Belinda Carlisle – “Heaven On Earth”
Following the break up of The Go Go’s, Belinda Carlisle was the primary band member to take pleasure in solo success along with her self-titled debut album in 1986. However the album and its singles solely held an American viewers, what Belinda wished was worldwide success, one thing that had eluded her and the band, notably within the UK, the place their model of “Our Lips Are Sealed” had solely made it so far as No.47. Shortly after “Belinda”, Carlisle had recorded “In My Wildest Desires” for the soundtrack of the movie ‘Manniquin’, her track getting used over the opening titles, whereas the movie’s finest identified anthem, “Nothings Gonna Cease Us Now“, was used over the top credit.
For album quantity two, Belinda enlisted the providers of songwriting staff Rick Nowles and Ellen Shipley whereas two tracks would come from Diane Warren, co-writer of “Nothings Gonna Cease Us Now”, and two songs that may finally be launched as singles from the album. Any variety of excellent songs that made the ultimate reduce may have been the lead single, however just one stood out as that killer observe and all hopes for a worldwide hit in addition to securing the success of the album worldwide had been pinned on it. By September 1987 the second chapter of Belinda’s solo profession was able to reveal with the album quantity two following shut behind.
1. Heaven Is A Place On Earth
That killer observe aforementioned was additionally the lead single of the brand new album. Nowels and Shipley gave Belinda her personal anthem and one which she could be finest recognized with endlessly extra. “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” is the quintessential pop-rock track of the late 80’s with a feelgood issue about it from the phrase go. Belinda’s vocals are spot on in opposition to the guitar strewn backing observe whereas the mid-section is pure pop ‘heaven’. “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” was one other hit for Belinda in America upon launch, and what successful, topping the chart to grow to be her very first primary on house soil. Extra importantly as 1987 closed and 1988 opened, the track started to make waves throughout the remainder of the world, however most significantly within the UK, which it was sitting below the Pet Store Boys‘ primary “At all times On My Thoughts” on the flip of the brand new 12 months. One week on and Belinda was primary! Was it ever going to get any higher than this? Some would say no.
2. Circle In The Sand
Nearly instantly issues start to chill off with the sultry “Circle In The Sand”, one other Nowels/Shipley written track during which Belinda shimmers with this Summer season basic down-tempo quantity. With distant echoes of electrical guitar, “Circle In The Sand” sparkles and brims with class and class and it was certain to be launched as a single. Though Belinda would later acknowledge it as one for physician’s ready rooms! The track was launched because the third single within the Spring of 1988 and achieved high ten putting on each side of the Atlantic (No.7 at house, No.4 within the UK). A should hear at any Belinda live performance and positively an inclusion on any Carlisle compilation album, this additionally stays one in all her most memorable and finest liked songs.
3. I Really feel Free
Again to 80’s Rock-Pop as Belinda takes on Cream’s “I Really feel Free” from 1966 and given a Rick Nowels manufacturing this might nearly be an authentic that had by no means beforehand been recorded. Belinda stamps her personal mark on this observe making it her personal and though it wasn’t, it may have been an enormous world hit for her. Because it was, the track acquired solely a US launch, solely getting so far as No.88, however oh, if solely… Seductive vocals accompany the lengthy drawn out fade of the track with a touch of what was to return from the title observe of her subsequent studio album. Hypnotising and horny is what we name it. Simplicity with a tang of 60’s road Pop.
4. Ought to I Let You In?
Fellow Go Go Charlotte Caffrey supplies the subsequent authentic quantity for Belinda with the Rock-y “Ought to I Let You In?”, one other nice stay quantity and a possible single. For an album a lot heavier on guitars than her first it is a actual deal with, with energy vocals and energy backing vocals with Belinda getting actually gritty and passionate with the previous couple of minutes of the observe asking, time and again “Ought to I Let You In?” Ought to she? No complaints right here.
5. World With out You
The primary of the Diane Warren penned tracks is up subsequent and what a wonderful opening to this lush, down-tempo guitar epic. Immediately memorable and with an enormous two-part refrain makes it playable over and over. Rick Nowels’ manufacturing ensures the observe sits completely throughout the album whereas the lyrics inform a narrative of figuring out the individual you wish to be with and being utterly misplaced with out that particular somebody. “The place would I be?” cries Belinda on the finish. “…with out you, child?” she continues. Whereas America obtained “I Really feel Free” as a single, internationally the remainder of us obtained “World With out You” in September 1988. Edited and ‘souped up’ with extra guitars, the revived and revitalised “World With out You” was a UK chart hit peaking at No.34 and spending two months on the gross sales chart.
