Portrait cover art

  Studio Album · No. 6

Portrait Songwriting Credits by Rick Astley

2005 RCA Records 13 tracks 42 min

Produced by Peter Collins

RCA Records Adult ContemporaryPopVocal
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 13 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Rick Astley carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by Rick Astley 13 tracksoutside writers
Rick Astley's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
19
Lyricists
1
Producers
2005
Released
Data Insight

Portrait is the one album where Astley writes nothing at all. It is a collection of pop standards and classic ballads, from 'Vincent' to 'Nature Boy' to 'I Can't Help Falling in Love,' interpreted in his baritone. Against a catalog that grew steadily more self-written, this covers album is the obvious outlier, a pure singer's record produced by Peter Collins.

Portrait is the sixth studio album by Rick Astley, released in October 2005 and a complete change of direction. Produced by Peter Collins, it is an album of pop standards and classic ballads, with Astley applying his warm baritone to songs made famous by Nat King Cole, the Carpenters, Elvis Presley, and others. There are no original Astley compositions on the record. It is the clearest non-authored chapter in his catalog, a singer's album rather than a songwriter's, and it reached the UK top thirty as part of his gradual return to the spotlight.

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Vincent
Don McLean Don McLean Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
2
And I Love You So
Don McLean Don McLean Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
3
Portrait of My Love
Norman NewellCyril Ornadel Norman NewellCyril Ornadel Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
4
Where Do I Begin?
Francis LaiCarl Sigman Francis LaiCarl Sigman Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
5
These Foolish Things
Jack StracheyEric Maschwitz Jack StracheyEric Maschwitz Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
6
Cry Me a River
Arthur Hamilton Arthur Hamilton Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
7
Nature Boy
eden ahbez eden ahbez Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
8
Close to You
Burt BacharachHal David Burt BacharachHal David Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
9
You Belong to Me
Chilton PricePee Wee KingRedd Stewart Chilton PricePee Wee KingRedd Stewart Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
10
Make It Easy on Yourself
Burt BacharachHal David Burt BacharachHal David Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
11
Somewhere
Leonard BernsteinStephen Sondheim Leonard BernsteinStephen Sondheim Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
12
I Can't Help Falling in Love (with You)
Hugo PerettiLuigi CreatoreGeorge David Weiss Hugo PerettiLuigi CreatoreGeorge David Weiss Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)
13
What the World Needs Now
Burt BacharachHal David Burt BacharachHal David Peter Collins Rick Astley (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 21 contributors

BB
Burt Bacharach
Writer
On this album3 written
HD
Hal David
Writer
On this album3 written
DM
Don McLean
Writer
On this album2 written
AH
Arthur Hamilton
Writer
On this album1 written
CS
Carl Sigman
Writer
On this album1 written
CP
Chilton Price
Writer
On this album1 written
CO
Cyril Ornadel
Writer
On this album1 written
EA
eden ahbez
Writer
On this album1 written
EM
Eric Maschwitz
Writer
On this album1 written
FL
Francis Lai
Writer
On this album1 written
GD
George David Weiss
Writer
On this album1 written
HP
Hugo Peretti
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Rick Astley

1987 40%
Whenever You Need Somebody
RCA Records
10 tracksProd. Stock Aitken Waterman
1988 50%
Hold Me in Your Arms
RCA Records
10 tracksProd. Stock Aitken Waterman
1991 73%
Free
RCA Records
11 tracksProd. Gary Stevenson
1993 100%
Body & Soul
RCA Records
10 tracksProd. Gary Stevenson
2001 100%
Keep It Turned On
Polydor
11 tracksProd. Gary Stevenson
2016 100%
50
BMG Rights Management
12 tracksProd. Rick Astley
2018 100%
Beautiful Life
BMG Rights Management
12 tracksProd. Rick Astley
2023 100%
Are We There Yet?
BMG Rights Management
12 tracksProd. Rick Astley

Frequently Asked Questions Portrait

Did Rick Astley write any songs on Portrait?
No. Portrait is entirely an album of covers and standards, with no original Astley compositions, the one fully non-authored record in his catalog.
What kind of album is Portrait?
It is a collection of pop standards and classic ballads sung in Astley's baritone, songs made famous by artists like Nat King Cole and the Carpenters.
Who produced Portrait?
It was produced by Peter Collins.
What songs are on Portrait?
It includes 'Vincent,' 'Cry Me a River,' 'Nature Boy,' 'Close to You,' 'Somewhere,' and 'I Can't Help Falling in Love,' among other standards.
How did Portrait chart?
It reached the top thirty of the UK Albums Chart, part of Astley's gradual return to public life.
Why does Portrait stand out in his catalog?
Most of his later albums are written by Astley himself, so an all-covers standards album is the clearest break from his songwriter identity.

Sources

Wikipedia: Portrait (Rick Astley album) MusicBrainz: Portrait (release group) Cover Art Archive: Portrait Cover Art Archive: Portrait by Rick Astley