No. 1 in Heaven
Nº 1 in Heaven | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 1979 | |||
Recorded | 1978 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 33:44 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Giorgio Moroder | |||
Sparks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Nº 1 in Heaven | ||||
Nº 1 in Heaven is the eighth album by American art pop band Sparks. Recorded with Italian disco producer Giorgio Moroder, it marked a change of musical direction for the group and became influential on later synth-pop bands.[citation needed]
Released in 1979 by Virgin Records (with initial copies on colored vinyl) and later licensed to Elektra Records in the US, Nº 1 in Heaven renewed interest in the band after disappointing sales of the preceding albums Big Beat and Introducing Sparks. It is the band's only album on Elektra, the fourth label that the band was signed to in the US.
Background[]
In 1973, Sparks had decamped from the US to the UK, resulting in a change of lineup upon hiring English musicians to fill the roles of guitar, bass and drums. Consequently, Sparks enjoyed their first period of success, wherein their singles and albums sold well and were received warmly by the critics. After 1975's Indiscreet, the third of Sparks' UK-based albums, sold less well than its two predecessors, the Maels then chose to return to Los Angeles to rejuvenate the group.
Initially, they had returned to work with early Sparks member Earle Mankey and recorded the song "England" with him. Eventually the group turned to Rupert Holmes and recorded the heavier and more produced Big Beat (1976) with a number of session musicians. Although the album employed a more "American" sound, it did little business in the US or the UK. The next album, Introducing Sparks (1977), was much lighter but was no more successful than Big Beat. This new "West Coast" sound was deemed a failure, as the band felt the results were "bereft of personality".[8]
By 1978, the Mael Brothers found themselves at a crossroads; they had tired of the rock band format and were determined to take their music in a more electronic direction. They had expressed admiration for pioneering Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, creator of Donna Summer's iconic disco anthem "I Feel Love", to a German journalist who turned out to be a friend of his. Sparks then teamed up with Moroder to record Nº 1 in Heaven at Musicland Studios, West Germany.
Production[]
Nº 1 in Heaven had a dramatically different sound from that of Sparks' previous seven albums. The group dropped the standard guitar, bass and piano from its musical palette and the new sound was dominated by layered sequencers and synthesizers, underpinned by the drums and percussion of Keith Forsey. Russell Mael's distinctive falsetto was overlaid in a number of overdubs and complemented by backing vocalists.
Aside from Ron Mael's lyrics and Russell's vocals, musically, the sound of the album matched that of Moroder's trademark sound that had begun with Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" and had continued in much of his solo work, with songs like "Tryouts for the Human Race" and "La Dolce Vita" continuing in the vein of his work with Summer. This sound was also exemplified on Summer's 1977 album Once Upon a Time ("Now I Need You", "Working the Midnight Shift", "Queen for a Day") and 1979's Bad Girls (in songs like "Sunset People").
The first US editions of Nº 1 in Heaven contained content identical to the original Virgin UK release, but later editions substituted the 12" extended mix of "Beat the Clock" for the album version.
Reception[]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+[10] |
Pitchfork | 9.4/10[11] |
Nº 1 in Heaven was promoted by the release of four singles over 1979. The first single, "La Dolce Vita", was released in early 1979 in European countries such as Germany and Italy but did not chart. "The Number One Song in Heaven" became the group's first hit since "Looks, Looks, Looks" in 1975, reaching No. 14 in the UK[12] and No. 5 on the Irish Singles Chart.[13] "Beat the Clock" fared even better in the UK and reached the top ten in July of that year.[12] The final single, "Tryouts for the Human Race" (released after the album), fared less well but still charted, hitting No. 45.[12] All singles (except "La Dolce Vita") were released on picture disc/colored vinyl, with exclusive remixes/edits. The album itself, while reaching the charts in the UK and therefore faring better than Sparks' former two albums, managed only one week at No. 73 in September 1979.[12]
Legacy[]
Joy Division cited "Number One Song in Heaven" as a primary influence during the recording of "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Joy Division's drummer Stephen Morris stated: "When we were doing 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', there were two records we were into: Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits and 'Number One Song in Heaven' by Sparks. That was the beginning of getting interested in Giorgio Moroder".[14]
Track listing[]
All tracks are written by Ron Mael, Giorgio Moroder and Russell Mael, except where noted[15].