6. I Get Weak
The second of the 2 Diane Warren songs follows straight on and it doesn’t disappoint. Extra uptempo than “World With out You”, “I Get Weak” is one other very good slice of late 80’s energy Pop-Rock that’s simply as a lot an anthem as “Heaven” or some other observe on this album. From its opening phrases “convincing eyes, persuasiveness…” you simply can’t resist the pull of this observe. “I Get Weak” was the second single launched in January 1988 and it went to No.2 in America, No.4 in Canada and No.10 within the UK, the place it was launched whereas “Heaven” was nonetheless high 40. Of word is the video, which is directed by American actress Diane Keaton, who additionally directed that for “Heaven”!
7. We Can Change
Some extra joyous Pop now as “We Can Change” kicks off and it’s one other observe co-written by Charlotte Caffrey and it simply oozes 80’s feelgood beats and rhythms from the drum stick opening by way of to the rise of the verses to the unashamed refrain all set to the backdrop of acoustic and electrical guitar. “Ooh…we are able to change, something we wish to now”. A optimistic outlook comes from this track that once more makes use of a wonderful guitar mid-section to bridge to the ultimate refrain sung in a better word. “We Can Change” was used because the B facet to “Heaven”.
8. Idiot For Love
Quick-paced Rock-Pop now with “Idiot For Love” courtesy of Robbie Seidman, who had beforehand labored with Irene Cara within the 80’s. Like “Ought to I Let You In?” and “We Can Change”, which is one other observe that provides you the late-80’s buzz and spot on for these scorching Summer season nights. Belinda doesn’t care if she’s a idiot for love. And who does when it occurs? “I don’t care, I don’t care!” Okay, we heard you!
9. No person Owns Me
The fast-paced Rock anthems come thick and frequent within the second half of the album and that continues with “No person Owns Me”, you may be forgiven for considering this was a Bryan Adams album of the identical interval! Charlotte Caffrey returns for the co-writing credit on this observe, however as with all which have gone earlier than, that is very a lot a Rick Nowels manufacturing replete with a number of guitar solos over the mid-section. Belinda enforces after having admitted to being a idiot for love that “no person owns me, no person however you”.
10. Love By no means Dies
Belinda’s second album closes all too quickly and with a ballad and the beautiful “Love By no means Dies”, which comes from the pen of Caffrey and Nowels and permits Belinda for the primary time on this album to exhibit her potential to take care of a softer, much less harsher vocal and with sensitivity. “Love By no means Dies” was launched within the UK because the fifth and remaining single on the finish of 1988 and would solely peak at No.54, the one single to not make the all necessary high 40, however, as we will discover out, maybe most individuals had purchased the album by then. A romantic ending to a really uplifting album all the identical.
Belinda’s second album would take its title from the lead single, “Heaven On Earth”. Recording happened within the Spring and Summer season of 1987 and following “Heaven Is A Place On Earth’s” launch in September, the album would observe a month later in America on fifth October. Oddly, regardless of larger and extra profitable singles, “Heaven On Earth” would solely equal the chart putting of its predecessor of No.13. Gross sales, nevertheless, had been far stronger with properly over one million copies offered Stateside, double that of “Belinda” a 12 months and a bit earlier.
It was internationally that “Heaven On Earth” actually shone the brightest and most significantly, within the UK market, the place Belinda had but to attain broad attraction with as a solo artist or with The Go Go’s. With the success of “Heaven Is A Place On Earth”, the album took off in early 1988 and would peak at No.4, spending over a 12 months on the album chart and claiming three Platinum discs for gross sales of 900,000 copies. “Heaven On Earth” was additionally an enormous vendor in Canada, Australia and throughout a lot of Europe, notably in Norway, the place it went to No.1.
With Belinda now safe within the hearts of a worldwide viewers, she would repeat the method of “Heaven On Earth” along with her subsequent album, which might obtain nearly an identical success, particularly within the UK and to a lesser extent in 1991 with “Dwell Your Life Be Free”. “Heaven On Earth” has a sound that’s of its time and a spot in music, social and cultural historical past. However for 1987-88, heaven was a spot on earth for Belinda Carlisle. Are you able to think about dwelling in a world with out her?(!)
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