Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Encyclopedia
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder was a collaborative album released in 1985 by Philip Oakey
, lead singer of the electronic band The Human League
and seminal electro producer Giorgio Moroder
, whose early records had been a major influence on Oakey.
The album is most notable for containing the song "Together in Electric Dreams
", which was the title track for the movie Electric Dreams and a major hit single. In fact, the album was essentially a spin-off project set up by Virgin records to capitalise on the success of the single.
The album consists mainly of sequenced beats, along with dinstinctly FM-generated
bell-like sounds, and a number of sounds generated by analog synthesizers. This album uses very little sampling. Notable, also, is that the first five songs on this album (the entire first side on the original vinyl LP version) are seguéd together.
In 1985 two further singles were released from the album. In July 1985 "Good-Bye Bad Times
" was released with a big budget music video
but only reached number 44 in the UK singles chart. This was followed up in August 1985 with "Be My Lover Now
" which reached only number 74. The lack of success of the singles effectively put an end to the brief Oakey/Moroder partnership. After recording this album, Philip Oakey returned to work on the next Human League album, Crash
in early 1986
.
The Human League regularly perform "Together in Electric Dreams" at their live concerts, usually with Philip Oakey giving named credit to Giorgio Moroder.
In 2003, in an interview by Simon Price
included on the The Very Best of the Human League (DVD)
, Oakey was asked to comment on the experience of working with his idol Moroder on this project. He diplomatically characterises him as a "very quick worker", claiming they made the entire album in a few days.
The album was reissued on CD in 2003 with the following bonus tracks:
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
, lead singer of the electronic band The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
and seminal electro producer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
, whose early records had been a major influence on Oakey.
The album is most notable for containing the song "Together in Electric Dreams
Together in Electric Dreams
"Together in Electric Dreams" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the original soundtrack of the 1984 film Electric Dreams....
", which was the title track for the movie Electric Dreams and a major hit single. In fact, the album was essentially a spin-off project set up by Virgin records to capitalise on the success of the single.
The album consists mainly of sequenced beats, along with dinstinctly FM-generated
Frequency modulation synthesis
A 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
bell-like sounds, and a number of sounds generated by analog synthesizers. This album uses very little sampling. Notable, also, is that the first five songs on this album (the entire first side on the original vinyl LP version) are seguéd together.
In 1985 two further singles were released from the album. In July 1985 "Good-Bye Bad Times
Good-Bye Bad Times
"Good-Bye Bad Times" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder...
" was released with a big budget music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
but only reached number 44 in the UK singles chart. This was followed up in August 1985 with "Be My Lover Now
Be My Lover Now
"Be My Lover Now" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder. It was released as a single in the UK in August 1985 where it reached number 74 in the singles...
" which reached only number 74. The lack of success of the singles effectively put an end to the brief Oakey/Moroder partnership. After recording this album, Philip Oakey returned to work on the next Human League album, Crash
Crash (Human League album)
Crash is the fifth full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League in 1986. Unlike the band’s previous and subsequent albums it is R&B influenced...
in early 1986
1986 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
.
The Human League regularly perform "Together in Electric Dreams" at their live concerts, usually with Philip Oakey giving named credit to Giorgio Moroder.
In 2003, in an interview by Simon Price
Simon Price
Simon Price is a British music journalist and club promoter, born on 25 September 1967 in the Welsh town of Barry. He is now best known for his weekly review section in The Independent on Sunday and his book on Manic Street Preachers.-Career:...
included on the The Very Best of the Human League (DVD)
The Very Best of the Human League (DVD)
The Very Best of the Human League is a DVD by veteran British Synthpop group The Human League, containing most of the band’s music videos recorded up to that point, digitally re-mastered...
, Oakey was asked to comment on the experience of working with his idol Moroder on this project. He diplomatically characterises him as a "very quick worker", claiming they made the entire album in a few days.
Track listing
- "Why Must The Show Go On" – 4:10
- "In Transit" – 0:56
- "Good-Bye Bad TimesGood-Bye Bad Times"Good-Bye Bad Times" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder...
" – 3:51 - "Brand New Love" (Take A Chance) – 3:59
- "Valerie" – 3:24
- "Now" – 4:26
- "Together In Electric DreamsTogether in Electric Dreams"Together in Electric Dreams" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the original soundtrack of the 1984 film Electric Dreams....
" – 3:52 - "Be My Lover NowBe My Lover Now"Be My Lover Now" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder. It was released as a single in the UK in August 1985 where it reached number 74 in the singles...
" – 3:51 - "Shake It Up" – 4:16
The album was reissued on CD in 2003 with the following bonus tracks:
- 10. Together In Electric Dreams (Extended)
- 11. Together In Electric Dreams (Instrumental)
- 12. In Transit (Extended)
- 13. Good-Bye Bad Times (12" Remix)
- 14. Good-Bye Bad Times (Instrumental)
- 15. Be My Lover Now (12" Mix)
- 16. Be My Lover Now (Instrumental)
Personnel
- Philip OakeyPhilip OakeyPhilip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
- vocals - Giorgio MoroderGiorgio MoroderHansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
- producer and some keyboards - 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:...
- keyboards, programming and drums - 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...
- guitars - Joe EspositoJoe Esposito (singer)Joe Esposito is a Grammy winning American singer/songwriter whose career spans from the 1970s to the present day. Esposito's songs have been recorded by Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Labelle, and Stephen Stills and others.-Biography:...
and Elizabeth DailyElizabeth DailyElizabeth Ann Guttman , better known by her stage names of Elizabeth Daily and E.G. Daily, is an American voice actress, actress, singer-songwriter, and musician...
- Backing vocals