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Tryouts for the Human Race" | 6:05 | |
2. | "Academy Award Performance" | Ron Mael | 5:00 |
3. | "La Dolce Vita" | 5:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
4. | "Beat the Clock" |
| 4:23 |
5. | "My Other Voice" | 4:54 | |
6. | "The Number One Song in Heaven" | 7:26 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Dancing Is Dangerous" |
| 9:43 |
8. | "Is There More to Life Than Dancing" |
| 8:08 |
9. | "Beat the Clock (Meat Beat Manifesto Remix - Double Bass Remix)" |
| 6:13 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Tryouts for the Human Race (Single Version)" | 3:17 | |
8. | "La Dolce Vita (Single Version)" | 3:48 | |
9. | "Beat the Clock (Single Version)" |
| 3:46 |
10. | "The Number One Song in Heaven (Single Version)" | 3:53 | |
11. | "Beat the Clock (Canadian Single Version)" |
| 4:21 |
12. | "Tryouts for the Human Race (Extended Version)" | 7:56 | |
13. | "La Dolce Vita (Extended Version)" | 5:57 | |
14. | "Beat the Clock (Extended Version)" |
| 6:40 |
15. | "Tryouts for the Human Race (12 Inch Short Version)" | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Tryouts for the Human Race (Alternative Long Version)" | 7:57 | |
8. | "Peter Cook's Promo Spot for No. 1 in Heaven" | 2:38 | |
9. | "The Number One Song in Heaven (Single Version)" | 3:51 | |
10. | "Beat the Clock (Long Version)" |
| 6:46 |
11. | "Peter Cook's Promo Spot for Tryouts for the Human Race" | 2:51 | |
12. | "Tryouts for the Human Race (Single Version)" | 3:22 |
Charts[]
Chart (1979) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] | 63 |
Sweden | 43 |
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) | 73 |
United States (Billboard 200) | 204 |
Personnel[]
Sparks
- Ron Mael – keyboards, synthesiser, vocals
- Russell Mael – vocals
Additional musicians
- Keith Forsey – drums
- Giorgio Moroder – synthesiser, vocoder
- Dan Wyman – synthesiser programming
- Chris Bennett, Dennis Young, Jack Moran – backing vocals
Technical
- Giorgio Moroder – producer
- Jürgen Koppers – engineer
- Steven Bartel – design
- Moshe Brakha – photography
References[]
- ^ "Sparks Announce Lavish 'No.1 In Heaven' Re-Issue". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "The Quietus - Reviews - Sparks". The Quietus. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "45cat - Sparks - La Dolce Vita / My Other Voice - Ariola - Germany - 100 294". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- ^ "45cat - Sparks - The Number One Song In Heaven / The Number One Song In Heaven (Long Version) - Virgin - UK - VS 244". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- ^ "45cat - Sparks - Tryouts For The Human Race / The Nº 1 Song In Heaven - Elektra - USA - E-46045". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- ^ "45cat - Sparks - Tryouts For The Human Race / Tryouts For The Human Race (Long Version) - Virgin - UK - VS 289". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- ^ "45cat - Sparks - Beat The Clock / Beat The Clock (Alternative Mix) - Virgin - UK - VS 270". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- ^ Easlea, Daryl (July 2003). "Sparks Interview". Record Collector (287).
- ^ Nº 1 in Heaven (Review) at AllMusic. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Berman, Stuart (May 23, 2021). "Sparks: No. 1 in Heaven". Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "The Official Charts Company - Sparks". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - Sparks search". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (2009). Totally Wired: Post-Punk Interviews and Overviews. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0571235490.
- ^ "ASCAP Repertory Search". Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 286. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- Sparks (band) albums
- 1979 albums
- Disco albums by American artists
- Albums produced by Giorgio Moroder
- Virgin Records albums
- Elektra Records albums
- Warner Records albums
- Ariola Records albums
- Repertoire Records albums
- Synth-pop albums by American artists