Perfect (Fairground Attraction song)

"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 8 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. "Perfect" won the award for British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards 1989 and was nominated for the Ivor Novello 'Best Song Musically and Lyrically' award.

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 folky rockabilly, and a brilliant, brilliant woman singing it. A minor triumph, to be sure, but for what it is — perfect." 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."

Track listings

 * 7-inch single
 * A. "Perfect" – 3:33
 * B. "Mythology" – 4:30


 * 12-inch and CD single
 * 1) "Perfect" – 3:33
 * 2) "Falling Backwards" – 2:25
 * 3) "Mythology" – 4:30
 * 4) "Mystery Train" – 1:40


 * 7-inch single (1993)
 * A. "Perfect"
 * B. "Captured" (Brian Kennedy)


 * CD single (1993)
 * 1) "Perfect"
 * 2) "Walkin' After Midnight"
 * 3) "You Send Me"
 * 4) "Captured" (Brian Kennedy)

Baillie & the Boys version
American country music group Baillie & the Boys released their version in April 1990 as the first single from their third studio album The Lights of Home. The song reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.