Steve Winwood: Back in the High Life
# | Preview | Title | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Higher Love (Winwood/Jennings)
Think about it, there must be higher love Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above Without it, life is a wasted time Look inside your heart, I'll look inside mine Things look so bad everywhere In this whole world, what is fair? We walk blind and we try to see Falling behind in what could be Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Where's that higher love I keep thinking of? Worlds are turning and we're just hanging on Facing our fear and standing out there alone A yearning, and it's real to me There must be someone who's feeling for me Things look so bad everywhere In this whole world, what is fair? We walk blind and we try to see Falling behind in what could be Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Where's that higher love I keep thinking of? Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Bring be a higher love I could rise above on a higher love I will wait for it I'm not too late for it Until then, I'll sing my song To cheer the night along Bring it...Oh bring it... I could light the night up with my soul on fire I could make the sun shine from pure desire Let me feel that love come over me Let me feel how strong it could be Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Bring me a higher love Where's that higher love I keep thinking of? |
05:45 | |
2 |
Take It as It Comes (Winwood/Jennings)
Raise the window on another day Take it as it comes Just an actor waiting for a new play Take it as it comes Ask me to dance, I will dance for you Ask me to sing, see what I do If you feel sad, I'll make jokes for you I'm a handyman, I'm still coming through If you suffer from a broken heart Take it as it comes If your lover tears your world all apart Got to take it as it comes I've played a king and a down and out fool Some like it hot, and some like it cool Do what they want, but don't be their tool Savor the throne, but don't mind the stool Carry on, carry on, carry on... If they go too far, that's the way things are Though it may hurt some, take it as it comes We're all skating on the thinnest of ice Got to take it as it comes In a world that is not so very nice Got to take it as it comes And day now the curtain may fall All the plays end, there's no curtain call If you live sad, or it you walk tall We're written on wind that's a lot to haul Carry on, carry on, carry on... If they go too far, that's the way things are Though your mind gets numb, take it as it comes We're all skating on the thinnest of ice Got to take it as it comes In a world that is not so very nice Got to take it as it comes Any day now the curtain may fall All the plays end, there's no curtain call If you live sad, or if you walk tall We're written on wind that's a lot to haul Carry on, carry on, carry on... If they go too far, that's the way things are Though your mind gets numb, take it as it comes If they go too far, that's the way things are If they break your thumbs, take it as it comes |
05:20 | |
3 |
Freedom Overspill (Winwood, George Fleming, James Hooker)
Keep on talking all you want Well you don't waste a minute of time Who cares, who knows what's true Coffee and tears the whole night through Burning up on midnight oil And it's come right back on you Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill Force of habit, you could say The way they talk you're talking away Who cares, who knows what's true Your wounded pride is burning you up Burning up on midnight oil And it's come right back on you Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill You're sounding good to me now Keep talking on I want to hear the worst You got no right going around Talking 'bout the things that you do Talking 'bout the things that you do Keep on talking all you want Well you don't waste a minute of time Who cares, who knows what's true Coffee and tears the whole night through Burning up on midnight oil And it's come right back on you Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill You're sounding good to me now Keep talking on I want to hear the worst You got no right going around Talking 'bout the things that you do Talking 'bout the things you do Force of habit, you could say The way they talk you're talking away Who cares, who knows what's true Your wounded pride is burning you up Burning up on midnight oil And it's come right back on you Freedom Overspill Freedom Overspill |
05:33 | |
4 |
Back in the High Life Again (Winwood/Jennings)
It used to seem to me That my life ran on too fast And I had to take it slowly Just to make the good parts last But when you're born to run It's so hard to just slow down So don't be surprised to see me Back in that bright part of town I'll be back in the high life again All the doors I closed one time will open up again I'll be back in the high life again All the eyes that watched me once will smile and take me in And I'll drink and dance with one hand free Let the world back into me And on I'll be a sight to see Back in the high life again You used to be the best To make life be life to me And I hope that you're still out there And you're like you used to be We'll have ourselves a time And we'll dance 'til the morning sun And we'll let the good times come in And we won't stop 'til we're done We'll be back in the high life again All the doors I closed one time will open up again We'll be back in the high life again All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in And we'll drink and dance with one hand free And have the world so easily And oh we'll be a sight to see Back in the high life again We'll be back in the high life again All the doors I closed one time will open up again We'll be back in the high life again All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in And we'll drink and dance with one hand free And have the world so easily And oh we'll be a sight to see Back in the high life again |
