Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts

Thursday 28 December 2023

There's the girl - Heart

After the success of 'Alone' and 'Who will you run to', Heart released a third single from their 1987 album 'Bad Animals': 'There's the girl'. It wasn't quite as successful as the two previous singles, but still peaked at number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, while it also rose to number 34 in the UK singles chart. The single version was remixed when compared to the original album version.

The B-side of the single features the title track of the album, 'Bad animals', which is also a strong track. Personally I feel the band were at their peak in 1987, but I recently read an article in which Ann and Nancy Wilson expressed some regret about this period, feeling they were being used as puppets by the record company. Still, the earnings must have made up for something, as they never equalled the success of 'Bad Animals' again.

My collection: 7" single no. 7102
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'There's the girl' / 'Bad animals'

What about love - Heart

It occurred to me that I didn't have the original single of 'What about love' by Heart yet. I do have a re-release from 1988, but that's not the original version of course. This one is, and it's the US pressing with an original Capitol record company sleeve. (There is a picture sleeve version, but unfortunately the seller I got this single and several others didn't have it.)

The single marked a change of style for the band and landed them a top 10 hit in the USA for the first time since 'Tell it like it is' in 1980. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7101
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'What about love' / 'Heart of darkness'

Tell it like it is - Heart

'Tell it like it is' was written by George Davis and Lee Diamond and originally recorded and released in 1966 by Aaron Neville. It was later recorded by Andy Williams and John Wesley Ryles, among others, and the most famous version for younger people is probably Don Johnson's version from the late Eighties.

In 1980, however, the song was also recorded by Heart, and included on their 'Greatest Hits/Live' album. The song peaked at Number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 during the winter of 1981 and became their highest-charting single in the United States to that point. It had higher success in Canada, reaching Number 4. On this side of the world, the single probably wasn't even released.

My collection: 7" single no. 7100
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'Tell it like it is' / 'Strange Euphoria'

Magazine - Heart

After Heart's very successful debut album 'Dreamboat Annie', they had a falling out with their label Mushroom over an advert for that album that was too suggestive for their liking. Legal wrangles followed, during which Mushroom released the second album 'Magazine' prematurely. After the dispute was resolved, Heart still had to deliver a second album proper, and so they re-recorded 'Magazine'. 

The title track was released as the third single from the album in 1979. It failed to chart in all territories, after which Heart's ties with Mushroom Records were broken. In the early 1980s, Mushroom Records went out of business. Ownership rights to Heart's two albums for Mushroom were purchased by Capitol Records, which reissued the recordings. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7099
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'Magazine' / 'Devil delight'

Sunday 18 June 2023

Even it up - Heart

'Even it up' was the next single by Heart, after 'Dog & butterfly', but now released on the Epic label instead of Portrait. It was the first single of the band's fifth album 'Bebe le Strange'. Lyrically it is about a woman who is demanding that her lover "even it up" by reciprocating the effort that she has put forth in their relationship. 

According to Ann Wilson: "That song was written in about '79 or '80, and it was definitely a response to being obstructed as women in the rock field. There are so many systemic things that get thrown up in front of you, different glass walls and stuff. We were speaking out against it then." The single reached number 33  the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 56 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 6999
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Even it up' / 'Pilot'

Dog & butterfly - Heart

It's quite unusual to find two perfect American 7" singles by the band Heart in between rows of German singles by German artists, but that's exactly what happened this month. Those singles by Heart were also quite unusual: both of them were never hits over here in Europe.

The first one is 'Dog & butterfly', the title track of the band's fourth studio album, released in 1978. Ann Wilson said she was inspired when she looked out a window and saw a dog relentlessly chasing a butterfly. She saw the song as an inspiration when things get tough to "keep going after it." Although it enjoyed only moderate chart success - it reached number 34 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 51 in Canada only - the song has remained a setlist staple for Heart consistently through the years. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6998
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Dog & butterfly' / 'Mistral wind'

Sunday 28 November 2021

Kick it out - Heart

The American band Heart has released some classic tracks like 'Magic Man', 'Alone' and, oddly, the one I always hear in the supermarket 'All I wanna do is make love to you', but some of their singles remain lesser known. Like this one.

