True Confessions (album)

True Confessions is the third studio album by the English group Bananarama. It was released on 30 June 1986 by London Records. The majority of the album was produced by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley (who produced Bananarama's eponymous second album), with the exception of "Venus" and "More Than Physical". The latter, given a garage remix for its single version, was Bananarama's first songwriting collaboration with the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) production team, who also produced "Venus", which became the group's most commercially successful single to date, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. True Confessions initially reached number 46 on the UK Albums Chart and number 15 on the US Billboard 200, becoming the group's highest-charting album on the latter chart. In September 2026, it finally hit the top 10 of the Official UK Album Chart with the release campaign for the 40th anniversary edition of the album, reaching number 6 and making it the band's highest-charting album in their homeland.

The fourth single, "A Trick of the Night" was written by Jolley and Swain and re-recorded and remixed by SAW for release in the UK.

In contrast to the two dance-oriented songs produced by SAW, the majority of the songs produced by Jolley and Swain tend towards rock-based, serious-minded pop. The lyrical content addresses overcoming obstacles in relationships ("Ready or Not", "Promised Land") and tackles social issues such as the pitfalls of drug addiction ("Hooked on Love") and the struggles of youth trying to overcome generational disillusion ("In A Perfect World"). Two ballads are included: the aforementioned "A Trick of the Night", which is a cautionary midtempo number about a male friend trying to survive on city streets, and the jazzy, sophisto-pop track "Dance With a Stranger". Another ballad, "Ghost", was initially used as the B-Side of the "Do Not Disturb" single, but eventually made its way onto various subsequent releases.