Perspective (America album)
Encyclopedia
Perspective is the twelfth original studio album
by American
folk rock
duo America
, released by Capitol Records
on September 21, 1984
.
-penned single, "You Can Do Magic
." In an effort to recreate this success, America had Ballard produce their 1983 album, Your Move
. The results of that collaboration, however, were not altogether successful on an artistic or a commercial level. On America's next album, Perspective, the group went in a radically different direction.
The album, featuring three different producers - Matthew McCauley
, Richie Zito
and Richard James Burgess
— and a multitude of prominent session musicians, represented America's foray into the synthesizer
-laden music popular in the mid-1980s, including the use of DMX Drums
. Band members Gerry Beckley
and Dewey Bunnell were credited as executive producers on the project. It reached #185 on the Billboard pop album charts in November 1984, and was the last America album to make the charts at all until The Complete Greatest Hits
did so in 2001. It was America's last studio album for Capitol Records, the last full-length studio album from the group until Hourglass
was released in 1994, and the group's last major-label studio album until Here & Now
in 2007.
Perspective contains two minor hit singles, "Special Girl
" and "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby." "Special Girl," with lead vocals by Beckley, hit #106 on Billboards singles charts and #15 on its adult contemporary charts in October 1984. "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" (misspelled as "Lullabye" on the album cover) features lead vocals by Bunnell and backing vocals by Steve Perry
of Journey
. It reached #26 on the Billboard adult contemporary charts in January 1985. Perry returned the favor by featuring Bunnell in a brief cameo appearance in the video for his 1984 hit single, "Oh Sherrie
."
The album also features "Stereo," a collaboration between Beckley and songwriter Jimmy Webb
, and the reggae
-influenced "Lady With A Bluebird," co-written by Bunnell, Bill Mumy
(of Lost In Space
fame) and Robert Haimer
. Mumy and Haimer (known for their novelty recording act, Barnes & Barnes
) also shared writing credits on "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" with Bunnell and Perry. Timothy B. Schmit
(of Poco
and the Eagles) provided backing vocals on "Cinderella."
Perspective was recorded, engineered and mixed in a number of locations around Los Angeles
, including at Amigo Studios in North Hollywood, Oasis Recording Studio in Universal City
, United Western Studios in Hollywood
and Larrabee Sound in West Hollywood
.
The front cover of the album shows Beckley and Bunnel standing in front of 100 Wilshire, located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard
and Ocean Avenue
in Santa Monica
, California
. Completed in 1971, it is the tallest building in Santa Monica.
A longer version of "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" was included on Encore: More Greatest Hits
, released in 1991. Originally released only on vinyl
and cassette
, Perspective was first issued in the CD
format in the United States by the now-defunct One Way Records in 1998.
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
duo America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
, released by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
on September 21, 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
.
History
After several years of failed albums and singles, America returned to the Top Ten in 1982 with their Russ BallardRuss Ballard
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English singer, songwriter and musician.-Career:Ballard was initially a guitarist with Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961, together with Roy Ballard, Russ's older brother on piano and Bob Henrit on drums...
-penned single, "You Can Do Magic
You Can Do Magic (song)
"You Can Do Magic" is a song by singer-songwriter Russ Ballard which was recorded as a 1982 single by folk rock duo America from their album View from the Ground....
." In an effort to recreate this success, America had Ballard produce their 1983 album, Your Move
Your Move (album)
Your Move is the eleventh original studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on June 3, 1983.-History:In 1982, America experienced renewed commercial success with the hit album View From The Ground. Two of the tracks on that album, including the Top 10 single "You...
. The results of that collaboration, however, were not altogether successful on an artistic or a commercial level. On America's next album, Perspective, the group went in a radically different direction.
The album, featuring three different producers - Matthew McCauley
Matthew McCauley (producer)
Matthew McCauley is an Emmy award winning composer and record producer, based in Los Angeles.Matthew McCauley is active in several sciences and is the cofounder of Ancient Egypt Research Associates which is based at the Harvard Semitic Museum.Established in 1985, AERA carries out excavations and...
