Sleeping with the Past

Sleeping with the Past
Studio album by Elton John
Released 29 August 1989 (1989-08-29)
Recorded November–December 1988
Studio Puk Recording Studios, Randers, Denmark
Genre Pop[1]
Length 47:44
Label MCA (US)
Rocket (UK)
Producer Chris Thomas
Elton John chronology
The Complete Thom Bell Sessions
(1989)The Complete Thom Bell Sessions1989		 Sleeping with the Past
(1989)		 To Be Continued
(1990)To Be Continued1990
Singles from Sleeping with the Past
  1. "Healing Hands"
    Released: August 1989 (first release), May 1990 (second release)
  2. "Sacrifice"
    Released: October 1989 (first release), May 1990 (second release)
  3. "Club at the End of the Street"
    Released: August 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Los Angeles Times[1]

Sleeping with the Past is the 22nd studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elton John, released on 29 August 1989. It is his best-selling album in Denmark (where it was recorded) and is dedicated to his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin. The album features his first solo number-one single, "Sacrifice", in his home country of the UK, which helped the album also hit number one there, his first since 1974's Elton John's Greatest Hits. John and Taupin meant for the songs to reflect the style of 1960s R&B icons such as Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, whom they admired. It also became his first platinum album in the UK since 1983. In the US it was certified gold in October 1989 and platinum in April 1990 by the RIAA. Guy Babylon made his debut on this album and would continue to play keyboards with John for the next 20 years, while Fred Mandel left the band shortly after. John went into rehabilitation in 1990.

Background

With renewed creativity after 1988's Reg Strikes Back, Elton John and Bernie Taupin sought to create a cohesive album that had maintained a consistent theme. They decided to pay tribute to the R&B sound of the 1960s and '70s that inspired them as youths. Taupin would listen to '60s soul songs and use those songs from the past to inspire new lyrics for their album. He would then write down which artists or songs influenced him. John would then use Taupin's guide to write a soul song that sometimes ventured away from the original source of inspiration. Many of the songs have a somewhat clear influence while others contain a mixture of various soul influences.

In addition to "Sacrifice" and "Healing Hands", which were singles in both the UK and US, the songs "Whispers" and "Blue Avenue" were released as singles in parts of Continental Europe. "Whispers" reached #11 in France, whilst "Blue Avenue" managed to reach the Top 75 in the Netherlands.

Like Reg Strikes Back the previous year, of note is the lowering of John's vocal register. While he does hit higher, falsetto notes on songs such as "Stones Throw from Hurtin'" and "Blue Avenue", after this album he would write in keys more suited to his new vocal range, and trips to the upper register would become few and far between.

Wynonna Judd recorded a contemporary country music cover version of "Stones Throw from Hurtin'" which was featured in the 1992 film Leap of Faith starring Steve Martin.

Sinéad O'Connor recorded a cover version of "Sacrifice" for the 1991 Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin tribute album.

This was John's first album since Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy with John and Taupin writing every song on the album without additional writing credits from others.

Track listing

All tracks written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

Side one

  1. "Durban Deep" – 5:29
  2. "Healing Hands" – 4:31
  3. "Whispers" – 5:28
  4. "Club at the End of the Street" – 4:52
  5. "Sleeping with the Past" – 4:54

Side two

  1. "Stones Throw from Hurtin'" – 4:45
  2. "Sacrifice" – 5:06
  3. "I Never Knew Her Name" – 3:29
  4. "Amazes Me" – 4:37
  5. "Blue Avenue" – 4:33

Bonus tracks (1999 Polygram International reissue)

  1. "Dancing in the End Zone" – 3:55
  2. "Love Is a Cannibal" – 3:53

The version of "Durban Deep" on the 1998 remaster features a different vocal mix and is slightly extended from the original album version (the fade out lasts about ten seconds longer).

Reception

Sleeping with the Past received lukewarm reviews when the album was released in 1989. However, longtime fans of Elton John loved the album and deem it to be one of his best from the 1980s, often vying with 1983's Too Low for Zero as John's strongest album of the decade. After peaking at #6 in October 1989 on the UK Albums Chart, the re-release of "Sacrifice" as a double A-side with "Healing Hands" in June 1990, and that single's rise to the #1 spot, Sleeping with the Past was propelled back up the #1 position on the UK Albums Chart shortly afterwards.

Despite the critical judgment of the album, it became his highest-selling studio album in the UK, being certified 3× Platinum[4] and spawned his first solo #1 hit in his home country.