05:33 | |
5 |
The Finer Things (Winwood/Jennings)
While there is time Let's go out and feel everything If you hold me I will let you into my dream For time is a river rolling into nowhere We must live while we can And we'll drink our cup of laughter The finer things keep shining through The way my soul gets lost in you The finer things I feel in me The golden dance life could be Oh, I've been sad And have walked bitter streets alone And come morning There's a good wind to blow me home So time is a river rolling into nowhere I will live while I can I will have my ever after The finer things keep shining through The way my soul gets lost in you The finer things I feel in me The golden dance life could be We go so fast, why don't we make it last Life is glowing inside you and me Please take my hand, here where I stand Won't you come out and dance with me Come see, with me, come see And lovers try 'Til they get the best of the night And come morning They are tangled up in the light So time be a river rolling into nowhere They love while they can And they think about the night so sweet The finer things keep shining through The way my soul gets lost in you The finer things I feel in me The golden dance life could be |
05:47 | |
6 |
Wake Me up on Judgement Day (Winwood/Jennings)
The story goes, the truth is no one knows A stranger came, a man who lost his name At night he tells me his tale, prison, women, wail The took him in, he let them win Over and over He said if you don't have good words to say Don't wake me up until the Judgment Day 'Cause if nothing is the way it seems Then this life is just a haunted dream And all this love is just falling down through the years And oh, I'd rather sleep Wake me up on Judgment Day Let me hear golden trumpets play Give me life where nothing fails Not a dream in a wishing well A man in tattered clothes, crying all he knows The darkness grows, that's how it goes Over and over He said I think of the beauty I've had And all it does is make me feel so bad First they make you think you're riding high Then they toss you off in the sky And all this life is just falling down through the years And oh, I'd rather sleep Wake me up on Judgment Day Let me hear golden trumpets play Give me life where nothing fails Not a dream in a wishing well Say a prayer for the stranger Listen to the stranger Wake me up on Judgment Day Let me hear golden trumpets play Give me life where nothing fails Not a dream in a wishing well |
05:48 | |
7 |
Split Decision (Winwood, Joe Walsh)
Sometimes I think he knows too much His confidence never needs a crutch One man is a real one, the other wants to hide One man has his mind made up, the other can't decide By the time there's nothing left to choose One man puts the fire out, the other lights the fuse Sometimes I think I know too much 'Bout what goes on in the real world and such Half of me is certain, the other isn't sure One half has the symptom, the other has the cure By the time there's nothing left to choose One half has the answer, the other looks for clues It's a fine line, a very fine line Split decision It's a fine line, a very fine line Sometimes I think we've come too far If we're lost and if not where we are Half of us is easy, the other half is hard Even though we do our best, we end up being scarred By the time there's nothin' left to choose One man puts the fire out, the other lights the fuse It's a fine line, a very fine line It's a fine line, a very fine line Split decision It's a fine line, a very fine line It's a fine line, a very fine line A very fine line Sometimes I think I know too much When confidence never needs a crutch One man is a real one, the other wants to hide One man has his mind made u while the other can't decide By the time there's nothing left to choose One of us sees red, while the other sings the blues It's a fine line, a very fine line It's a fine line, a very fine line Split decision It's a fine line, a very fine line It's a fine line, a very fine line A very fine line |
05:58 | |
8 |
My Love's Leavin' (Winwood, Viv Stanshall)
I can't believe she's going I said please show me What selfish seeds I plant along the way Black harvest today The empty bed she left me, cold on one side Can't believe, only me Shadows in purple thrill me I cry myself awake each night I can't believe that it's true Here I am, where are you Can I cope with today My love is leavin' me Still I'm hoping she'll stay My love is leavin' me But I'll control my feelings I find faith, healing And I'll find hope singing The way is so long But I'm going to be strong Oh, what a turn around Soon, someday I'll be bound And I'll cope with today My love is leavin' me Still I'm hoping she'll stay My love is leavin' me Can't believe, only me Shadows in purple thrill me I cry myself awake each night I can't believe that it's true Here I am, where are you my love Breathing your perfume chills me Dreams never lie Is it true, asking you My love is leavin' me Still I'm hoping she'll stay My love is leavin' me |
05:19 |
PLAYERS:
Steve Winwood: Keyboards, Guitar, Sequencer Programming, and Drum Machine Programming on tracks 1, 2. Hammond Organ, Synthesizer Bass, Sequencer and Drum Machine Programming on track 3. Synthesizer Piano, Mandolin, Moog Bass, and Drum Machine Programming on track 4. Keyboards, Synth Solo, Sequencer and Drum Maching Programming on track 5. Synthesizer, Sequencer and Drum Machine Programming on track 6. Synthesizer, Synth Solo, Hammond Organ, Moog Bass, and Drum Machine Programming on track 7. Keyboards, Synth Solo, Guitar, Moog Bass, and Drum Machine Programming on track 8.
Mickey Curry: Drums on tracks 1, 2.