'Kick it out' was taken from their 1977 album 'Little queen' and only charted in the USA (peaking at number 79) and Canada (peaking at number 67). This pressing comes from Germany, which is proof enough that it was released in Europe as well, but to no avail. In fact, their first hit in the UK was 'These dreams', whereas there is a gaping hole in the Netherlands between 1977's 'Barracuda' and 'These dreams' in 1986. I am quite pleased that I have a lot of singles by this band, although some are still missing. More to hunt for, I guess.

My collection: 7" single no. 6523
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Kick it out' / 'Dream of the archer'

Wednesday 2 December 2009

I didn't want to need you - Heart

'I didn't want to need you' was written and composed by songwriter Diane Warren and recorded by Heart on their 1990 album 'Brigade'. The track was released as the second single from the album.

The single reached number 23 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 47 in the UK singles chart. In Europe, the single went by without anyone noticing.

My collection: 7" single no. 4323
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I didn't want to need you' / 'The night'

Sunday 1 November 2009

Will you be there (in the morning) - Heart

'Will you be there (in the morning)' was written by songwriter and producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, who also wrote Heart's 1990 chart hit 'All I wanna do is make love to you'. Personally, I much prefer this song.

The track was released as the first single from the band's 11th studio album 'Desire walks on'. It was the only single from the album to reach the chart, peaking at number 39 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, it reached number 19. The 7" single was released only as a picture disc in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2077
Found: February 19, 1994
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Will you be there (in the morning)' / 'These dreams (live)'

Monday 26 October 2009

Stranded - Heart

'Stranded' was released as the third single from Heart's tenth studio album 'Brigade'. The song was written by J. Harrington and Jamie Kylie and produced by Richie Zito. It features Nancy Wilson on lead vocals.

The track peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the autumn of 1990, but stalled at number 60 in the UK singles chart. The B-side is a highly melodic piece of work that could be considered a blueprint for many Heart tracks from around that time.

My collection: 7" single no. 2366
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Stranded' / 'Under the sky'

Sunday 18 October 2009

All I wanna do is make love to you - Heart

Taken from their Heart's tenth album 'Brigade' (1990), 'All I wanna do is make love to you' was the first single from the album, composed by producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange. In the track, the protagonist speaks of a one-night stand with a man, only to reveal later in the song that her intent all along was to use the encounter as a way to become pregnant, because the man she really loves is not able to give her children. It was not the best lyric Heart ever performed.

In the liner notes of Heart's album 'The road home', Ann Wilson commented on the band's dislike for the song, stating, 'Actually we had sworn off it because it kind of stood for everything we wanted to get away from. It was a song by 'Mutt' Lange, whom we liked, and it was originally written for Don Henley, but there was a lot of pressure on us to do the song at the time.' The single was a hit for the band, peaking at number 5 in the Dutch Top 40, number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 1206
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 13, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'All I wanna do is make love to you' / 'Call of the wild'

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Who will you run to - Heart

'Who will you run to' was the second single from Heart's 1987 album 'Bad animals'. The song was written by Diane Warren. The lyric contains a clear warning to a departing lover that there will be no one else who could care for and support him in the way that the singer of the song has.

The single reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 30 in the UK singles chart. The B-side is the most beautiful track from Heart's 1985 self-titled album.

My collection: 7" single no. 1751
Found: London, October 19, 1992
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Who will you run to' / 'Nobody home'

Monday 21 September 2009

Alone - Heart

'Alone' was composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It was first recorded in 1983 by Steinberg and Kelly's pet project, I-Ten, on the album 'Taking a cold look'. Heart recorded it in 1987 on their album 'Bad animals'. It was released as the first single from that album. It became their biggest hit, spending three weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reaching number 3 in the UK singles chart.

In 2007, disaster struck. Canadian shrieking witch Celine Dion recorded a cover version of this great song, shattering eardrums wherever her version was played. Her cold, metallic voice cut right through any sense of beauty. Thankfully, we still have Heart's version.

My collection: 7" single no. 1715
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 19, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Alone' / 'Barracuda (live)'

Saturday 5 September 2009

These dreams - Heart

My photographic memory does not really help when a song is released in two different sleeves. But in this case, I ended up buying two different singles from two different countries with two different B-sides. The European edition (pictured above) features 'All eyes', whereas the UK edition (pictured below) features 'Shell shock'. Both tracks are taken, like the A-side, from Heart's 1985 self-titled album.

