Heartbeat Like Thunder

"Heartbeat Like Thunder"
Single by Steve Harley
B-side "Warm My Cold Heart"
Released April 1986[1]
Format 7", 12"
Genre Pop, Rock
Length 3:51
Label RAK Records
Songwriter(s) Steve Harley, Duncan Mackay
Producer(s) Mickie Most
Steve Harley singles chronology
"The Phantom of the Opera"
(1986)		 "Heartbeat Like Thunder"
(1986)		 "Irresistible (1986 version)"
(1986)

"The Phantom of the Opera"
(1986)		 "Heartbeat Like Thunder"
(1986)		 "Irresistible (1986 version)"
(1986)

"Heartbeat Like Thunder" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released as a non-album single in 1986.[2] It was Harley's second of three singles for RAK.[3] Produced by Mickie Most, the song was written by Harley (music, lyrics) and ex-Cockney Rebel keyboardist Duncan Mackay (music).

Background

In 1984, Harley signed a contract to record five albums for RAK - the record label belonging to Mickie Most. In May 1985, Harley's RAK debut "Irresistible" scored him a minor hit on the UK Singles Chart. Towards the end of the year, Harley began to get involved with Andrew Lloyd-Webber's upcoming musical The Phantom of the Opera. In February 1986, Harley found himself back in the UK Top 10 when the "The Phantom of the Opera single, recorded by Harley as a duet with Sarah Brightman, went to No. 7 in the UK charts.[4] He soon found himself set to star as the Phantom in the London premiere of the musical.

Despite his new commitments to the musical, Harley continued working on his own solo material for RAK. As a follow-up to the "Phantom of the Opera" single, Harley released "Heartbeat Like Thunder" in April 1986, which was his second release for the RAK label.[5][6][7] Most was particularly interested in releasing the song as a single.[8] Harley later recalled in 2015: "Mickie loved the song and produced it with great sympathy, I think."

Like "Irresistible", which preceded it, the song featured a dominant use of synthesisers. "Heartbeat Like Thunder" in particular was entirely synthesiser and emulator-based.[9] The song was recorded with Duncan Mackay on keyboards, while Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki played drums.[9] The song also features female backing vocal. The song was mastered at the Penthouse, Abbey Road Studios.[6]

Despite the Top 10 success of "The Phantom of the Opera", "Heartbeat Like Thunder" failed to make an appearance on the UK Singles Chart. Regardless, Harley and Most continued to record together, working on Harley's upcoming solo album El Gran Senor. The album had been set for release in 1986, however when a newly remixed version of "Irresistible" was issued as Harley's third RAK single release, the label went bankrupt, leaving the album unreleased. Some of the songs due to be released on the album later appeared on the 1992 album Yes You Can, however "Heartbeat Like Thunder" was not included.[8]

Release

The single was released by RAK Records on 7" and 12" vinyl in the UK only.[2] The single featured the B-Side "Warm My Cold Heart" which was written and produced solely by Harley.[1] The B-Side was exclusive to the single and has not appeared on any other release since.[10] "Warm My Cold Heart" was written in the early 1980s, and Harley had originally introduced the song live during the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel 1980 Christmas tour. He also introduced "Such is Life", "I Could Be Anyone" and a reggae-version of "Mr. Soft" on the same tour.[11] For the 12" release of "Heartbeat Like Thunder", an "Extended Re-mix" of the track was made available.[6] Both the 7" and 12" release included the same full colour picture sleeve, which featured a photograph of Harley posing, taken by Adrian Peacock.[12]

Following its original release as a single, the song has not appeared on any Steve Harley compilations. However, in 1994, the extended remix version appeared on the Canadian various artists compilation Hardest Hits, Vol. 3 from SPG. In 2003, the CD was included as part of a three disc set titled Hardest Hits. This appearance is the only one outside of the single, and therefore the only on CD.[13]

Promotion

Unlike "Irresistible", no music video was filmed to promote the single. In the 26 April 1986 issue of the New Musical Express magazine, a half-page black-and-white advert was displayed to promote the release of the new single. It featured the same photo of Harley as on the single's sleeve.[14]

Track listing

7" Single
  1. "Heartbeat Like Thunder" - 3:51
  2. "Warm My Cold Heart" - 3:28
12" Single
  1. "Heartbeat Like Thunder (Extended Re-mix)" - 5:47
  2. "Warm My Cold Heart" - 3:28

Critical reception

Speaking of his work on the Phantom of the Opera musical, and the release of "Heartbeat Like Thunder", Bill Hagerty commented in a 1986 issue of One Day Magazine: "With the Phantom single already released and with a single of his own, "Heartbeat Like Thunder", also out, everyone knows that Harley's back in business. There's also the stage production of the Phaton, due later this year, plus a five-album recording deal with RAK Records. It's a truly remarkable re-emergence into the limelight by this 35-year-old son of a South London postman. But don't mention the comeback word to Steve Harley. It makes him mad."[15]

Andy Kellman of Allmusic retrospectively highlighted the song by mentioning it in a review of the Hardest Hits, Vol. 3 compilation.[16]

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 "Steve Harley - Heartbeat Like Thunder / Warm My Cold Heart - RAK - UK - RAK 387". 45cat. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  2. 1 2 "Steve Harley - Heartbeat Like Thunder at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  3. ↑ "Steve Harley Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1951-02-27. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  4. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/22960/sarah-brightman-and-steve-harley/
  5. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 424–425. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  6. 1 2 3 "Steve Harley - Heartbeat Like Thunder (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  7. ↑ Hagerty, Bill (1986). "The Phantom Strikes Again". One Day magazine.
  8. 1 2 "Grand Senor". Steveharley.www.50megs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  9. 1 2 "The Great Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel Story". Steveharley.www.50megs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  10. ↑ "Steve Harley - Heartbeat Like Thunder (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  11. ↑ http://steveharley.www.50megs.com/news.html
  12. ↑ "Images for Steve Harley - Heartbeat Like Thunder". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  13. ↑ "Heartbeat Like Thunder - Steve Harley : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  14. ↑ New Musical Express - 26 April 1986 - UK music magazine
  15. ↑ Hagerty, Bill (1986). "The Phantom Strikes Again". One Day magazine.
  16. ↑ Kellman, Andy (1994-12-26). "Hardest Hits, Vol. 3 - Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.