E=MC² (Giorgio Moroder album)

E=MC²
Studio album by Giorgio Moroder
Released 27 August 1979
Recorded 1979
Genre Electro disco - Italo disco - Dance
Length 48:59
Label Casablanca Records
Producer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder chronology

Love's in You, Love's in Me
(1977)
E=MC²
(1979)
Solitary Men
(1983)
Singles from E=MC²
  1. "Baby Blue / If You Weren't Afraid"
    Released: 1979
  2. "If You Weren't Afraid / E=MC2"
    Released: 1979
  3. "Baby Blue / E=MC2"
    Released: 1979
  4. "What A Night / What A Night (Short Version)"
    Released: 1979
  5. "What A Night / If You Weren't Afraid"
    Released: 1979

E=MC² is a 1979 album produced and composed by Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer. The album describes itself as the first electronic live-to-digital album.

Album information

Moroder made heavy use of computers and electronics to make the album wedded for the digital process. 25 computerized synthesizers, four computerized keyboards, three microcomputers as well as electric drums, percussion and vocals were all used in the making of the album. It took only a week as well as five days to get things synchronized. It took six weeks to create the project and it was all recorded at Rusk Sounds in Los Angeles. Work was also done at Soundstream in Salt Lake City, a company that at the time was focusing on archiving old classical music albums. As digital audio recording was so expensive in 1979, Giorgio recalls it costing around '$15,000 per day and that he felt nervous as he said he didn't have the budget of 'Billy Idol' or 'Led Zeppelin'. It was all produced by Moroder as well as help from Harold Faltermeyer. The writings were shared between Moroder, Chris Bennett, Keith Forsey and Pete Bellotte. The music had an infectious, heavy rhythm which included tracks such as 'Baby Blue', 'What A Night', 'If You Weren't Afraid', 'I Wanna Rock You' and 'E=MC²'. They were all electronically processed to give it an extra bite or Bee Gees feeling.

Additional credits are listed vocally at the end of E=MC2. The Lyrics are;

'This album was produced by Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer. All keyboards and programming by Harold, with a little help from Giorgio. On drums and percussion Keith 'Foot' Forsey recorded live to digital, at Rusk Sound Studio. Digital system by Soundstream Incorporated. Roland's Micro Composer, programmed by Harold assisted by Brian Gardner. Engineered and mixed by Harold, Giorgio, and Juergen Koppers 'The Floppers' Second engineer was Steven Smith assisted by Carolyn Tapp and Roman Romance. Keyboards played on piano-coder engineered by Merlin Morgan. Tea and Coffee by Laurie Kanner. ENERGY EQUALS MC SQUARED. Thank You Albert.'

The songs "E=MC²" and "I Wanna Rock You" were featured in the game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories on the radio station "Flashback FM".

Track listing

  1. "Baby Blue (Keith Forsey, Giorgio Moroder)" - 4:54
  2. "What A Night (Harold Faltermeyer, Forsey, Moroder)" - 4:54
  3. "If You Weren't Afraid (Chris Bennett, Moroder)" - 5:40
  4. "I Wanna Rock You (Faltermeyer, Forsey, Moroder)" - 6:32
  5. "In My Wildest Dreams (Bennett, Moroder)" - 4:37
  6. "E=MC² (Pete Bellotte, Faltermeyer, Moroder)" - 4:32


2001 CD Bonus Tracks

7. "Love's in You, Love's in Me (Bellotte, Moroder)" - 3:35 [from 'Giorgio and Chris', 1978]

8. "Evolution (Moroder)" - 15:15 [from 'Battlestar Galactica', 1978]


2013 CD Bonus Tracks

7. "Baby Blue (Single Version) (Keith Forsey, Giorgio Moroder)" - 3:52

8. "If You Weren't Afraid (Single Version) (Chris Bennett, Moroder)" - 3:53

9. "I Wanna Rock You (Single Version) (Faltermeyer, Forsey, Moroder)" - 3:51