Cloud Nine

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Cloud Nine
George Harrison studio album

Publication
(s)

November 2, 1987 ( UK ) ,
November 3, 1987 ( US )

Label (s)
  • Dark Horse Records,

Format (s)

LP , MC , CD , download

Genre (s)

skirt

Title (number)

11 / republication: 13

running time

41 min 25 s / 49 min 24 s

occupation
  • Vicki Brown - vocals at Shanghai Surprise (bonus title)

production

  • Jeff Lynne,
  • George Harrison

Studio (s)

Friars Park Studio, Henley-on-Thames (FPSHOT), Oxfordshire

chronology
Gone Troppo
1982 		Cloud Nine Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989
1989

Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 as a member of the Traveling Wilburys
1988

Cloud Nine ( English , Cloud Nine '[literally], cloud nine ' [accordingly]) is the ninth solo studio album of George Harrison after the separation of the Beatles . At the same time, including the two instrumental albums from the 1960s, the compilation album The Best of George Harrison and the live album The Concert for Bangla Desh, it is Harrison's 13th album. It was released on November 2, 1987 in the UK and on November 3, 1987 in the US .

History of origin

Cloud Nine preceded Harrison's five year hiatus from the music business. After his last album Gone Troppo , Harrison had largely withdrawn from the music business. During this time he devoted himself mainly to his film production company Handmade Films .

George Harrison composed two titles for the feature film Wasser - The Film , which was produced by his film production company: Focus of Attention and Celebration . In the period between 1984 and early 1985 Harrison recorded the Dylan composition I Don't Want Do It for the soundtrack Porky's Vengeance . This piece was released on April 22, 1985 in the USA as a single in a remixed version, producer was Dave Edmunds . Another recorded Dylan composition Abandoned Love has not yet been legally released.

On October 21, 1985 Harrison was a guest at Carl Perkins , who recorded the television special Blue Suede Shoes - A Rockabilly Session with Carl Perkins and Friends at the Limehouse Television Studios in London . Other guest musicians included Ringo Starr , Eric Clapton and Dave Edmunds. George Harrison played guitar on several songs and sang the tracks Everybody's Trying to be My Baby and Your True Love . The song Glad All Over was sung by George Harrison and Carl Perkins. It was broadcast on television in January 1986. It was only released on CD in June 2006.

Between February and July 1986, George Harrison recorded music for the soundtrack of the feature film Shanghai Surprise in Los Angeles . This film was also produced by Handmade Films and premiered in August 1986. The main actors in the film are Madonna and Sean Penn . George Harrison can be seen in a minor supporting role. The following tracks were recorded and can be heard during the feature film: Shanghai Surprise (bonus track of the re-release), Breath Away from Heaven , Someplace Else , Zig Zag (bonus track of the re-release and single b-side) and Hottest Gong in Town . While Breath Away from Heaven and Someplace Else were re-recorded for the album Cloud Nine , Hottest Gong appeared in Town in June 1992 on Songs by George Harrison Two . This limited release is a four-title EP with an illustrated book, all copies of which have been signed by George Harrison. A soundtrack album was not released, only Shanghai Surprise was released as a promotional single .

In January-August 1987, George Harrison headed into his recording studio with Jeff Lynne as a producer, having regained his enjoyment of music, as he said:

“I'm at ease with myself, maybe. I'm happy to be making records, by getting away from the music business I was in a good mood to do it you know, it's just the fun of doing it and trying to sustain the energy and the interest. "

“It may be that I am in balance with myself. I enjoy making records; by retiring from the music business I was in a good frame of mind to do it, you know, it's just the fun of doing it and trying to keep the energy and interest up. "

- George Harrison.

Numerous well-known guest musicians worked on the album, including Ringo Starr (drums), Eric Clapton (guitar) and Elton John (piano). For Harrison himself, Cloud Nine was a return to his musical roots. Harrison literally:

“I thought, I'm not going to make one of them you know sort of clattery records like everybody else seems to be doing this period. I'm going to make a record like something like I did twenty years ago. Just like a rock 'n' roll band making a record. We had real saxes and real guitars, real pianos, real drums, real people playing real songs. "

“I figured I wasn't going to do one of those rickety albums like everyone else seemed to be doing at the time. I'm going to do the album like I did twenty years ago. Just like a rock 'n' roll band makes an album. We had real saxophones and real guitars, real pianos, real drums and real people playing real songs. "

- George Harrison.

