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In Action (Menudo album)

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In Action!
Studio album by
Menudo
Released1987
Recorded1987
GenrePop
LabelRCA Victor
Menudo chronology
Somos Los Hijos Del Rock
(1987) 		In Action!
(1987) 		Sons Of Rock
(1988)

In Action! is the twenty-fifth studio album by the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, released in 1987 by RCA Victor.[1] The album is the second to feature the lineup of Ricky Martin, Raymond Acevedo, Sergio Blass, Ralphy Rodríguez, and Rubén Gómez, and the fourth to include songs in English. Additionally, it is the first album to feature tracks sung in Tagalog, the language spoken in the Philippines, reflecting RCA's ongoing linguistic adaptation strategy to reach audiences in different countries.

The album's tracklist includes nine songs, seven of which are in English and two in Tagalog. The Tagalog tracks were originally recorded in Spanish and Portuguese on previous albums, except for the new song "That Situation."

Commercially, the album was a success, earning a gold record in the Philippines for its sales.

Background

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In 1987, Menudo celebrated its tenth anniversary with a commemorative tour that sold out shows across Latin America and the United States.[2] Ralphy Rodríguez replaced Charlie Massó, the last remaining original member of the group.[2] However, despite his official departure, Massó continued performing with the quintet until their successful tour in the Philippines, during which his farewell was finalized.[2]

By invitation of the daughter of the country's president, Corazón Aquino, Menudo traveled to the Philippines, where they attracted 75,000 fans during a tour that included five shows at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila.[2] The group's achievements in the Philippines led Menudo to record their first album in Tagalog.[2]

Song selection

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From the album Por Amor (1982), a version of the song "Lady" was included.[3] From Ayer y Hoy (1985), the track "Acércate" ("Nang Dahil Sa 'Yo") was selected.[4] Representing the album Refrescante... (1986) is the song "La primera vez" ("Se Bawa't Halik"),[5] while the Brazilian version of the album, titled Menudo, features the track "Come Back to Me," a version of "Diga Sim."[6] From Somos Los Hijos del Rock (1987), the tracks "Estamos en acción" ("Action"), "Nena" ("Nena"), and "Mi Sombra En La Pared" ("My Shadow On The Wall") were included.[7]

The digital version of the album included the bonus track "I'm Going Back to the Philippines," which was released as a single[8] to promote the Philippines-exclusive compilation album The Best of Menudo (1986).[9] This song is an English re-recording of the group’s earlier hit "Hoy Me Voy Para México," from Refrescante... (1986).[5] Fans of the group often compare it to the 1976 song "Manila" by the Filipino band The Hotdogs, as both songs express a love for the country and the narrator’s longing to return home.

Singles

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The song "That Situation" is a danceable track in English, recorded in collaboration with Filipino singer Lea Salonga.[10] The track was composed by Gary Valenciano, with lyrics by Valenciano and Mary Lynne Paggan, and arrangements by Pedro Gely. [11] The lyrics encourage teenagers to carefully reflect on decisions about sex, avoiding rushing into "that situation." [10]

To promote the song, the artists performed it on the ABS-CBN show Kalatog Pinggan, where they sang "That Situation" and were interviewed by Pinky Marquez and Richard Gomez. The music video portrays two teenagers exchanging shy glances whenever they see each other at school.[12] Salonga sings: "Wait and see what our love can be if we’re ready to face life together." [12] The video was further promoted with a hotline that received over 22,000 calls in its first 18 months.[12] Around the same time, a duet between Salonga and Charlie Massó titled "I Still Believe" was recorded, exploring a similar thematic approach.[10][13]

Initially promoted as commercial projects, the songs achieved significant success and impact, reaching the top positions on the country's music charts. [14][15] According to a survey conducted with young people in the metropolitan area of Manila, 51% of respondents stated that the songs influenced them to discuss sexual responsibility with friends or parents. [10]