, Richie Zito
Richie Zito
Richie Zito is a session guitarist and record producer from Los Angeles.He has worked with Poison, Neil Sedaka, Yvonne Elliman, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Marc Tanner, Elton John, the Motels, as well as The Cult, White Lion, Eddie Money, Heart, and Bad English...
and Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
— and a multitude of prominent session musicians, represented America's foray into the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-laden music popular in the mid-1980s, including the use of DMX Drums
Oberheim DMX
The DMX is a programmable digital drum machine introduced in 1981 by Oberheim Electronics.The Oberheim DMX was the second digital drum computer ever to be sold to the public as a product, following the Linn LM-1 in 1980...
. Band members Gerry Beckley
Gerry Beckley
Gerald Linford "Gerry" Beckley is a founding member of the band America.Beckley was born to an American father, and an English mother. He began playing the piano at the age of three and the guitar a few years later. By 1962, Beckley was playing guitar in The Vanguards, an instrumental surf music...
and Dewey Bunnell were credited as executive producers on the project. It reached #185 on the Billboard pop album charts in November 1984, and was the last America album to make the charts at all until The Complete Greatest Hits
The Complete Greatest Hits (America album)
The Complete Greatest Hits is the fourth principal major label compilation album by American folk rock duo America, released by Rhino Records in 2001. This is the first America compilation to feature all 17 of the group's Billboard Hot 100 singles. The album was intended to update and expand upon...
did so in 2001. It was America's last studio album for Capitol Records, the last full-length studio album from the group until Hourglass
Hourglass (America album)
Hourglass is the thirteenth original studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by American Gramaphone in 1994 . This was America's first new studio album since 1984's "Perspective". Two singles were released from the album, "Young Moon" and "Hope" but neither charted in the US,...
was released in 1994, and the group's last major-label studio album until Here & Now
Here & Now (America album)
Here & Now is the sixteenth original studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Burgundy Records in January 2007...
in 2007.
Perspective contains two minor hit singles, "Special Girl
Special Girl (song)
"Special Girl" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter/guitarist Eddie Schwartz in collaboration with songwriter/producer and fellow Canadian David Tyson...
" and "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby." "Special Girl," with lead vocals by Beckley, hit #106 on Billboards singles charts and #15 on its adult contemporary charts in October 1984. "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" (misspelled as "Lullabye" on the album cover) features lead vocals by Bunnell and backing vocals by Steve Perry
Steve Perry (musician)
Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
of Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
. It reached #26 on the Billboard adult contemporary charts in January 1985. Perry returned the favor by featuring Bunnell in a brief cameo appearance in the video for his 1984 hit single, "Oh Sherrie
Oh Sherrie
"Oh Sherrie" is a song written by American singer Steve Perry, Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, and Bill Cuomo. It was recorded andreleased on Perry's Street Talk album in 1984, his first solo album which he released while still a member of Journey...
."
The album also features "Stereo," a collaboration between Beckley and songwriter Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
, and the reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
-influenced "Lady With A Bluebird," co-written by Bunnell, Bill Mumy
Bill Mumy
Charles William "Bill" Mumy, Jr. is an American actor, musician, pitchman, instrumentalist, voice-over artist and a figure in the science-fiction community. He is known primarily for his work as a child television actor....
(of Lost In Space
Lost in Space
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
fame) and Robert Haimer
Robert Haimer
Robert Haimer is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He performed in the two-man band Barnes & Barnes as his stage persona Artie Barnes, alongside actor and musician Bill Mumy. Haimer became friends with Mumy in 1965 at his schools Halloween carnival day. Recently, Haimer has sold...