Carole Steele: Tambourine on tracks 1, 2, 7. Percussion on tracks 3,6,8. Congas on track 5.
Randy Brecker: Trumpet on tracks 1, 2, 3.
Lewis Del Gatto: Baritone and Tenor Sax on tracks 1, 2, 3.
Tom Malone: Trombone on tracks 1, 2, 3.
Bob Mintzer: Tenor Sax on tracks 1, 2, 3.
George Young: Alto Sax on tracks 1,2, 3.
David Frank: Horn Arrangement on track 1, 2, 3. Synthesizer Horn Arrangement on track 6.
Joe Walsh: Slide Guitar on track 3. Guitar on track 7.
Eddie Martinez: Rhythm Guitar on track 3.
Steve Ferrone: Drums on track 3.
Jimmy Brawlower: Drum Machine Programming on track 3, 4, 5, 7.
Rob Mounsey: Additional Synthesizer on track 4. Keyboards on track 5. Synthesizer Strings on track 8.
John Robinson: Drums on tracks 4, 5, 6, 7.
James Taylor: Harmony Vocals on track 4.
Paul Pesco: Guitar on track 5.
Dan Hartman: Backing Vocals on track 5.
James Ingram: Backing Vocals on track 5.
Chaka Khan: Vocals on track 1.
Andrew Thomas: PPG Wave Term Synthesizer Programming on tracks 5, 6
Robbie Kilgore: Keyboards on track 5. Synthesizer on track 6. Synthesizer Bell on track 8.
Ira Siegal: Guitar on track 6.
Jocelyn Brown: Backing Vocals on tracks 6, 7.
Connie Harvey: Backing Vocals on tracks 6, 7.
Mark Stephens: Backing Vocals on tracks 6, 7.
Arif Mardin: Synthesizer String Arrangement on track 8.
NOTES:
Produced by Russ Titelman & Steve Winwood
Engineered by Tom Lord Alge & Jason Corsaro.
Additional Engineers include Nobby Clarke, Chris Lord Alge, Jim Boyer, Dave Greenberg, Bruce Lampcov, Malcolm Pollack, and John Wolfson.
Assistant Engineers: Jeff Lord Alge, Claude Achille, Ed Bruder, Sean Chenery, Rob Eaton, John Goldberger, Roy Hendrickson, Scott Mabuchi, Shizuko Orishige, and Steve Rinkoff.
Mixed by Tom Lord Alge
Recorded at Unique Recording Studio, Right Track Recording, Power Station, Giant Sound, New York, and Netherturkdonic Studios, Gloucestershire, England.
Originally Mastered Digitally by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, New York
Co-writers: Viv Stanshall, Will Jennings, Joe Walsh, George Fleming/James Hooker
Back in the High Life is Steve Winwood’s fourth solo Album. It was a top ten hit on the album charts in the United States and has sold over five million copies. The single "Higher Love" topped the singles chart and won the Grammy Award for "Record of the Year"; "Back in the High Life Again" (US #13), "The Finer Things" (US #8, the second biggest hit from the album), and "Freedom Overspill" (US #20) were also big hits. This was Winwood's last studio album with Island Records after twenty years with the label. The album also features some remarkable collaborations in backing vocals, featuring Chaka Khan in "Higher Love" and James Taylor in "Back in the High Life Again".
AWARDS:
1986 Grammy Awards, Best Engineered Album, Non Classica
1986 Grammy Awards, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “Higher Love”
1986 Grammy Awards, Record of the Year, “Higher Love”
RIAA Certified 3x Multi-Platinum
BPI Certified Gold
SINGLES:
"Higher Love" / "And I Go" released as UK single, 06/86
"Higher Love" / "And I Go" released as US single, 1986. Peaks at #1, spends 22 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 charts. Peaked at #7 on Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Peaked at #1 on Billboard Album Rock charts.
"Freedom Overspill" / "Help Me Angel" released as US single, 1986. Peaks at #20, spends 15 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 charts. Peaked at #17 on Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Peaked at #4 on Billboard Album Rock charts.
"Freedom Overspill" / "Spanish Dancer" released as UK single, released as UK single, 08/86
"Freedom Overspill" / "Spanish Dancer" + "Higher Love" / "And I Go (2 x 7")" released as UK single, 08/86
"The Finer Things" / "Night Train" released as US single, 1986. Peaks at #8, spends 23 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 charts. Peaked at #1 on Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Peaked at #5 on Billboard Album Rock charts.
"Back in the High Life Again" / "Night Train" released as US single, 1986. Peaks at #13, spends 21 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 charts. Peaked at #1 on Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Peaked at #19 on Billboard Album Rock charts.
"The Finer Things" / "The Finer Things (instrumental) " released as UK single, 1987