The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Ammonia Avenue: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Album | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
{{coord|1|17|10|N|103|51|10|E|type:landmark|display=title}}
| Name = Ammonia Avenue
{{Infobox hotel
| Type = [[Album]]
| hotel_name = The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
| image = The Fullerton Hotel 6, Dec 05.JPG
| Artist = [[The Alan Parsons Project]]
| Cover = The Alan Parsons Project - Ammonia Avenue.jpg
| image_width = 200
| caption =
| Released = [[February 7]], [[1984]]
| location = [[Downtown Core]], [[Singapore]]
| Recorded = Mid 1982-Late 1983<br />[[Abbey Road Studios]]
| Genre = [[Progressive rock]], [[Pop rock]]
| coordinates = {{coord|1|17|10|N|103|51|10|E|type:landmark}}
| opening_date = 2001
| Length = 40:10
| stars = 5
| Label = [[Arista Records|Arista]]
| diamonds =
| Producer = [[Alan Parsons]]
| closing_date =
| Reviews =
*[[Allmusic]] {{Rating|3.5|5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5sx7gjvrj6ic link]
| developer = [[Far East Organization]]<br>[[Sino Land Company Ltd]]
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ({{{5|2}}}/5) [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/301828/review/5942044?utm_source=Rhapsody&utm_medium=CDreview link]
| architect = [[Keys & Dowdeswell]]
| Last album = ''[[The Best of the Alan Parsons Project]]''<br/>(1983)
| operator = [[Sino Land]]
| This album = '''''Ammonia Avenue'''''<br/>(1984)
| owner = [[Sino Land]]
| Next album = ''[[Vulture Culture]]''<br/>(1985)
| number_of_restaurants =
| number_of_rooms = 400
| number_of_suites =
| floor_area =
| floors = 9 (including 1 basement)
| parking = 350
| website = http://www.fullertonhotel.com/
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''The Fullerton Hotel Singapore''' ({{zh-sp|s=浮尔顿酒店|p=Fú'ěrdùn jiǔdiàn}}) is a [[Star (classification)|five-star]] [[boutique hotel]] located near the mouth of the [[Singapore River]], in the [[Downtown Core]] of [[Central Area, Singapore|Central Area]], [[Singapore]]. It was originally known as '''The Fullerton Building''', and also as the '''General Post Office Building'''.<ref name="Fullerton Hotel History">{{cite web | title = Our History | publisher = The Fullerton Hotel Singapore | url = http://www.fullertonhotel.com/en/AboutTheFullerton/history.html | accessdate = 2007-09-03}}</ref><ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama">{{cite web|author=Vernon Cornelius-Takahama|title=Fullerton Building|url=http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_523_2005-01-19.html|publisher=Singapore Infopedia, [[National Library Board]]|date=[[2001-05-19]]|accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref>. The address is 1 Fullerton Square.


'''''Ammonia Avenue''''' is one of the most commercially successful albums of [[The Alan Parsons Project]]. It was the second of the group's three most accessible albums, beginning with ''[[Eye in the Sky (album)|Eye in the Sky]]'' and ending with ''[[Vulture Culture]]''. ''Ammonia Avenue'' was originally intended to be released as a [[double album]] with Vulture Culture's material forming the second record.
==History==
===Fullerton Building===
The Fullerton Building was named after [[Robert Fullerton (governor)|Robert Fullerton]], the first [[Governor of the Straits Settlements]] (1826-1829).<ref name="National Heritage Board">{{cite book|author=National Heritage Board|title=Singapore's 100 Historic Places|location=Singapore|publisher=Archipelago Press|year=2002|isbn=981-4068-23-3}}</ref> Commissioned in 1919 as part of the [[British colony]]'s [[centennial]] celebrations, the building was designed as an [[office]] building by Major P.H. Keys of Keys & Dowdeswell, a [[Shanghai]] firm of [[architect]]s, which won the project through an [[architectural design competition]].<ref name="Tommy Koh">{{cite book|author=Tommy Koh, ''et al.'' (eds.)|title=[[Singapore: The Encyclopedia]]|location=Singapore|publisher=Editions Didier Millet in association with the [[National Heritage Board]]|year=2006|isbn=981-4155-63-2 (hbk.)}}</ref><ref name="Colin Tan">{{cite news | author = Colin Tan | title = Fullerton | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[14 December]] [[2000]]| page=M12}}</ref><ref name="Arthur Sim">{{cite news | author = Arthur Sim | title = Fullerton wins heritage award | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[19 July]] [[2001]]| page=L7}}</ref><ref name="Norman Edwards">{{cite book|author=Norman Edwards, Peter Keys|title=Singapore - A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places|location=Singapore|publisher=Times Books International|year=1996|isbn=9971-65-231-5}}</ref><ref name="Wong Yunn Chii">{{cite book|author=Wong Yunn Chii|title=Singapore 1:1 City: A Gallery of Architecture & Urban Design|location=Singapore|publisher=[[Urban Redevelopment Authority]]|year=2005|isbn=981-05-4467-7}}</ref> The [[architectural firm]] also designed the [[Capitol Building, Singapore|Capitol Theatre]] and the [[Singapore General Hospital]].<ref name="Koh Boon Pin">{{cite news | author = Koh Boon Pin | title = A peek into the Fullerton | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[6 June]] [[2000]]| page=40}}</ref>


