Somewhere in England

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Somewhere in England
George Harrison studio album

Publication
(s)

June 1, 1981 ( US )
June 5, 1981 ( UK )

Label (s)
  • Dark Horse Records,

Format (s)

LP , MC , CD , download

Genre (s)

skirt

Title (number)

LP: 10 / CD: 11

running time

LP: 39 min 43 s
CD: 44 min 14 s

occupation
  • Ray Cooper - drums, keyboard, synthesizer, percussion

production

  • George Harrison
  • Ray Cooper

Studio (s)

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

chronology
George Harrison
1979 		Somewhere in England Gone Troppo
1982

Somewhere in England ( English : Somewhere in England ') is the seventh solo - album of George Harrison after the separation of the Beatles . Including the two instrumental albums from the 1960s, the studio albums, the compilation album and the live album , it is Harrison's eleventh album. It was released on June 5, 1981 in the UK and June 1, 1981 in the US .

History of origin

After the release of the previous album George Harrison , Harrison founded a film production company with his manager Denis O'Brien called HandMade Films , he also completed his autobiography I Me Mine and published it in 1980.

Between March 1980 and October 1980 George Harrison worked in his home studio FPSHOT (Friars Park Studio, Henley-on-Thames) on the pieces for his new album Somewhere in England , which he then presented with the following track list for his record company Warner Brothers :

  1. Hong Kong Blues ( Carmichael ) - 2:53
  2. Writing's on the Wall - 3:58
  3. Flying Hour (Harrison / Mick Ralphs ) - 4:04
  4. Lay His Head - 3:43
  5. Unconsciousness Rules - 3:36
  6. Sat Singing - 4:28
  7. Life Itself - 4:24
  8. Tears of the World - 4:00
  9. Baltimore Oriole (Carmichael) - 3:57
  10. Save the World - 4:56

The original release date was set for October 29, 1980, but then Warner Bros. Records decided not to release the album until George Harrison gave up the songs Flying Hour , Lay His Head , Sat Singing and Tears of the World and by four would replace new songs. Furthermore, the remaining six tracks should be musically revised and remixed. In addition, the cover should be redesigned. The original album was released on bootlegs in the years to come . The songs Flying Hour , Lay His Head , Sat Singing appeared remixed in February 1988 on Songs by George Harrison and Tears of the World , also remixed, appeared in June 1992 on Songs by George Harrison Two . These two limited releases are each a four-title EP with illustrated books, all copies of which have been signed by George Harrison. Lay His Head appeared in another new mix in October 1987 as the b-side of the single Got My Mind Set on You . Tears of the World was released again as a bonus track in March 2004 on the album Thirty Three & 1/3 .

After the album was rejected, George Harrison went back to the recording studio from November 1980 to February 1981 to record the four new songs. While he was recording, John Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980. As a result of this act, George Harrison re-recorded the song All Those Years Ago , which was originally intended for Ringo Starr , as a homage to John Lennon. For this he changed the text and invited Paul and Linda McCartney as well as Denny Laine to contribute the background vocals. Since Ringo Starr already played drums in the original recordings in November 1980, all three living Beatles were involved in a new song for the first time.

Blood from a Clone is a critical examination of the record industry. Teardrops is a love song, while the fourth track of the second recording session, That Which I Have Lost , has philosophical lyrics.

Two songs from the first recording sessions Baltimore Oriole and Hong Kong Blues are compositions by Hoagy Carmichael . The first piece was first published in 1942, the latter in 1939. Unconsciousness Rules is an ironic description of people who go to nightclubs. Life Itself is a religious song and Writing's on the Wall is a philosophical song. Save the World satirically describes the state of the earth and appeals to the listener to save it. On June 4, 1985, a newly sung and remixed version appeared on a compilation album for the benefit of the environmental organization Greenpeace . The song ends with an excerpt from the song Crying from the Wonderwall Music album .

Cover design

The design of the cover is by Ray Cooper, the photo by Caroline Irwin.

Further information

For the album, a music video for the title All Those Years Ago by Ron Furmanek was compiled from Beatles video material.

Track list

All titles were written by George Harrison unless otherwise noted.

  • Page one
  1. Blood from a Clone - 4:03
  2. Unconsciousness Rules - 3:05
  3. Life Itself - 4:25
  4. All Those Years Ago - 3:45
  5. Baltimore Oriole ( Hoagy Carmichael ) - 3:57
  • Side two
  1. Teardrops - 4:07
  2. That Which I Have Lost - 3:47
  3. Writing's on the Wall - 3:59
  4. Hong Kong Blues (Hoagy Carmichael) - 2:55
  5. Save the World - 4:54
  • Bonus Title (2004)
Save the World (Acoustic demo version) - 4:31
  • iTunes Bonus Track (2007)
Flying Hour - 4:35

Re-releases

  • It was first published in CD format in June 1991 without any bonus tracks. The CD is accompanied by a twelve-page booklet with illustrations containing the lyrics.
  • In March 2004, the album was re-released in a remastered version as a CD on EMI with the bonus title Save the World (Acoustic Demo Version) and the originally intended cover design , which was rejected by Warner Brothers in 1980 . The design was originally from Basil Pao. 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 of the re-release comes from Drew Lorimer.
  • Since October 2007 Somewhere in England has also been available as a download from iTunes with the additional bonus title Flying Hour .

Single releases

All Those Years Ago

The first single All Those Years Ago / Writing's on the Wall was released on May 11, 1981 in the USA and on May 15, 1981 in Great Britain and reached number two in the USA, making it the fourth top ten hit in the USA for George Harrison.

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

Teardrops

The second single Teardrops / Save the World was released on July 20, 1981 in the US and on July 31, 1981 in the UK.

The promotional single was published in the USA as follows: on the A side is the mono version and on the B side the stereo version of the A side of the purchase single.

Another single

In November 1981 the single All Those Years Ago / Teardrops was released in the USA .

Chart placements

year album Chart placements
DE UK US
1981 Somewhere in England 36 13 11
year Single release Chart placements
DE UK US
1981 All Those Years Ago 44 13 2
1981 Teardrops - - -

literature

  • Chip Madinger, Mark Easter: Eight Arms To Hold You - The Solo Compendium . 44.1 Productions, 2000, ISBN 0-615-11724-4 , pp. 459-462.
  • Neville Stannard: Working Class Heroes . ISBN 0-907-08092-8 .
  • CD booklet for re-publication in 2004

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ British 7 "vinyl single: All Those Years Ago
  2. ↑ Promotion 7 ″ vinyl single: All Those Years Ago
  3. ↑ Promotion 12 ″ vinyl single: All Those Years Ago
  4. ↑ British 7 "vinyl single: Teardrops
  5. ↑ Promotion 7 ″ vinyl single: Teardrops
  6. ↑ US 7 ″ vinyl single: All Those Years Ago / Teardrops