Running in the Family was Level 42's 1987 album and featured the UK hit singles: "Lessons in Love" (which reached No. 3 in April 1986), "Running in the Family" (No. 6 in February 1987), the lyrics were changed for release as a single, "To Be With You Again" (No. 10 in April '87), "It's Over" (No. 10, in September 1987) and "Children Say" (No. 22 at the end of 1987). The songs made many success in the Netherlands, and all five singles had peaked in the top 10. "Lessons in Love" peak in #1 in Germany, South Africa, Switzerland and Denmark. This was the last Level 42 album of 1980's to feature brothers Phil (drums) and Rowland 'Boon' Gould (guitar), who had cited dissatisfaction with direction, and exhaustion as departure reasons.

Phil Gould back to the band in 1994 to record the 11th studio album Forever Now the band's last for 12 years, but chose not to tour it. Boon Gould subsequently wrote lyrics for the albums: Staring at the Sun (1988) and Retroglide, and played a guitar solo on the track Ship, from Retroglide (2006). Boon too has made contributions to bassist/singer Mark King's One Man.

Also in 1987, the group had released the video collection "Family of Five" with the music videos of the five singles of Running in the Family, and all the videos recorded by the group since 1983. The release was only in the United Kingdom.

Track listing

1. "Lessons in Love" (Badarou / R. Gould / King) – 4:04
2. "Children Say" (King / Lindup / P. Gould) – 4:53
3. "Running in the Family" (P. Gould / Badarou / King) – 6:12
4. "It's Over" (King / R. Gould / Badarou) – 6:02
5. "To Be With You Again" (King / R. Gould) – 5:19
6. "Two Solitudes" (King / P. Gould / Lindup) – 5:17
7. "Fashion Fever" (King / P. Gould / R. Gould / Lindup) – 4:35
8. "The Sleepwalkers" (King / P. Gould) – 6:02
9. "Freedom Someday" (King / P. Gould / R. Gould / Lindup) – 6:20

2000 reissue bonus tracks

1. "Lessons in Love (Shep's Final Mix)" – 5:45
2. "Children Say (Slap Bass Mix)" – 4:49
3. "To Be With You Again (A.D.S.C. Mix)" – 5:45
4. "Running in the Family (HTL Dub)" – 6:11

Credits

• Mark King – bass, vocals
• Mike Lindup – keyboards, vocals
• Boon Gould – guitars
• Phil Gould – drums

Plus:

• Wally Badarou – keyboards, vocals
• Gary Barnacle – saxophone on "Lessons in Love"
• Krys Mach – saxophone on "Running in the Family"

Chart positions

Album charts

Single charts

References