Perfect (Fairground Attraction song)


"Perfect" is the debut single by Fairground Attraction, released on 28 March 1988. It was written by Mark Nevin.
The single reached number one on 14 May 1988 on the UK Singles Chart, where it stayed for one week, and stayed in the chart for a total of thirteen weeks. It also reached number one in South Africa for 10 weeks as well as in Australia for three weeks in August and September 1988. In the UK, it was released as a 7" single, 12" single, cassette single and CD single. The song was included on the band's first album, The First of a Million Kisses, released later the same year. A version of the song with a different singer was used in television advertising for Asda in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was re-released as a single in 1993 after it had reappeared on the compilation album Celtic Heart.
In the United States, the song peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number 85 on the Hot Country Singles chart and number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, which was the song's only Top 40 entry on any Billboard chart.
"Perfect" won the award for British Single of the Year at the 1989 Brit Awards.
It was the last number-one single on the NME singles chart, on 14 May 1988.

Track listing

Original release

  1. "Perfect"
  2. "Falling Backwards"
  3. "Mythology"
  4. "Mystery Train"

    ''Celtic Heart'' release

  5. "Perfect"
  6. "Walking after Midnight"
  7. "You Send Me"
  8. "Captured"

    Charts

Baillie & the Boys rendition

American country music group Baillie & the Boys released their version in April 1990 as the first single from the album The Lights of Home. The song reached #23 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

Chart performance