'These dreams' was dedicated (on the album) to Nancy Wilson's good friend Sharon Hess, who died of leukemia shortly before the song was made. The lyrics of the song describe the fantasy world a person enters when faced with a difficult situation in real life. The final verse seemingly suggests that, moments before awakening, what one desires the most is exactly that which is out of reach in a dream: 'In a wood full of princes, freedom is a kiss / But the prince hides his face from dreams in the mist'.

The song was written by Martin Page and Bernie Taupin. It was first offered to Stevie Nicks, but she had no interest in recording the track. Heart were more impressed, and decided to record it. When it came time for Nancy Wilson to record her vocal, she was suffering from a cold and her voice sounded somewhat raspy and gravelly. After the song reached its peak of success, producers reportedly wanted Nancy to recreate the gravelly sound on future recordings, asking her, 'Can't you just get sick again?'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2302
Found: May 27, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'These dreams' / 'All eyes'

My collection: 7" single no. 2696
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 1,6 pounds
Tracks: 'These dreams' / 'Shell shock'

Saturday 29 August 2009

Never / These dreams - Heart

Both 'Never' and 'These dreams' were released as singles in 1985, but this double A-side was released in the UK in a limited edition gatefold sleeve edition in 1988. This is after their biggest success 'Alone', taken from 'Bad animals' (1987). These two tracks come from Heart's previous self-titled album (1985).

This double A-side release was another success for the band, peaking at number 8 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3104
Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Never' / 'These dreams'

Sunday 2 August 2009

Nothin' at all - Heart

'Nothin' at all' was the fourth single taken from Heart's self-titled 1985 album. It is a love song which describes a new relationship which falls into place without effort or conflict. The track was remixed for this single. In the remix, a vibrant alternate lead vocal take from Ann Wilson is featured with striking embellishments; Howard Leese's guitar solo is vastly different.

The single hit number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It only managed to reach number 76 on the UK singles chart, but a reissue in 1988 managed to reach number 38. The B-side of this single is a rather curious choice: the track was taken from Heart's 1978 album 'Magazine'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2473
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 1995
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Nothin' at all (remix)' / 'I've got the music in me'

Sunday 26 July 2009

What about love - Heart

'What about love' was originally released in 1985, but in the UK the song did not chart. After the success of their 1987 album 'Bad animal' and its single 'Alone', the track was re-released in 1988.

At the time of recording, the song's sound marked a considerable change in the musical direction for Heart, moving from the hard rock and folk rock of their earlier work to a more polished, power-ballad sound. On its re-release, the single peaked at number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2367
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'What about love?' / 'Never (remix)'

Thursday 16 July 2009

Straight on - Heart

After the sales of their third album 'Magazine' were disappointing, Heart bounced back with their fourth one, 'Dog & Butterfly'. The album reached number 17 on the US albums chart.

'Straight on' was released as the first single from the album. However unsuccessful in Europe, the single peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 2243
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Straight on' / 'Lighter touch'

Saturday 4 July 2009

Barracuda - Heart

'Barracuda' was released in 1977 as the first single from Heart's third album 'Little queen'. The song is an aggressive hard rock number notable for its galloping guitar riff. In interviews, Ann Wilson commented that the song was about the band's anger towards Mushroom Records, after they attempted a publicity stunt involving sisters Ann and Nancy and a made-up lesbian affair. The song particularly focuses on Ann's rage towards a man who came up to her after a concert asking how her 'lover' was. She initially thought he was talking about her then-boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher. After he revealed he was talking about her sister Nancy Wilson, Ann became angry and went back to her hotel room to write the original lyrics of the song.

The single reached number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, but wasn't such a success in Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 3839
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Barracuda' / 'Cry to me'

Saturday 20 June 2009

Secret - Heart

'Secret' was released as the fourth and final single from Heart's tenth studio album 'Brigade'. The single at number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 79 on the UK singles chart.

When I found this single, I did not know it had been released. I did know the track, because my sister owns the album 'Brigade'. I always thought it was one of the best tracks on the album so I was very happy to get this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2343
Found: Record Exchange, London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Secret' / 'I love you'

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