Reach Out (Joan Armatrading song)

"Reach Out"
Single by Joan Armatrading
from the album Sleight of Hand
B-side"The River's On Fire"
Released14 July 1986
Length4:18
LabelA&M
SongwriterJoan Armatrading
ProducerJoan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading singles chronology
"Kind Words (And a Real Good Heart)"
(1986) 		"Reach Out"
(1986) 		"Jesse"
(1986)
Audio
"Reach Out" on YouTube

"Reach Out" is a song by English singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 14 July 1986 by A&M Records as the second single from her tenth studio album, Sleight of Hand (1986). The song was written and produced by Armatrading.

Background

While the majority of Armatrading's songs have been written based on things she has observed or heard from others, "Reach Out" was inspired by her own personal experience.[1] The song's title was inspired by the Four Tops' 1967 hit single "Reach Out I'll Be There" and their album Reach Out.[2]

Release

"Reach Out" was released as a single on 14 July 1986.[3] It failed to enter the UK singles chart, but did make an appearance for two consecutive weeks on the Music Week Airplay chart based on the airplay it received from regional radio stations.[4][5]

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single, John Gibson of the Edinburgh Evening News praised "Reach Out" as Armatrading's "strongest single in months" and one that shows her "good taste and considerable talent".[6] Alan Poole of the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph summarised, "Anybody with any real sense of musical quality and value for money will plump for the Sleight of Hand album from whence this comes, but one way or another it's a must."[7] David Alpin of the Halifax Evening Courier stated, "S-s-strrretch over and y-yes, powerful as ever."[8] A reviewer for the Derby Evening Telegraph felt that A&M "keep releasing the wrong tracks from Armatrading's LPs as singles". They considered "Reach Out" to be a "great song" but not a "good choice for a single" as it "works far more as an LP track".[9]

John Lee of the Huddersfield Daily Examiner believed that, by Armatrading's standards, "Reach Out" was "pretty mediocre" and he did not "envisage it becoming a hit of any notable size".[10] Graeme Fort of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph noted the song contained "more vocal magic from Joan", but added that he did not think it was "quite up to the standard we've come to expect". He gave it a 50/50 chart chance.[11] Howard Wheatcroft of The Northern Echo noted, "She's been making records like this for ages, but the guitar ruins any sensitivity here."[12] A reviewer for the Greenock Telegraph noted Armatrading's "decent enough vocal performance" and the "crystal clear production" but asked, "Can she really see a song totally devoid of a hook-line making it into the charts? Musicianship solid, nice lyrics, but what we need is a bit of excitement – and fast!"[13]

Live performances

"Reach Out" was performed on the US and UK tours promoting Sleight of Hand in 1986.[14][15] On 20 June 1986, Armatrading, backed by an "All Star Band", which included Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler (guitar), Elton John (piano), Phil Collins (drums), performed the song at the Prince's Trust All-Star Rock Concert at Wembley Arena to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Trust.[16] The performance was subsequently released on VHS as The Prince's Trust Birthday Party.[17]

Track listings

7–inch single (UK)[18]

  1. "Reach Out" – 4:18
  2. "The River's On Fire" – 4:16

7–inch single (Germany)[19]

  1. "Reach Out" – 4:18
  2. "Killing Time" – 3:58

Personnel

  • Joan Armatrading – vocals, guitar
  • Alex White – keyboards
  • Wesley Magoogan – saxophone
  • Steve Greetham – bass
  • Geoff Dugmore – drums

Production

  • Joan Armatrading – production
  • Steve Lillywhite – mixing ("Reach Out", "Killing Time")
  • Mark Wallis – mixing ("The River's On Fire"), engineering

Other

  • Michael Ross – photography

References

  1. ^ Pensiero, Nicole (18 July 1986). "She's heavy, she's light, she's Armatrading". The Press of Atlantic City. p. V10. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Joan Armatrading". Tracks. June 1986.
  3. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 12 July 1986. p. 29. ISSN 0265-1548.
  4. ^ "Airplay". Music Week. 5 July 1986. p. 14. ISSN 0265-1548.
  5. ^ "Airplay". Music Week. 12 July 1986. p. 9. ISSN 0265-1548.
  6. ^ Gibson, John (5 July 1986). "John Gibson's Music: Singles". Edinburgh Evening News. p. 11. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ Poole, Alan (28 June 1986). "Rock/Pop: Singles". Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. p. 20. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ Alpin, David (28 June 1986). "Print Out... Singles". Halifax Evening Courier. p. 6. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Music: Messiahs out from the cold". Derby Evening Telegraph. 8 July 1986. p. 6. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ Lee, John (5 July 1986). "Reviews: Singles". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 14. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Fort, Graeme (28 June 1986). "Reviews: Singles". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. p. 9. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Wheatcroft, Howard (4 July 1986). "Reviews: Singles". The Northern Echo. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Singles". Greenock Telegraph. 10 July 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 28 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Bartlett, Stephen (14 July 1986). "Armatrading's loyal following grows". Evening Express. p. 5. Retrieved 17 October 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ R.M. (4 October 1986). "Love songs so bitingly beautiful...". Bournemouth Evening Echo. p. 5. Retrieved 17 October 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Joan Armatrading/All Star Band (1986). Reach Out (The Prince's Trust Rock Gala 1986) (Concert footage). King's Trust Music. Retrieved 17 October 2025 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ The Prince's Trust Birthday Party (UK VHS release). Video Gems. 1986. R1152.
  18. ^ Reach Out (UK 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1986. AM 338.
  19. ^ Reach Out (German 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1986. 390 121-7.
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