B-sides

Song Format
"Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (Live in Verona) "Healing Hands" CD (UK)
"Dancing in the End Zone" "Healing Hands" 12"/CD (UK), 7" (US/UK)
"Love Is a Cannibal" "Sacrifice" 12"/CD (UK), 7" (US/UK)
"Give Peace a Chance" "Club at the End of the Street" 7"/12"/CD (UK)
"I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (Live in Verona) "Club at the End of the Street" 12"/CD (UK)
"Healing Hands" (Shep Pettibone Remix aka The Healing Hands Mix) "Healing Hands" 12" (UK)

Personnel

  • Elton John – keyboards, lead and harmony vocals, backing vocals (1)
  • Guy Babylon – keyboards
  • Davey Johnstone – guitar, backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)
  • Fred Mandel – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10), guitar (1, 4, 8), organ (4), guitar solo (6)
  • Romeo Williams – bass guitar
  • Jonathan Moffett – drums
  • Vince Denham – saxophone on "Club at the End of the Street"
  • Marlena Jeter – backing vocals (tracks 2, 5, 6, 8, 9)
  • Natalie Jackson – backing vocals (tracks 2, 5, 6, 8, 9)
  • Mortonette Jenkins – backing vocals (tracks 2, 5, 6, 8, 9)
  • Peter Iversen – Fairlight and Audiofile programming
  • Produced by Chris Thomas
  • Engineered by John "Puk" Quist and David Nicholas
  • Engineering assistance by Karl Lever
  • Mixed at Air Studios (London, England) and Puk Studios.
  • Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders (Hollywood, CA).
  • Album Coordination: Steve Brown
  • Studio Coordination: Adrian Collee and Dee Whelan
  • Technicians: Tom Pearce (keyboards), Rick Salazar (guitars) and Terry Wade (drums).
  • Design by Wherefore Art?
  • Photography by Herb Ritts
  • Management: John Reid, Birte Quist and John "Puk" Quist.
  • Personal Assistance to Elton John: Bob Halley

Charts

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[28] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[29] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[30] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[31] Gold 250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[32] 4× Platinum 400,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[33] Gold 50,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[34] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[35] 2× Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] 3× Platinum 900,000^
United States (RIAA)[37] Platinum 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. 1 2 Boehm, Mike (1989-08-27). "ELTON JOHN "Sleeping With the Past" MCA". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  2. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. Sleeping with the Past at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Caro, Mark (1989-11-30). "Elton John Sleeping with the Past (MCA)". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
  4. ↑ "British album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Sleeping with the Past in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Search
  5. ↑ "australian-charts.com Elton John – Sleeping With The Past". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  6. ↑ "Elton John – Sleeping With The Past – austriancharts.at" (in German). Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  7. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-05
  8. ↑ http://danskehitlister.dk/?song_id=6568
  9. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl Elton John – Sleeping With The Past". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  10. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  11. ↑ "Album Search: Elton John" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  12. ↑ "Archivum: Top 40 Album". MAHASZ (in Hungarian). Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  13. 1 2 "Hit Parade Italia – Gli album più venduti del 1989" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  14. ↑ "charts.org.nz – Elton John – Sleeping With The Past". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  15. ↑ "norwegiancharts.com Elton John – Sleeping With The Past". Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  16. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. ↑ "swedishcharts.com Elton John – Sleeping With The Past" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  18. ↑ "Elton John – Sleeping With The Past – hitparade.ch" (in German). Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  19. ↑ "Chart Stats – Elton John – Sleeping With The Past". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2011-09-18.
  20. ↑ AllMusic – Sleeping with the Past > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  21. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1989". RPM. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  22. ↑ "Les Albums (CD) de 1989 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
  23. ↑ "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989". Swiss Music Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  24. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1990". aria.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  25. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1990" (ASP) (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  26. ↑ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  28. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
  29. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past". Music Canada.
  30. ↑ "French album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  31. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Elton John; 'Sleeping with the Past')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  32. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
  33. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
  34. ↑ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995". Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN 8480486392.
  35. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Elton John; 'Sleeping with the Past')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  36. ↑ "British album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Sleeping with the Past in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  37. ↑ "American album certifications – Elton John – Sleeping with the Past". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by
Oro incenso e birra by Zucchero		 Swiss Music Chart number-one album
24 September 1989 		Succeeded by
Foreign Affair by Tina Turner
Preceded by
All or Nothing: Remix by Milli Vanilli		 New Zealand Albums Chart number-one album
11–18 March 1990 		Succeeded by
Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil
Preceded by
The Essential Pavarotti by Luciano Pavarotti		 UK number-one album
28 July 1990 – 31 August 1990 		Succeeded by
Graffiti Bridge by Prince

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