During the recording, two tracks with Duane Eddy were recorded on January 30 and February 5, 1987 , The Trembler and Theme for Something Really Important , which appeared on his album Duane Eddy .

George Harrison at a concert in London , 1987

On 5 and 6 June 1987, broke Harrison recordings and appeared in the Wembley Arena as part of the Prince's Trust Concert in London and sang the songs Here Comes the Sun and While My Guitar Gently Weeps , which in August 1987 on the album Recorded Highlights of the Prince's Trust Concert have been released.

As with earlier albums, George Harrison took on an older third-party composition, here Got My Mind Set on You by Rudy Clark from 1962. This track was selected as the first single. The second single When We Was Fab contains lyrically and musically various allusions to the music of the Beatles, so the album was originally supposed to be called Fab .

Both Warner Brothers and George Harrison did a lot of promotional work during the release phase, in the form of advertising and media appearances by the artist.

In January 1988, the album went platinum in the United States for one million copies sold.

Cover design

The design of the cover comes from David Costa, the photo from Gered Mankowitz.

Track list

All titles were written by George Harrison unless otherwise noted.

  • Page one
  1. Cloud 9 - 3:15
  2. That's What It Takes (George Harrison, Jeff Lynne , Gary Wright ) - 3:59
  3. Fish on the Sand - 3:22
  4. Just for Today - 4:06
  5. This Is Love (George Harrison, Jeff Lynne) - 3:48
  6. When We Was Fab (George Harrison, Jeff Lynne) - 3:57
  • Side two
  1. Devil's Radio - 3:52
  2. Someplace Else - 3:51
  3. Wreck of the Hesperus - 3:31
  4. Breath Away from Heaven - 3:36
  5. Got My Mind Set on You (Rudy Clark) - 3:52
  • Bonus Title (2004)
Shanghai Surprise - 5:07
Zig Zag (Harrison / Lynne) - 2:45
The bonus titles come from the feature film Shanghai Surprise produced by HandMade Films .
  • iTunes Bonus Track (2007)
Got My Mind Set on You (Extended Version)

Re-releases

  • The first release in CD format took place in November 1987 parallel to the record release without bonus tracks. A four-page booklet is enclosed with the CD.
  • In March 2004 the album was re-released in a remastered version as a CD on EMI with the bonus titles Shanghai Surprise and Zig Zag . The remastering was done by Simon Heyworth and John Etchells at Super Audio Mastering Studios in Devon . The CD album has a plastic cover with a twelve-page illustrated booklet enclosed, which contains information about the songs and the lyrics. The design is by Drew Lorimer.
  • The album George Harrison has been available as a download from iTunes since October 2007 with the additional bonus title Got My Mind Set on You (Extended Version) .

Single releases

Got My Mind Set on You

The first single Got My Mind Set on You / Lay His Head was released on October 6, 1987 in the USA and reached number one on the charts in the USA, making it the third number one hit for George Harrison and so far the last number one one hit by an ex-Beatle, the single was released in Great Britain on October 12, 1987.

The B-side Lay His Head was originally recorded for the album Somewhere in England , and reappeared in February 1988 on Songs by George Harrison . This limited release is a four-title EP with an illustrated book, all copies of which have been signed by George Harrison.

The 12 ″ vinyl maxi single was also released in Europe: Got My Mind Set on You (Extended Version) / Got My Mind Set on You (Single Version) / Lay His Head , with the A-side being an extended mix. In Great Britain the maxi single was also released as a picture disc and the 7 "vinyl single in a limited cardboard box with two postcards.

The promotional single was published in the USA as follows: on the A and B sides is the stereo version of the A side of the single for sale, a 12 ″ vinyl promotional single and a promotional CD were also released.

When We Was Fab

The Beatles homage When We Was Fab followed on January 25, 1988 as the second single in Great Britain, in the USA it was released on January 26, 1988. The cover of this single was designed by Harrison's friend Klaus Voormann .

The B-side Zig Zag was recorded for the soundtrack of Shanghai Surprise . The following 12 ″ vinyl maxi single and 3 ″ CD single were also released in Europe: When We Was Fab (Unextended Version) / Zig Zag / That's the Way It Goes (Remix) / When We Was Fab (Reverse End) . The unextended version is the normal album version, while the reverse end version has been lengthened by one minute and 20 seconds by making parts of the song heard backwards. That's the Way It Goes (Remix) is a remixed version by Jeff Lynne of the song that was originally released on the album Gone Troppo .

