward", in which she sings: "Jesteś moją nagrodą" (English: "You are my reward").

This was the second album by noted Polish-born singer Basia, who first rose to fame in the early ’80s as part of Matt Bianco, a successful pop-jazz trio led by Danny White whose British hits included ‘Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed.’ In 1986, Basia went solo, signed to Epic and released an impressive debut LP, "Time & Tide". The album did even better in the USA and paved the way for her magnum opus and second Epic long player, 1990's ‘London, Warsaw, New York.’ Phenomenally successful in the USA, it topped the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and shifted one million copies. 

With a wise production "London, Warsaw, New York" is a perfect example of machine-tooled late-'80s pop-soul with its effervescent vocals and crisp, drum-machine-heavy arrangements. Most of the material is co-penned by the singer herself together with her Matt Bianco sparring partner, Danny White (brother of smooth jazz guitarist, Peter White). The pick of the nine songs that they wrote together is the lovely boss nova groove, "Baby, Be Mine," with the samba-esque "Take Him Back, Rachel" coming a close second. There’s a seductive jazz vibe, too, to the Latin-flavoured "Ordinary People," which allows Basia to show off her vocal dexterity. The album includes a solitary cover, a decent and punchy take on Aretha Franklin"s Stevie Wonder-co-penned '70s hit, "Until You Come Back To Me," which is enhanced by jazzy muted horns, woodwind charts and a couple of Fairlight orchestral.

London Warsaw New York is often regarded as Basia's best album. It also remains her most successful release commercially, having sold in over 2 million copies worldwide, with half of the total shifted in the USA alone, where the record was certified platinum in August 1992. The album became Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Album of 1990.

 

London Warsaw New York Track List: 

 

1. Cruising For Bruising

2. Best Friends

3. Brave New Hope

4. Baby You're Mine

5. Ordinary People

6. Reward

7. Until You Come Back To Me

8. Copernicus

9. Not An Angel

10. Take Him Back Rachel