The [[Phil Spector]] influenced million selling smash- "[[Don't Answer Me]]" is generally regarded as ''Ammonia Avenue'''s best song, with the title track a close second. "[[Prime Time(Alan Parsons Project's song)|Prime Time]]" was a follow up release that fared well in the top 40."[[Since The Last Goodbye"]] and "[[You Don't Believe]]" were also minor hits. A [[music video]] for "Don't Answer Me" was produced in 1985, with art and animation by [[Michael William Kaluta|MW Kaluta]].
=== Fort Fullerton and the Singapore Stone ===
The northern end of the building covers the site of Fort Fullerton, a [[fort]] built in 1829 to defend the settlement against any [[naval]] attacks. In 1843, the fort was extended after a [[sandstone]] [[monolith]] with an [[inscription]] possibly dating back to the 13th century was demolished. A fragment of this monolith, known as the "[[Singapore Stone]]", was salvaged and preserved in the collection of the [[National Museum, Singapore|National Museum]] at [[Stamford Road]].<ref name="NHB board"> [[National Heritage Board]], "The Fullerton Singapore" (On-site heritage board). </ref> The fort gave way to the first General Post Office and the Exchange Building in 1874.<ref name="Colin Tan"/> Plans to erect Fullerton Building were drawn up in 1920. However, due to a lack of funds, construction only began in February 1924.<ref name="National Heritage Board"/><ref name="The Straits Times May 1999">{{cite news | author = | title = New look for ol' lady | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[29 May]] [[1999]]| page=86}}</ref> Built at a cost of [[Straits dollar|$]]4.1 million and after delays of a few months, the building was completed in June 1928.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/>


The title of the album was inspired by [[Eric Woolfson]]'s visit to [[Imperial Chemical Industries]] (ICI) in [[Billingham]] England, where the first thing he saw was a street with miles of pipes, no people, no trees and a sign that said 'Ammonia Avenue'. The album focused on the possible misunderstanding of industrial scientific developments from a public perspective and a lack of understanding of the public from a scientific perspective.
The Fullerton Building was opened on [[27 June]] [[1928]] by the Governor, Sir [[Hugh Clifford]], who suggested the building be named after Robert Fullerton.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/> The building had five founding [[tenant]]s: the General Post Office, The Exchange, Singapore Club (now Singapore Town Club), the Marine Department, and the Import and Export Department (later the [[Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)|Ministry of Trade and Industry]]).<ref name="Clara Chow">{{cite news | author = Clara Chow | title = It was more than just the GPO | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[31 October]] [[2001]]| page=L5}}</ref> It also housed the Chamber of Commerce, and various government departments dealing with [[agriculture]], [[fisheries]] and [[forestry]].<ref name="The Straits Times May 1999"/>
({{Citation
| last = Woolfson
| first = Eric
| title = Albums, Back Catalogue
| url = http://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com/albums.html
| access-date = 2007-05-28}})


=== General Post Office ===
The General Post Office (GPO) was the [[anchor tenant]], which only moved in a fortnight after the Fullerton Building's official opening. GPO covered the two lower floors with postal halls, offices and sorting rooms. There were [[mail drop]]s through which mail would fall to a band [[conveyor]] on the basement and dispatched up to the sorting room. The basement was connected to a 35-metre [[subway (underpass)|subway]] that ran underneath Fullerton Road to a [[pier]], where overseas mail would be transferred to or picked up from ships.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/><ref name="National Heritage Board"/>