. Mumy and Haimer (known for their novelty recording act, Barnes & Barnes
Barnes & Barnes
Barnes & Barnes, fictional twin brothers Art Barnes and Artie Barnes , are a comedy rock duo based in "Lumania", a fictional mythological civilization . Most of their music is standard rock or pop with heavy comedic elements...
) also shared writing credits on "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" with Bunnell and Perry. Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
(of Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
and the Eagles) provided backing vocals on "Cinderella."
Perspective was recorded, engineered and mixed in a number of locations around Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, including at Amigo Studios in North Hollywood, Oasis Recording Studio in Universal City
Universal City, California
Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415 acre property of Universal Studios...
, United Western Studios in Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
and Larrabee Sound in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
The front cover of the album shows Beckley and Bunnel standing in front of 100 Wilshire, located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for Henry Gaylord Wilshire , an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. Henry Wilshire initiated what was to become Wilshire...
and Ocean Avenue
Ocean Avenue (Santa Monica)
Ocean Avenue is a road in Santa Monica, California that starts at the residential Adelaide Drive on the north end of Santa Monica and ends at Pico Boulevard...
in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Completed in 1971, it is the tallest building in Santa Monica.
A longer version of "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" was included on Encore: More Greatest Hits
Encore: More Greatest Hits
Encore: More Greatest Hits is the second major label compilation album by American folk rock duo America, released by Rhino Records on June 24, 1991.-History:Warner Bros. Records released America's initial greatest hits offering in 1975...
, released in 1991. Originally released only on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, Perspective was first issued in the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format in the United States by the now-defunct One Way Records in 1998.
Reception
Allmusic concluded that the album's "slight" songs and over-reliance on synthesizers make it no more than an "endearingly mediocre" period piece. However, they did give a nod to "the natural harmonies of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell" and contended that the album is at least a significant improvement over its predecessor, Your MoveYour Move (album)
Your Move is the eleventh original studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on June 3, 1983.-History:In 1982, America experienced renewed commercial success with the hit album View From The Ground. Two of the tracks on that album, including the Top 10 single "You...
.
Track listing
- "We Got All Night" (Sue Shifren, Terry BrittenTerry BrittenTerry Britten is a prolific English singer-songwriter, who has written songs for Tina Turner and Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Status Quo, Michael Jackson and many others.-Career:...
) - "See How The Love Goes" (Sue Shifren, Terry Britten)
- "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullabye" (Dewey Bunnell, Steve PerrySteve Perry (musician)Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
, Bill MumyBill MumyCharles William "Bill" Mumy, Jr. is an American actor, musician, pitchman, instrumentalist, voice-over artist and a figure in the science-fiction community. He is known primarily for his work as a child television actor....
, Robert HaimerRobert HaimerRobert Haimer is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He performed in the two-man band Barnes & Barnes as his stage persona Artie Barnes, alongside actor and musician Bill Mumy. Haimer became friends with Mumy in 1965 at his schools Halloween carnival day. Recently, Haimer has sold...
) - "Special GirlSpecial Girl (song)"Special Girl" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter/guitarist Eddie Schwartz in collaboration with songwriter/producer and fellow Canadian David Tyson...
" (Eddie SchwartzEddie SchwartzEddie Schwartz is a Canadian musician and Juno Award winner who had moderate success as a recording artist in the early 1980s, before becoming a successful songwriter, and record producer in the late 1980s and the 1990s....
, David TysonDavid TysonDavid Tyson is a Canadian rock music producer and songwriter. He is best known for co-writing Alannah Myles' 1990 #1 hit "Black Velvet" and producing her debut album. He also co-wrote 3 hit songs from Amanda Marshall's self-titled 1995 debut album.Tyson has won 3 Juno Awards for his work,...
) - "5th Avenue" (Beckley)
- "(It's Like You) Never Left At All" (Randy GoodrumRandy GoodrumRandy Goodrum is an American songwriter. Goodrum has written numerous popular songs, including Anne Murray's #1 hit "You Needed Me" and "Broken Hearted Me" , Michael Johnson's "Bluer Than Blue" , England Dan & John Ford Coley's "It's Sad to Belong" , Steve Perry's "Oh Sherrie" , DeBarge's "Who's...
