Flowers (Ace of Base album)

Flowers is the third album by the Swedish pop music group Ace of Base. It was released on 15 June 1998 in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and 10 August 1998 in the United Kingdom. An alternative album titled Cruel Summer, was released in the USA and Canada, containing remixes, re-recordings, and new songs deemed appropriate for an American audience. Japan and Australia received hybrid versions of the two albums.

Flowers
Studio album by
Released15 June 1998
RecordedSeptember 1997 – Early 1998
GenrePop
Length56:20 (UK)
LabelMega
Producer
Ace of Base chronology
The Bridge
(1995)
Flowers
(1998)
Cruel Summer
(1998)
Singles from Flowers
  1. "Life Is a Flower"
    Released: 6 April 1998
  2. "Cruel Summer"
    Released: 6 July 1998
  3. "Travel to Romantis"
    Released: 16 November 1998
  4. "Always Have Always Will"
    Released: 7 December 1998
  5. "Everytime It Rains"
    Released: 5 April 1999
  6. "Cecilia"
    Released: June 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Q[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]

The album was re-issued in the UK on 26 April 1999 with revised artwork and tracklisting, following the single release of "Everytime It Rains".

Background

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Flowers spawned the singles "Life Is a Flower", "Cruel Summer" and "Always Have, Always Will".

Track listing

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Flowers – Standard version
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Life Is a Flower"Jonas "Joker" BerggrenJoker
  • Tommy Ekman
  • Per Adebratt
  • Joker
3:47
2."Always Have, Always Will"Mike ChapmanJokerOle Evenrude3:46
3."Cruel Summer"
  • Dallin
  • Fahey
  • Woodward
  • Jolley
  • Swain
Cutfather & Joe3:35
4."Travel to Romantis"JokerJoker
  • Joker
  • Johnny Jam & Delgado
4:10
5."Adventures in Paradise"
  • Joker
  • Belmaati
  • Hansen
Cutfather & Joe3:32
6."Dr. Sun"JokerJoker
  • Douglas Carr
  • John Amatiello
  • Joker
3:35
7."Cecilia"JokerJoker
  • Ekman
  • Adebratt
  • Joker
3:55
8."He Decides"Jenny BerggrenJ. Berggren
  • Carr
  • Peo Hägström
3:09
9."I Pray"
  • Buddha
  • Ballard
3:16
10."Tokyo Girl"
Joker
  • Johnny Jam & Delgado
  • Carr[b]
  • Amatiello[b]
  • Joker[b]
3:36
11."Don't Go Away"
  • Buddha
  • Ballard
  • Buddha
  • Ballard
  • Fisher
  • Buddha
  • StoneStream[a]
3:41
12."Captain Nemo"JokerJoker
  • Carr
  • Amatiello
  • Joker
4:02
13."Donnie"JokerJoker
  • Carr
  • Amatiello
  • Joker
4:39
14."Cruel Summer" (big bonus mix)
  • Dallin
  • Fahey
  • Woodward
  • Jolley
  • Swain
  • Dallin
  • Fahey
  • Woodward
  • Jolley
  • Swain
4:07
Flowers – French version (bonus track)
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
15."Cruel Summer" (featuring Alliage) (radio version)
  • Dallin
  • Fahey
  • Woodward
  • Jolley
  • Swain
  • Dallin
  • Fahey
  • Woodward
  • Jolley
  • Swain
Steve Mac3:28
Flowers – UK re-issue version (bonus track)
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
14."Everytime It Rains"
  • Steinberg
  • Nowels
  • Vidal
Cutfather & Joe4:51
Flowers – Remastered version (bonus track)[4]
No.TitleLength
15."L'amour"3:37
Flowers – Australian version
No.TitleLength
1."Cruel Summer" 
2."Donnie" (Ole Evenrude Version) 
3."Whenever You're Near Me" 
4."Everytime It Rains" 
5."Adventures In Paradise" 
6."Don't Go Away" 
7."Cecilia" 
8."He Decides" (Charles Fisher Mix) 
9."Always Have Always Will" 
10."Tokyo Girl" 
11."Travel to Romantis" (Larossi Mix) 
12."Cruel Summer" (Big Bonus Mix) 
13."Life Is a Flower" 
Flowers – All That She Wants: The Classic Collection
No.TitleLength
14."Everytime It Rains" 
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[a] signifies pre-production

Release history

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Region Date Label
Europe 15 June 1998 Mega / PolyGram
United Kingdom 10 August 1998 London Records 90
Australia 16 November 1998 Polydor
United Kingdom (re-issue) 26 April 1999 London Records 90

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[20] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Flowers at AllMusic
  2. ^ Maconie, Stuart (September 1998). "Ace of Base – Flowers". Q (144): 94.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). United Kingdom: Omnibus Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-84609-856-7.
  4. ^ "Flowers (Remastered) av Ace of Base". iTunes. 15 June 1998.
  5. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Ace of Base – Flowers" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Ultratop.be – Ace of Base – Flowers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ace of Base – Flowers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Ace of Base: Flowers" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Lescharts.com – Ace of Base – Flowers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ace of Base – Flowers" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1998. 28. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  12. ^ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019 (in Italian). ISBN 9781094705002.
  13. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Ace of Base – Flowers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Ace of Base – Flowers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  16. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Ace of Base – Flowers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  20. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Flowers')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  21. ^ "British album certifications – Ace of base – Flowers". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 April 2019.