Vital Idol

Vital Idol: Revitalized
Vital Idol: Revitalized
Remix album by Billy Idol
Released	28 September 2018
Genre	Rock; electronica;
Length	42:43
Label	Capitol
Billy Idol chronology

Vital Idol
Vital Idol
	Original 1985 cover
Remix album by Billy Idol
Released	31 May 1985
Genre	Rock; dance-rock;
Length	42:22
Label	Chrysalis
Producer	Keith Forsey
Billy Idol chronology
Alternative cover
	1987 edition cover

Vital Idol is a remix album by the English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 31 May 1985 by Chrysalis Records.^[3] It contains remixed songs from his first two albums and the Don't Stop EP. The album was reissued in the United States with one extra track in September 1987, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200.^[4] The US release was supported by a non-album live single version of "Mony Mony".

The original release, sporting a photo from the "Dancing with Myself" video, was first issued in Europe in 1985. It peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart,^[5] outperforming Idol's previous studio albums.^[2] The US release was expanded to feature the "Mother of Mercy Mix" of "To Be a Lover" and reissued in 1987 with different cover art, featuring a photo still from the live video for "Mony Mony" on CD. The 1987 issue was 24-bit digitally remastered and released globally in 2002.

The album has been certified platinum by both the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background

Most of the tracks are the original 12″ extended versions,^[2] except "Catch My Fall", which features a new remix with some re-recorded instruments.^[6] "What we would always do is we knew we had certain songs where we wanted to have some space to do remixes," guitarist Steve Stevens said in 2014. "So we'd leave 16 bars or 32 bars in the middle of the song no matter what the song was and then do an edit on it later and that left us room to experiment for a dance remix."^[2]

The album's title was inspired by a 1974 single by reggae artist Horace Andy titled "Ital Vital".^[6]^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Record Mirror	^[8]
Robert Christgau	B+ ^[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[10]

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Huey wrote: "It doesn't really work as a hits collection, since it's missing key songs like 'Rebel Yell' and 'Eyes Without a Face,' and most of the dance remixes are repetitious and uninteresting compared to the originals."^[3] In The Rolling Stone Album Guide, Mark Coleman called the album "both a cynical recycling ploy and the essential Billy Idol album".^[11]

Track listing

*Vital Idol* (1985)^[3]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Origin	Length
1.	"White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)	Billy Idol	Billy Idol, 1982	8:20
2.	"Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)	Idol, Tony James	Don't Stop, 1981	5:57
3.	"Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)	Idol, Steve Stevens	Rebel Yell, 1983	7:04
4.	"Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)	Idol	Rebel Yell	4:56
5.	"Mony Mony" (Downtown Mix)	Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, Bobby Bloom	Don't Stop	5:01
6.	"Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)	Idol, Keith Forsey	Billy Idol	5:33
7.	"Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)	Idol	Billy Idol	5:09
Total length:				42:22

*Vital Idol* – US version (1987)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Origin	Length
1.	"White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)	Idol	Billy Idol	8:20
2.	"Mony Mony" (Downtown Mix)	James, Gentry, Cordell, Bloom	Don't Stop	5:01
3.	"Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)	Idol	Billy Idol	5:09
4.	"Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)	Idol, James	Don't Stop	5:57
5.	"Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	7:04
6.	"To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)	William Bell, Booker T. Jones	Whiplash Smile, 1986	6:49
7.	"Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)	Idol, Forsey	Billy Idol	5:33
8.	"Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)	Idol	Rebel Yell	4:56
Total length:				49:45

*Vital Idol* – Japan reissue (1987)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Origin	Length
1.	"White Wedding (Parts I & II)" (Shotgun Mix)	Idol	Billy Idol	8:20
2.	"Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix)	James, Gentry, Cordell, Bloom	Don't Stop	7:00
3.	"Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)	Idol	Billy Idol	5:10
4.	"Dancing with Myself" (Uptown Mix)	Idol, James	Don't Stop	5:59
5.	"Flesh for Fantasy" (Below the Belt Mix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	7:04
6.	"To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)	Bell, Jones	Whiplash Smile	6:48
7.	"Love Calling" (Rub a Dub Dub Mix)	Idol, Forsey	Billy Idol	5:33
8.	"Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)	Idol	Rebel Yell	4:56
9.	"Shakin' All Over" (Live)	Johnny Kidd	"Mony Mony" (Live) single, 1987	4:39
10.	"Mony Mony" (Live)	James, Gentry, Cordell, Bloom	"Mony Mony" (Live) single	4:06
Total length:				58:30

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.^[12]