) - "Stereo" (Beckley, Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
) - "Lady With A Bluebird" (Dewey Bunnell, Bill Mumy, Robert Haimer)
- "Cinderella" (J. Kimball, D. Vidal)
- "Unconditional Love" (Beckley)
- "Fallin' Off The World" (Dewey Bunnell, Bill Mumy)
Personnel
- Gerry BeckleyGerry BeckleyGerald Linford "Gerry" Beckley is a founding member of the band America.Beckley was born to an American father, and an English mother. He began playing the piano at the age of three and the guitar a few years later. By 1962, Beckley was playing guitar in The Vanguards, an instrumental surf music...
- Lead and Background Vocals - Dewey Bunnell - Lead and Background Vocals
- Arthur BarrowArthur BarrowArthur Barrow is a multi-instrumental musician, best known for his stint as a bass guitar player for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Early life:...
- Bass & Keyboards - Michael BoddickerMichael BoddickerMichael J. Boddicker , is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. Three times N.A.R.A.S. Most Valuable Player "Synthesizer" and MVP Emeritus, he was awarded a Grammy as a songwriter for Imagination from Flashdance in 1984...
- Synthesizers - Richard James BurgessRichard James BurgessRichard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
- Drum & Percussion Programs, Rhythm & Synthesizer Arrangements - Gary Chang - Fairlight Programming
- Paulinho da CostaPaulinho Da CostaPaulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...
- Percussion - Nathan EastNathan EastNathan Harrell East is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego...
- Bass - Bill Elliott - Synthesizers, Log Drum, Piano
- Paul Fox - Synthesizers
- Paul Jackson, Jr.Paul Jackson, Jr.Paul Jackson, Jr. is a fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musician...
- Guitar - David KemperDavid KemperDavid Kemper is a drummer. He was a long-time member of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Bob Dylan's band . He was with the Jerry Garcia Band for the last eleven years of Garcia's life...
- Percussion - Phil Kenzie - Sax Solo (on "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby")
- Randy KerberRandy KerberRandy Kerber is a composer, orchestrator, keyboard player, born September 25, 1958 in Encino, California, who has had a prolific career in the world of cinema...
- Synthesizers - Michael LandauMichael LandauMichael Landau is a prolific session musician and guitarist who has played on a large number of albums since the early 1980s with artists as varied as Seal, James Taylor, Helen Watson, Richard Marx, Steve Perry, Pink Floyd and Miles Davis...
- Guitar, Guitar Solo (on "Fallin' Off The World") - Matthew McCauleyMatthew McCauley (producer)Matthew McCauley is an Emmy award winning composer and record producer, based in Los Angeles.Matthew McCauley is active in several sciences and is the cofounder of Ancient Egypt Research Associates which is based at the Harvard Semitic Museum.Established in 1985, AERA carries out excavations and...
- DMX Drums, Synthesizers - James Newton-HowardJames Newton HowardJames Newton Howard is an American composer best known for his scores to motion pictures. He is one of the most popular and respected composers for cinema, and has scored over 100 films...
- Synthesizers - Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
- Bass & Guitars - Steve PerrySteve Perry (musician)Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
- Background Vocals (on "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby") - Marcus Ryle - DMX Drums, Synthesizer Bass
- Timothy B. SchmitTimothy B. SchmitTimothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
- Background Vocals (on "Cinderella") - Marty Walsh - Guitar
- Richie ZitoRichie ZitoRichie Zito is a session guitarist and record producer from Los Angeles.He has worked with Poison, Neil Sedaka, Yvonne Elliman, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Marc Tanner, Elton John, the Motels, as well as The Cult, White Lion, Eddie Money, Heart, and Bad English...
- Drum Programming & Guitars