Tropico
Cover photo by Rebecca Blake
Studio album by
Pat Benatar
ReleasedNovember 1, 1984
RecordedMay–September 1984
StudioMCA Whitney Studios (Glendale, California)
Genre
Length39:18
LabelChrysalis
Producer
Pat Benatar chronology
Live from Earth
(1983) 		Tropico
(1984) 		Seven the Hard Way
(1985)
Singles from Tropico
  1. "We Belong"
    Released: October 16, 1984
  2. "Painted Desert"
    Released: 1984 (Europe and Oceania only)
  3. "Ooh Ooh Song"
    Released: January 7, 1985
  4. "Temporary Heroes"
    Released: March 18, 1985 (promo)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling Stone[2]

Tropico is the fifth studio album by American rock singer Pat Benatar, released on November 1, 1984, by Chrysalis Records. It is the first album to feature bassist Donnie Nossov, who replaced Roger Capps in Benatar's band.

It peaked at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart[3] and produced the Grammy-nominated[4] Top Five Pop hit "We Belong".[5] Other well-known songs from the album include "Painted Desert", "Outlaw Blues" and "Ooh Ooh Song" (also a Top 40 hit).[5] A Spanish version of "Ooh Ooh Song" was on the B-side of the US single and appeared also on her 1999 compilation, Synchronistic Wanderings. Tropico was Benatar's sixth consecutive Platinum-certified album in the United States.[6]

During the filming of the video for the single "Painted Desert", Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo discovered they were expecting their first child.[citation needed] This album is Benatar and Giraldo's first attempt to move away from Benatar's famed "hard rock" sound and start experimenting with new "gentler" styles and new wave sounds.[1][2]

BGO Records reissued Tropico on CD with Seven the Hard Way.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Diamond Field"Neil Giraldo, Myron Grombacher, Pat Benatar3:20
2."We Belong"Eric Lowen, Dan Navarro3:40
3."Painted Desert"Giraldo, Grombacher5:24
4."Temporary Heroes"Nick Trevesick, Ginny Clee4:30
5."Love in the Ice Age"Giraldo, Charles Giordano, Grombacher, Benatar4:05
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Ooh Ooh Song"Giraldo, Benatar4:28
7."The Outlaw Blues"Giraldo, Grombacher3:47
8."Suburban King"Giraldo, Billy Steinberg1:48
9."A Crazy World Like This"Giraldo, Tom Kelly, Steinberg4:02
10."Takin' It Back"Giraldo, Benatar4:07
UK Edition[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Diamond Field"Giraldo, Grombacher, Benatar3:20
2."We Belong"Lowen, Navarro3:40
3."Painted Desert"Giraldo, Grombacher5:24
4."Temporary Heroes"Trevesick, Clee4:30
5."Love Is a Battlefield"Holly Knight, Mike Chapman5:24
6."Ooh Ooh Song"Giraldo, Benatar4:28
7."The Outlaw Blues"Giraldo, Grombacher3:47
8."Suburban King"Giraldo, Steinberg1:48
9."A Crazy World Like This"Giraldo, Kelly, Steinberg4:02
10."Takin' It Back"Giraldo, Benatar4:07
11."Love in the Ice Age"Giraldo, Giordano, Grombacher, Benatar4:05

Personnel

Band members

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Tropico
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[22] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[25] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ^ The record sleeve says "Thanks […] The Kids on «We Belong» […]".

External links

References

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pat Benatar – Tropico review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Connelly, Cristopher (January 31, 1985). "Album Reviews: Pat Benatar – Tropico". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  3. ^ "Pat Benatar Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  4. ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female". Rock on the Net. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Pat Benatar Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  6. ^ "RIAA Searchable database: search for " Pat Benatar"". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  7. ^ "Pat Benatar - Tropico". Discogs. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Kent 1993, pp. 32–33
  9. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9555". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pat Benatar – Tropico" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  11. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 37. December 10, 1984. p. 9. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  12. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pat Benatar – Tropico" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  13. ^ AA.VV. (April 25, 2006). Album Chart-Book Complete Edition 1970~2005. Tokyo: Oricon. ISBN 978-487-1-31077-2.
  14. ^ "Charts.nz – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  15. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  16. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "Pat Benatar Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  19. ^ Kent 1993, p. 437
  20. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. December 28, 1985. p. 14. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. ^ "Pat Benatar ultra rare genuine Australian Gold Award From Festival Records". September 9, 2023.
  22. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Music Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  23. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "British album certifications – Pat Benatar – Tropico". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  25. ^ "American album certifications – Pat Benatar – Tropico". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 15, 2020.

Bibliography

Categories