Keith Forsey – producer, remixing
Gary Langan – remixing ("Flesh for Fantasy", "To Be a Lover")
Billy Idol – remixing ("Catch My Fall")
Steve Stevens – remixing ("Catch My Fall")
Tom Lord-Alge – remixing ("Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix), "Mony Mony" (Live), "Shakin' All Over")^[13]

Charts

Weekly charts

1985 weekly chart performance for *Vital Idol*
Chart (1985)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[14]	38
European Albums (Music & Media)^[15]	19
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[16]	13
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[17]	8
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[18]	8
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[19]	19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[20]	24
UK Albums (OCC)^[5]	7

1987–1988 weekly chart performance for *Vital Idol*
Chart (1987–1988)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Australian Music Report)^[14]	12
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[21]	1
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[18]	14
UK Albums (OCC)^[22]	41
US Billboard 200^[23]	10

Year-end charts

1985 year-end chart performance for *Vital Idol*
Chart (1985)	Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[24]	36
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[25]	50
UK Albums (Gallup)^[26]	67

1987 year-end chart performance for *Vital Idol*
Chart (1987)	Position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[27]	21

1988 year-end chart performance for *Vital Idol*
Chart (1988)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[28]	49
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[29]	41
US Billboard 200^[30]	71

Certifications

Certifications for *Vital Idol*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[31]	4× Platinum	400,000^{^}
France (SNEP)^[32]	Gold	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[33]	Gold	250,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[34]	Gold	7,500^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[35]	Platinum	300,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[36]	Platinum	1,000,000^{^}
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Vital Idol: Revitalized

Vital Idol: Revitalized is a remix album by the English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 28 September 2018. The album has been described as a "modern-day upgrade" of Vital Idol. The digital version features four additional remixes, including a new Billy Idol and Steve Stevens remix of "Mony Mony" and "Save Me Now" (Lost Dog Remix), reworked by Idol's son, Willem Wolfe with Brandon Rauch and Ed Bedrosian.^[38]

Track listing

*Vital Idol: Revitalized* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Origin	Length
1.	"White Wedding" (CRAY Remix)	Idol	Billy Idol	3:28
2.	"Dancing with Myself" (RAC Remix)	Idol, James	Don't Stop	3:33
3.	"Eyes Without a Face" (Tropkillaz Remix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	3:50
4.	"Rebel Yell" (The Crystal Method Remix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	5:23
5.	"(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" (Moby Remix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	4:21
6.	"Flesh for Fantasy" (St Francis Hotel Remix)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	3:37
7.	"Catch My Fall" (Juan Maclean Remix)	Idol	Rebel Yell	5:31
8.	"One Breath Away" (Paul Oakenfold Remix)	Idol, Stevens, Billy Morrison	Kings & Queens of the Underground, 2014	3:21
9.	"To Be a Lover" (DJDS Remix)	Bell, Jones	Whiplash Smile	3:04
10.	"Don't Need a Gun" (Shiba San Remix)	Idol	Whiplash Smile	3:26
11.	"Hot in the City" (Shotgun Mike Remix)	Idol	Billy Idol	3:09
Total length:				42:43

Digital version (bonus tracks)^[39]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Origin	Length
12.	"Mony Mony" (Idol/Stevens Remix)	James, Gentry, Cordell, Bloom	Don't Stop	5:41
13.	"One Breath Away" (Paul Oakenfold Remix – Extended Version)	Idol, Stevens, Morrison	Kings & Queens of the Underground	4:58
14.	"(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" (Moby Remix – Half Speed Version)	Idol, Stevens	Rebel Yell	4:30
15.	"Save Me Now" (Lost Dog Remix)	Idol, George William Lewis, Greg Kurstin	Kings & Queens of the Underground	4:42

Release history

Release history for *Vital Idol: Revitalized*
Region	Date	Format	Label
Various	28 September 2018	CD digital download	Capitol
Various	16 November 2018	LP	Capitol