=== Singapore Club ===
[[Image:Fullerton Hotel sunset.jpg|thumb|The Fullerton Hotel Singapore as seen from across the [[Esplanade Bridge]] at sunset.]]
[[Image:FullertonFromBoatQuay.JPG|thumb|Fullerton Hotel at dusk. In front is the [[Cavenagh Bridge]]]]


==Track listing==
The exclusive Singapore Club rented premises on the upper floors of the building to provide for their members' need and comfort. There were rooms where members dined, [[Lounge room|lounge]]d, conferred, and played [[billiards]] and cards. Bedrooms on the [[attic]] storey provide accommodaton for members. When the [[Economic Development Board]] (EDB) was formed in 1961, it [[evict]]ed the Singapore Club from the Fullerton Building. Subsequently, the Singapore Club relocated to Clifford House at [[Collyer Quay]] and then to Straits Trading Building on Battery Road near [[Boat Quay]], vacating Fullerton Building for use by EDB and more government offices.<ref name="Edwin Lee">{{cite book|author=Edwin Lee|title=Historic Buildings of Singapore|location=Singapore|publisher=Preservation of Monuments Board|year=1990|isbn=9971-88-224-8}}</ref><ref name="Joshua Chia">{{cite web|author=Joshua Chia, Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman|title=Singapore Club|url=http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_1184_2006-06-17.html|publisher=Singapore Infopedia, [[National Library Board]]|date=[[2006-06-17]]|accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref>
All tracks written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson
#"Prime Time" (lead vocal [[Eric Woolfson]]) – 5:03
#"Let Me Go Home" (lead vocal [[Lenny Zakatek]]) – 3:20
#"One Good Reason" (lead vocal [[Eric Woolfson]]) – 3:36
#"Since the Last Goodbye" (lead vocal [[Chris Rainbow]]) – 4:34
#"Don't Answer Me" (lead vocal [[Eric Woolfson]]) – 4:11
#"Dancing on a Highwire" (lead vocal [[Colin Blunstone]]) – 4:22
#"You Don't Believe" (lead vocal [[Lenny Zakatek]]) – 4:26 <sub>(This track actually appeared first on ''[[The Best of the Alan Parsons Project]]'' released a year earlier)</sub>
#"Pipeline" (instrumental)– 3:56
#"Ammonia Avenue" (lead vocal [[Eric Woolfson]]) – 6:30


''Ammonia Avenue'' was remastered and reissued in 2008 with the following bonus tracks:
=== World War II ===
<OL START=10>
In the last days before [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s surrender to [[Japan]] in 1942, the building was used as a [[hospital]], with makeshift operation rooms for wounded British soldiers.<ref name="Pauline Leong">{{cite news | author = Pauline Leong | title = Hotel project preserves hallmarks of Fullerton Building | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | date = [[12 April]] [[2001]]| page=43}}</ref> During the [[Japanese Occupation of Singapore]], Governor Sir [[Shenton Thomas]] and Lady Thomas sought refuge in the sleeping quarters of the Singapore Club.<ref name="Joshua Chia"/> The Fullerton Building was also where [[Arthur Ernest Percival|General Percival]] discussed with Sir Shenton the possibility of surrendering Singapore to the [[Japanese Imperial Army|Japanese]].<ref name="National Heritage Board"/> Subsequently, Fullerton Building became the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration in Singapore.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/>
<LI>"Don't Answer Me" (early rough mix)
<LI>"You Don't Believe" (demo)
<LI>"Since the Last Goodbye" (Chris Rainbow vocal overdubs)
<LI>"Since the Last Goodbye" (Eric guide vocal - rough mix)
<LI>"You Don't Believe" (instrumental tribute to [[The Shadows]])
<LI>"Dancing on a Highwire/Spotlight" (work in progress)
<LI>"Ammonia Avenue Part 1" (Eric demo vocal - rough mix)
<LI>"Ammonia Avenue" (orchestral overdub)
</OL>


==Charts==
=== Post-war years ===
From the 1970s to 1995, the [[Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore]] used the building as its headquarters. The General Post Office, under [[Singapore Post]], vacated the building in March 1996. Internal alterations were carried out on the building by the Public Works Department in 1985.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/><ref name="Norman Edwards"/> Though plans were initiated to [[Architectural conservation|conserve]] the Fullerton Building after that, it was only [[gazette]]d as a conservation building by the [[Singapore Government]] in 1997.<ref name="Arthur Sim"/><ref name="Pauline Leong"/>


