"Perfect" is the debut single by the English
folk and
soft rock band
Fairground Attraction, written by Mark E. Nevin. Released on 21 March 1988 by
RCA, the single reached number one in the United Kingdom on 14 May 1988, where it stayed for one week. It also reached number one in Australia, Ireland, and South Africa. In the United States, the song peaked at number 80 on the
Billboard Hot 100.[2] "Perfect" won the award for
British Single of the Year at the
Brit Awards 1989.
Release
In the UK, "Perfect" was released as a
7-inch single,
12-inch single, and
CD single. The song was included on the band's debut studio album, The First of a Million Kisses, released later the same year. A version of the song with a different vocalist was used in television advertising for the British supermarket chain
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 but this time included "Captured" by Brian Kennedy in the tracklisting.
Critical reception
Tony Reed from Melody Maker wrote, "
Acoustic folkyrockabilly, and a brilliant, brilliant woman singing it. A minor triumph, to be sure, but for what it is — perfect."[3]Neil Taylor from NME said, "Pop seems to be the order of the day in this pile and this single is one of the best.
Eddi Reader's confident, strident vocal sounds like a mish-mash of
country and high glitz, but a strong backbeat pulls the record into the safety zone of rock."[4]
^Perfect (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records. 1988. PT 41846.{{
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^Perfect (UK CD single disc notes). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records. 1988. PD 41846.{{
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^Perfect (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records,
BMG. 1993. 74321 13491 7.{{
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^Perfect (UK CD single liner notes). Fairground Attraction. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 13491 2.{{
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