In Great Britain, the maxi single was also released as a Picture Disc and the 7 "vinyl single was modeled on a limited cardboard box with a poster and a cut-out, similar to that of the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band .

The promotional single was published in the USA as follows: on the A and B-sides is the stereo version of the A-side of the purchase single, and a 12 ″ vinyl promotional single was also released.

This is love

The last single This Is Love / Breath Away from Heaven followed on June 13, 1988 (USA: May 10, 1988) . The following 12 ″ vinyl maxi single and 3 ″ CD were also released in Europe: This Is Love / Breath Away from Heaven / All Those Years Ago / Hong Kong Blues .

A promotional 5 "CD of This is Love was produced in the USA .

More singles

  • At the beginning of 1988 the promotional 12 ″ vinyl single Devil's Radio / Devil's Radio was sent to radio stations with a separate picture cover.
  • Also at the beginning of 1988 the promotional 5 ″ CD single Cloud 9 was released in the USA .
  • In June 1989 the single Got My Mind Set on You / When We Was Fab was released in the USA .

Chart placements

year album Chart placements
DE UK US
1987 Cloud Nine 15th 10 8th
year Single release Chart placements
DE UK US
1987 Got My Mind Set on You 7th 2 1
1988 When We Was Fab 40 25th 23
1988 This is love - 55 -

Others

Three music videos were produced for the album:

  • Got My Mind Set on You
    Since Harrison didn't like the first video that was shot for the single, a second was recorded, like the first one directed by Gary Weis, who also appeared on some episodes of the US show Saturday Night Live and the Beatles parody The Rutles directed. In the second video, Harrison is sitting in an armchair in a haunted house (with moving furniture) and playing the guitar. In between he suddenly jumps up and does an acrobatic dance (which was visibly shot with a double).
  • When We Was Fab
    In the video for the single, Harrison stands playing guitar in front of a wall by the roadside. Various musician colleagues come and go, including Ringo Starr , who carries a never-ending keyboard through the picture with himself, on which Harrison plays thanks to a third hand. Overall, the video is characterized by numerous psychedelic special effects.
  • This Is Love
    The video shows Harrison playing the guitar and with friends at various locations in Hawaii .

literature

  • Chip Madinger, Mark Easter: Eight Arms To Hold You - The Solo Compendium . 44.1 Productions 2000, ISBN 0-615-11724-4 (pp. 464-473).
  • CD booklet for re-publication in 2004

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ US 7 ″ vinyl single: I Don't Want Do It
  2. ↑ Promotion 7 ″ vinyl single: Shanghai Surprise
  3. ↑ a b c CD booklet for re-publication 2004.
  4. ↑ Platinum award
  5. ↑ British 7 "vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You
  6. ↑ British 12 "vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You
  7. ↑ Picture Disc 12 ″ vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You
  8. ^ Vinyl box: Got My Mind Set on You
  9. ↑ Promotion 7 ″ vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You
  10. ↑ Promotion 12 ″ vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You
  11. ↑ Promotion CD: Got My Mind Set on You
  12. ↑ British 7 "vinyl single: When We Was Fab
  13. ↑ British 12 "vinyl single: When We Was Fab
  14. ↑ British 3 ″ CD single: When We Was Fab
  15. ↑ Picture-Disc-12 ″ vinyl single: When We Was Fab
  16. ^ Vinyl box: When We Was Fab
  17. ↑ Promotion 7 ″ vinyl single: When We Was Fab
  18. ↑ Promotion 12 ″ vinyl single: When We Was Fab
  19. ↑ British 7 "vinyl single: This Is Love
  20. ↑ European 12 "vinyl single: This Is Love
  21. ↑ European 3 ″ CD single: This Is Love
  22. ↑ Promotion 5 ″ CD single: This Is Love
  23. ↑ Promotion 12 ″ vinyl single: Devil's Radio
  24. ↑ Promotion 5 ″ CD single: Cloud 9
  25. ↑ 7 ″ vinyl single: Got My Mind Set on You / When We Was Fab
  26. ↑ Gary Weis . Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 14, 2010
  27. ↑ Got My Mind Set on You . Music video on GeorgeHarrison.com.
  28. ↑ When We Was Fab . Music video on GeorgeHarrison.com.
  29. ↑ This Is Love . Music video on GeorgeHarrison.com.