{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"
===Redevelopment===
!align="left"|Year
In 1997, [[Sino Land]] ([[Hong Kong]]) Company Ltd, a sister company of [[Far East Organization]], acquired the Fullerton Building from the [[Urban Redevelopment Authority]] (URA). It spent close to another [[S$]]300 million converting Fullerton Building into a hotel and building the two-storey commercial complex [[One Fullerton]] opposite Fullerton Road. [[Renovation]] works on the Fullerton Building were completed on [[8 December]] [[2000]]. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore was officially opened by then [[Prime Minister of Singapore|Prime Minister]] [[Goh Chok Tong]] on [[1 January]] [[2001]].<ref name="Phyllis Wee">{{cite web|author=Phyllis Wee|title=Fullerton Hotel|url=http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_527_2004-12-13.html|publisher=Singapore Infopedia, [[National Library Board]]|date=[[2001-05-28]]|accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref><ref name="Tee Hun Ching">{{cite news | author = Tee Hun Ching | title = One Up: Its uncluttered sea view, mix of trendy joints and the bayside location of One Fullerton have pulled in the crowds | publisher = [[The Sunday Times (Singapore)|The Sunday Times]] | date = [[16 September]] [[2001]]| page=SP6}}</ref>
!align="left"|Chart
!align="left"|Position
|-
|align="left"|1984
|align="left"|The [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] 200
|align="left"|15
|-
|align="left"|1984
|align="left"|[[UK Albums Chart]]
|align="left"|24
|-
|align="left"|1984
|align="left"|Canada
|align="left"|29
|-
|}


{{1980s-rock-album-stub}}
The site, sandwiched between the Civic District and the [[central business district]], was sold together with an underpass and the seafront site on which One Fullerton now stands for S$110 million. The two are linked by an [[air-conditioned]] underground [[pedestrian]] walkway with travellators.<ref name="Wong Yunn Chii"/> To ensure that the historical Fullerton Building continues to be visible from [[Marina Bay, Singapore|Marina Bay]], URA specified a low building height for One Fullerton across the road. This also ensured that guests at The Fullerton Hotel would have unobstructed views of the sea.<ref name="Tee Hun Ching"/>


{{The Alan Parsons Project}}
==Architecture and conservation==
[[Category:Alan Parsons Project albums]]
===Original design===
[[Category:1984 albums]]
[[Image:The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 5, Aug 06.JPG|thumb|[[Atrium (architecture)|Atrium]] of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore.]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Alan Parsons]]
The grey [[Aberdeen]] [[granite]] Fullerton Building sits on 41,100 [[square metre]]s (442,400 [[square feet]]) of land. The height of its walls measures 36.6 metres (120 ft) from the ground. The building has [[Neo-classical architectural]] features which include fluted [[Doric order|Doric]] [[colonnade]]s on their heavy base, and the lofty [[portico]] over the main entrance with trophy designs and the Royal [[Coat of Arms]], crafted by [[Italy|Italian]] [[Cavalieri Rodolfo Nolli]]. Originally, there were five distinct frontages, each treated in the Doric order. 14 [[elevator]]s served the four floors plus the basement floors.<ref name="Vernon Cornelius-Takahama"/> A hollow cellular [[raft foundation]] was proposed by the original contractors in 1920s to save cost because [[bedrock]] lies directly below the building.<ref name="Colin Tan"/>


[[ca:Ammonia Avenue]]
===Restoration===
[[it:Ammonia Avenue]]
The Fullerton Building [[Building restoration|restoration]] project from 1998 to 2000 was one of the few conservation projects in the world involving an institutional building.<ref name="The Straits Times May 1999"/> Architects 61, together with DP Consultants, was engaged to convert it into a 400-room luxury hotel.<ref name="Arthur Sim"/> The hotel rooms were designed by [[Hirsch Bedner Associates]].<ref name="Koh Boon Pin"/><ref name="Phyllis Wee"/>
[[pt:Ammonia Avenue]]

