In Action! is the twenty-fifth studio album by the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, released in 1987 by RCA Victor. 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, one of the dominant languages of 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
In 1987, Menudo celebrated its tenth anniversary with a commemorative tour that sold out shows across Latin America and the United States. Ralphy Rodríguez replaced Charlie Massó, the last remaining original member of the group. From Ayer y Hoy (1985), the track "Acércate" ("Nang Dahil Sa 'Yo") was selected. Representing the album Refrescante... (1986) is the song "La primera vez" ("Sa Bawat Halik"), while the Brazilian version of the album, titled Menudo, features the track "Come Back to Me," a version of "Diga Sim." 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.
The digital version of the album included the bonus track "I'm Going Back to the Philippines," which was released as a single to promote the Philippines-exclusive compilation album The Best of Menudo (1986). This song is an English re-recording of the group’s earlier hit "Hoy Me Voy Para México," from Refrescante... (1986). The track was composed by Gary Valenciano (himself being half-Puerto Rican), with lyrics by Valenciano and Mary Lynne Paggan, and arrangements by Pedro Gely. The lyrics encourage teenagers to carefully reflect on decisions about sex, avoiding rushing into "that situation." Salonga sings: "Wait and see what our love can be if we’re ready to face life together."
Initially promoted as commercial projects, the songs achieved significant success and impact, reaching the top positions on the country's music charts. According to a survey conducted with young people in Metro Manila, 51% of respondents stated that the songs influenced them to discuss sexual responsibility with friends or parents.
Commercial performance
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.
Track listing
Original release
Re-release/remastered/digital edition
Certifications
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Region
!Certification
|-
|scope="row" style="background-color: #f2f2f2;"|Philippines
|Gold