Other singles from the album include "Nang Dahil Sa’yo" and "Salta La Valla."[16][17]

Commercial performance

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The quintet embarked on a promotional tour for the album, visiting cities across the Philippines. During this period, the record label organized a press conference and awarded the group a gold disc for the album's outstanding performance in the country.[18]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalistLength
1."Come Back To Me"Ed Wilson, C.Collo, M.L. PaganRalphy Rodríguez3:40
2."That Situation (con Lea Salonga)"G.ValencianoTodos3:34
3."Action"Sosa; Lupano; Topini; PaganRubén Gómez3:26
4."Lady"Monroy; Seijas; VillaRubén Gómez3:18
5."Nena"Pedro GelyRubén Gómez2:52
6."Nang Dahil Sa 'Yo (Acercate)"Villa; Monroy; Sanchez;Raymond Acevedo4:01
7."My Shadow On The Wall"Mary Lynne PaganSergio Gonzalez4:26
8."Se Bawa't Halik (La Primera Vez)"Villa; Monroy; ToribioRalphy Rodríguez4:12
9."Gimme More"Pedro GelyRicky Martin4:07

Certifications

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Region Certification
Philippines Gold[18]

References

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  1. ^ "AllMusic Review: In Action". AllMusic. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ruiz 1999, p. 77-78
  3. ^ Menudo (1982). Por amor (Media notes). Puerto Rico: Padosa. DP-1012.
  4. ^ Menudo (1985). Ayer y hoy (Media notes). United States: RCA Records. IL7-7420.
  5. ^ a b Menudo (1986). Refrescante... (Media notes). United States: RCA Victor. IL7-7536.
  6. ^ Menudo (1986). Menudo (Media notes). Brazil: RCA Victor. 104.4215.
  7. ^ Menudo (1987). Somos los hijos del rock (Media notes). Mexico: Melody Internacional. MITV-128.
  8. ^ Menudo (1986). I'm Going Back to the Philippines (Media notes). Philippines: RCA. RCS-30005.
  9. ^ Menudo (1986). The Best of Menudo (Media notes). Philippines: OctoArts International. RCA-31041.
  10. ^ a b c d Shaivitz, Marla (February 20, 2014). "#TBT: Lea Salonga and Menudo, the Ricky Martin Years". Health Communication Capacity Collaborative. Archived from the original on September 11, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  11. ^ "Menudo-Lea Salonga Single". Manila Standard. Vol. 1, no. 290. Manila Standard. November 27, 1987. p. 14. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c "Videos sing out message of sex restraint to teenagers". The Telegraph-Herald. No. 20. The Telegraph-Herald. January 20, 1992. p. 1-C. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  13. ^ Cagape, Kristhoff (June 21, 2021). "LOOK: Lea Salonga shares throwback photo with Menudo and Ricky Martin". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  14. ^ Morales, Sofía Sánchez (October 14, 2020). "La verdadera historia de cómo Menudo llegó a la fama en Filipinas con Lea Salonga". Actitudfem (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  15. ^ Singhal, Arvind; Rogers, Everett (December 6, 2012). Entertainment-Education: A Communication Strategy for Social Change. Routledge. p. 115. ISBN 978-1-135-66943-0. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  16. ^ Menudo (1987). Nang Dahil Sa’yo (Media notes). Philippines: OctoArts International, Inc. RCS-6702.
  17. ^ Menudo (1987). Salta La Valla (Media notes). Philippines: OctoArts International, Inc. S-39138-RCA-45.
  18. ^ a b Ruiz 1999, p. 79

Bibliography

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  • Acevedo, Ramon (2012). "¡Papi, Quiero Ser Un Menudo!" (in Spanish). Ramon Acevedo, Sr. ISBN 9781301994632.
  • Ruiz, Damarisse Martínez (1999). Menudo: el reencuentro con la verdad. Hato Rey: Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas. ISBN 1-881713-71-7.
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