[[sv:Ammonia Avenue]]
During its redevelopment, the historical building had most of its special architectural features retained and restored. The conservation work was coordinated by the URA, which had certain stipulations that the new owners had to comply with. Several features of the original building had to be restored faithfully. These included the General Post Office gallery area on the ground floor, with bays that corresponded with the building's towering Doric columns on the [[façade]], and the Straits Club Billiard Room. The post office gallery no longer exists, but has been subdivided to provide a bar, a restaurant and the hotel foyer. The Straits Club Billiard Room was kept, but without its wood [[panelling]].<ref name="Arthur Sim"/>
[[tr:Ammonia Avenue]]

====Exterior works====
The building's neo-classical columns and high-ceiling [[veranda]]s were retained. It was [[cladding|clad]] in Shanghai [[plaster]] panels, which have been restored. The owners converted the windows back to be housed in timber frames. Part of the tunnel under Fullerton Road, which was used to transfer mail onto ships waiting in the harbour, has also been kept.<ref name="Arthur Sim"/><ref name="Pauline Leong"/>

====Interior works====
While the building's exterior has been conserved, the developers had also to transform the interior into a five-star hotel. The room on the fourth storey, where the British Governor was first told of the British military's decision to surrender to the Japanese during [[World War II]], was converted to an exclusive lounge. The room has a barrel-vaulted, [[coffer]]ed ceiling, which is the only one of its kind in Singapore.<ref name="Pauline Leong"/>

The building's historical [[lighthouse]], which used to guide ships into the port, has been incorporated into a [[food and beverage]] outlet. The Fullerton Light, a revolving [[beacon]] of 540 [[candela|kilocandelas]] mounted on the roof of the building, was installed in 1958 to replace the [[Fort Canning Lighthouse]] which was being demolished. The beacon could be seen by ships 29 kilometres (15.7 [[nautical mile]]s) away.<ref name="National Heritage Board"/><ref name="Tommy Koh"/><ref name="Pauline Leong"/><ref name="Phyllis Wee"/>

The Fullerton Building was designed for [[natural ventilation]] before the age of [[air-conditioning]]; one of the architectural devices used to provide this was the internal air-wells. There were four air-wells along the central longitudinal axis, divided by three internal bays of offices, linking the front façade with the rear. It was the largest and the last example of this kind of architecture in Singapore. As air-conditioning became increasingly common, the air-wells became redundant.<ref name="Arthur Sim"/>

Two parallel sets of guest rooms now ring the hotel's central triangular [[Window#Skylight|sky-lit]] [[Atrium (architecture)|atrium]]. One row faces out towards the harbour and the tall buildings of the central business district. The rooms of the inner ring have views of the [[courtyard]] in the centre of the building. There is an indoor garden over the old Straits Club at the centre of the atrium which can double as a venue for [[cocktail]]s. The main entrance into the hotel, where dignitaries and celebrities are received, is covered with a large glass [[Canopy (architecture)|canopy]] at the porch.<ref name="Colin Tan"/><ref name="Wong Yunn Chii"/><ref name="The Straits Times May 1999"/>

====Structural and foundation works====
Construction work in the interior was carried out to reinforce the [[Beam (structure)|beam]]s and columns, while [[retrofitting]] done on the exterior to restore the façade.<ref name="The Straits Times May 1999"/>

Although studies carried out before the renovation work began showed most of the raft foundation was still in good condition, water from the adjacent Singapore River had [[Seepage|seep]]ed slowly into some of the foundation's cells over the years, flooding parts of the old basement. As a result, a new [[precast concrete]] platform was built over the cells, and [[waterproofing]] added. [[Pillar]]s supporting the entire building now rest on the platform. The engineering team installed a new set of five drainage [[pump]]s to counteract the slow seepage of river water. As the building sits on solid rock foundation, no additional piling was required.<ref name="Colin Tan"/><ref name="The Straits Times May 1999"/>

==Facilities==
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has 400 rooms and suites which either overlook the [[Atrium (architecture)|atrium]] [[courtyard]], or face [[Downtown Core|downtown Singapore]]'s skyline, the Singapore River [[promenade]] or the Marina Bay.<ref name="Aun Koh">{{cite book|author=Aun Koh, Susan Leong|title=Singapore chic|location=Singapore|publisher=Archipelago Press|year=2006|isbn=981-4155-74-8}}</ref>

The hotel has a 25 metre outdoor infinity [[swimming pool]], [[Physical fitness|fitness]] centre and a luxury [[destination spa|spa]]. It also has five food and beverage outlets. For business travellers, the hotel has a 24-hour [[financial centre]] with the [[Bloomberg Television|Bloomberg]] Professional service that provides [[financial report]]s and world news, and 15 [[meeting room]]s equipped with [[Conference room|conference]] facilities.<ref name="Aun Koh"/>