References

^ "BPI".
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "30 Years Ago: Remixes Prove 'Vital' for Billy Idol". Diffuser.fm. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Steve Huey. "Vital Idol - Billy Idol | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
^ Greg Prato. "Billy Idol | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b Rachel Brodsky (11 October 2018). "Billy Idol On Remixing Vital Idol, Finding New Life In Old Songs, And Listening To Post Malone". Stereogum. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ "Ital Vital". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ Strike, Andy (8 June 1985). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 19.
^ "CG: Billy Idol". Robert Christgau. 10 August 1993. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Billy Idol". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 402. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
^ Coleman, Mark (1992). DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 341. ISBN 0679737294.
^ "Vital Idol (Europe, 2002)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ "Vital Idol (Japan, 1988)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ ^a ^b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 37. 16 September 1985. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Charts.nz – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0901". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Billy Idol Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
^ "Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985)" (PDF). Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
^ "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. 26 December 1987. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums for 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
^ "Top 100 Albums of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 13. ISSN 0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
^ "French album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in French). InfoDisc. Select BILLY IDOL and click OK.
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Idol; 'Vital Idol')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
^ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
^ "British album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ "American album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
^ "Billy Idol - "Vital Idol: Revitalized": Album Review". Beatselector Magazine. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
^ "Billy Idol's 'Vital Idol' Is 'Revitalized'" (Press release). Los Angeles: Capitol Records/UMe. PR Newswire. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via Business Insider.
^ "iTunes - Music - Vital Idol: Revitalized by Billy Idol". iTunes Store.

[1] "BPI".

[Diffuser-2] "30 Years Ago: Remixes Prove 'Vital' for Billy Idol". Diffuser.fm. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[AMG-3] Steve Huey. "Vital Idol - Billy Idol | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.

[4] Greg Prato. "Billy Idol | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.

[UK_chart_85-5] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[Stereogum-6] Rachel Brodsky (11 October 2018). "Billy Idol On Remixing Vital Idol, Finding New Life In Old Songs, And Listening To Post Malone". Stereogum. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[7] "Ital Vital". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[8] Strike, Andy (8 June 1985). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 19.

[christgau-9] "CG: Billy Idol". Robert Christgau. 10 August 1993. Retrieved 9 April 2014.

[10] Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Billy Idol". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 402. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.

[11] Coleman, Mark (1992). DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 341. ISBN 0679737294.

[12] "Vital Idol (Europe, 2002)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[13] "Vital Idol (Japan, 1988)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[aus-14] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[15] "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 37. 16 September 1985. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.

[16] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[ac_Germany_Billy_Idol-17] "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[ac_New_Zealand_Billy_Idol-18] "Charts.nz – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[ac_Sweden_Billy_Idol-19] "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[ac_Switzerland_Billy_Idol-20] "Swisscharts.com – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[group=-21] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0901". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[ac_UK2_-22] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[ac_Billboard200_Billy_Idol-23] "Billy Idol Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[24] "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[25] "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

[26] "Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985)" (PDF). Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.

[27] "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. 26 December 1987. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[28] "ARIA Top 50 Albums for 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 August 2021.

[29] "Top 100 Albums of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 13. ISSN 0033-7064 – via World Radio History.

[30] "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[CanadaBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-31] "Canadian album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 August 2022.

[FranceBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-32] "French album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol" (in French). InfoDisc. Select BILLY IDOL and click OK.

[GermanyBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-33] "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Idol; 'Vital Idol')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 December 2019.

[New_ZealandBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-34] "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.

[United_KingdomBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-35] "British album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

[United_StatesBilly_IdolVital_IdolalbumCertRef-36] "American album certifications – Billy Idol – Vital Idol". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 December 2019.

[37] "Billy Idol - "Vital Idol: Revitalized": Album Review". Beatselector Magazine. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[businessinsider-38] "Billy Idol's 'Vital Idol' Is 'Revitalized'" (Press release). Los Angeles: Capitol Records/UMe. PR Newswire. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2021 – via Business Insider.

[39] "iTunes - Music - Vital Idol: Revitalized by Billy Idol". iTunes Store.

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v t e Billy Idol
Steve Stevens Billy Morrison Stephen McGrath Paul Trudeau Erik Eldenius
Studio albums	Billy Idol Rebel Yell Whiplash Smile Charmed Life Cyberpunk Devil's Playground Happy Holidays Kings & Queens of the Underground Dream Into It
EPs	Don't Stop The Roadside The Cage
Live albums	VH1 Storytellers
Compilations	Vital Idol Idol Songs: 11 of the Best Greatest Hits The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself
Video albums	The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself
Singles	"Dancing with Myself" "Mony Mony" "Hot in the City" "White Wedding" "Rebel Yell" "Eyes Without a Face" "Flesh for Fantasy" "Catch My Fall" "To Be a Lover" "Don't Need a Gun" "Sweet Sixteen" "Soul Standing By" "Mony Mony (Live)" "Cradle of Love" "L.A. Woman" "Prodigal Blues" "Heroin" "Shock to the System" "Adam in Chains" "Speed" "Don't You (Forget About Me)" "Scream" "Can't Break Me Down" "Still Dancing" "77"
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