==Awards==
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has won major travel awards such as the ''Condé Nast Traveler'' Gold List award.<ref name="Aun Koh"/> On [[18 July]] [[2001]], the hotel received an architectural heritage award from the Urban Redevelopment Authority for its successful restoration of the former Fullerton Building.<ref name="Arthur Sim"/><ref name="Fullerton Hotel Award">{{cite press release | title = The Fullerton Singapore wins 2001 URA Architectural Heritage Award | publisher = The Fullerton Hotel Singapore | url = http://www.fullertonhotel.com/media/pdf/pressreleases/URA_Architectural_Heritage_Award_2001.pdf | date = [[18 July]] [[2001]]}}</ref>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|author=Melanie Chew|title=Memories of the Fullerton|location=Singapore|publisher=The Fullerton Hotel Singapore|year=2001|isbn=981-044777-9}}
*{{cite book|author=William Warren, Jill Gocher|title=Asia's legendary hotels: the romance of travel|location=Singapore|publisher=Periplus Editions|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7946-0174-4}}

==External links==
*{{commons-inline|The Fullerton Hotel Singapore}}
*[http://www.fullertonhotel.com/ The Fullerton Hotel] Homepage

{{Lighthouses in Singapore}}

[[Category:Lighthouses in Singapore]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Singapore]]
[[Category:Hotels in Singapore]]
[[Category:1928 architecture]]
[[Category:Downtown Core]]
[[Category:Marina Bay]]
[[Category:Raffles Place]]

[[ja:ザ・フラトン・シンガポール]]

Revision as of 11:30, 12 October 2008

Untitled

Ammonia Avenue is one of the most commercially successful albums of The Alan Parsons Project. It was the second of the group's three most accessible albums, beginning with Eye in the Sky and ending with Vulture Culture. Ammonia Avenue was originally intended to be released as a double album with Vulture Culture's material forming the second record.

The Phil Spector influenced million selling smash- "Don't Answer Me" is generally regarded as Ammonia Avenue's best song, with the title track a close second. "Prime Time" was a follow up release that fared well in the top 40."Since The Last Goodbye" and "You Don't Believe" were also minor hits. A music video for "Don't Answer Me" was produced in 1985, with art and animation by MW Kaluta.

The title of the album was inspired by Eric Woolfson's visit to Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in Billingham England, where the first thing he saw was a street with miles of pipes, no people, no trees and a sign that said 'Ammonia Avenue'. The album focused on the possible misunderstanding of industrial scientific developments from a public perspective and a lack of understanding of the public from a scientific perspective. (Woolfson, Eric, Albums, Back Catalogue, retrieved 2007-05-28)


Track listing

All tracks written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

  1. "Prime Time" (lead vocal Eric Woolfson) – 5:03
  2. "Let Me Go Home" (lead vocal Lenny Zakatek) – 3:20
  3. "One Good Reason" (lead vocal Eric Woolfson) – 3:36
  4. "Since the Last Goodbye" (lead vocal Chris Rainbow) – 4:34
  5. "Don't Answer Me" (lead vocal Eric Woolfson) – 4:11
  6. "Dancing on a Highwire" (lead vocal Colin Blunstone) – 4:22
  7. "You Don't Believe" (lead vocal Lenny Zakatek) – 4:26 (This track actually appeared first on The Best of the Alan Parsons Project released a year earlier)
  8. "Pipeline" (instrumental)– 3:56
  9. "Ammonia Avenue" (lead vocal Eric Woolfson) – 6:30

Ammonia Avenue was remastered and reissued in 2008 with the following bonus tracks:

  1. "Don't Answer Me" (early rough mix)
  2. "You Don't Believe" (demo)
  3. "Since the Last Goodbye" (Chris Rainbow vocal overdubs)
  4. "Since the Last Goodbye" (Eric guide vocal - rough mix)
  5. "You Don't Believe" (instrumental tribute to The Shadows)
  6. "Dancing on a Highwire/Spotlight" (work in progress)
  7. "Ammonia Avenue Part 1" (Eric demo vocal - rough mix)
  8. "Ammonia Avenue" (orchestral overdub)

Charts

Year Chart Position
1984 The Billboard 200 15
1984 UK Albums Chart 24
1984 Canada 29
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