The Heartland Café
Encyclopedia
The Heartland Café is an album released by Swedish pop
group Gyllene Tider
on 17 February 1984. The group's first recorded foray into the English language, The Heartland Café was the second album to feature vocalist Marie Fredriksson
singing back-up and proved to be a precursor to the Swedish super-duo Roxette
, which consisted of Fredriksson and Gyllene Tider
's lead singer, Per Gessle
.
In preparing to reassemble for an album, the members decided to step into English-language rock. Released by EMI Records
, The Heartland Café was made in part to satisfy an interest expressed by label affiliate Capitol Records
in the band due to its popularity in Sweden and its catchy pop/rock sound.
According to Gessle, preliminary demo recording and composition occurred in the band's native Halmstad
, and the band recorded the album itself in Stockholm
, finishing near Christmas 1983.
for "golden age". They decided on the title of a 1975 Dr. Feelgood
song, "Roxette
".
As a result, many Roxette fans consider Heartland the first true Roxette release even though it was not full-length and did not feature Fredriksson and Gessle up front. It would be another two and a half years before Roxette in its final form would release a full-length album, 1986's Pearls of Passion
.
, The Heartland Café is considered a mild success in the history of Gyllene Tider
, having sold 45,000 copies in its first distribution. The band toured briefly to support the album, but Gessle claimed that international distributors other than Capitol were not interested in it. In the United States
, "I think it sold 8,000 copies or so", he wrote. Despite the disappointing sales, Gessle continued, "I remember what a kick it was to find us in our own slot (in front of Roxy Music) at Tower Records in L.A.!"
But The Heartland Café would prove to be a stopping point for the band. "Problems arose", Gessle wrote. "Anders (Herrlin) wanted to move to Stockholm. I wanted to make another Swedish solo album. Money was getting short for everyone.… Almost a year went by, and nothing really happened." Though one song was recorded in that time that ultimately ended up on Gessle's next solo album, it would be another 11 years before the members of Gyllene Tider recorded another song, "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" — this time featured on Roxette's 1995 greatest-hits compilation, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!
— and toured again and then another eight years before the band united to record another album, Finn 5 fel!
.
United States release
Additional tracks on the 1990 CD re-issue
(These songs were recorded in the same sessions as the others but not included on the original album.)
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider is a Swedish pop group. The name Gyllene Tider translates as "Golden ages" or "Golden times". Few Scandinavians would not recognize the band's most famous song "Sommartider", often played on the radio during late spring and early summer...
on 17 February 1984. The group's first recorded foray into the English language, The Heartland Café was the second album to feature vocalist Marie Fredriksson
Marie Fredriksson
is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter and pianist, best known for forming one half of the pop duo Roxette, which she created together with Per Gessle in 1986...
singing back-up and proved to be a precursor to the Swedish super-duo Roxette
Roxette
Roxette are a Swedish pop music duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle . Formed in 1986, the duo became an international act from the late 1980s, when they released their breakthrough album Look Sharp!...
, which consisted of Fredriksson and Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider is a Swedish pop group. The name Gyllene Tider translates as "Golden ages" or "Golden times". Few Scandinavians would not recognize the band's most famous song "Sommartider", often played on the radio during late spring and early summer...
's lead singer, Per Gessle
Per Gessle
Per Håkan Gessle is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonicist. He is the lead singer of the Swedish pop group Gyllene Tider and formed Roxette with Marie Fredriksson...
.
Planning and Recording
Planning for The Heartland Café began after Gessle had released and publicized a solo album. It also followed a hiatus of sorts for the band. In liner notes written for a re-issue of the album in 1990, Gessle wrote, "Rehearsals were very sporadic, we almost didn't hang out at all, we were very sick of each other after many intense years."In preparing to reassemble for an album, the members decided to step into English-language rock. Released by EMI Records
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, The Heartland Café was made in part to satisfy an interest expressed by label affiliate 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...
in the band due to its popularity in Sweden and its catchy pop/rock sound.
According to Gessle, preliminary demo recording and composition occurred in the band's native Halmstad
Halmstad
Halmstad is a port, university, industrial and recreational city at the mouth of Nissan in the province of Halland on the Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat of Halmstad Municipality and the capital of Halland County...
, and the band recorded the album itself in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, finishing near Christmas 1983.
The Release
EMI released The Heartland Café in early 1984. Despite what Gessle claimed was lacklustre interest on the part of EMI itself, Capitol took six of the 11 tracks from the album and combined them on to an extended-play (EP) record in the United States under the abridged title Heartland. In preparing for international release, Capitol requested that the members come up with a less indigenous name — Gyllene Tider is SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
for "golden age". They decided on the title of a 1975 Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood may refer to:In music:*Dr. Feelgood , an album by American band Mötley Crüe**"Dr. Feelgood" , a single and the title track from that album*"Dr. Feel Good", a song by Travie McCoy on the album Lazarus...
song, "Roxette
Roxette (Dr. Feelgood song)
"Roxette" is a song by the band Dr. Feelgood. Recorded in 1974, it was Dr. Feelgood's debut single and appeared on their debut album, Down by the Jetty....
".
As a result, many Roxette fans consider Heartland the first true Roxette release even though it was not full-length and did not feature Fredriksson and Gessle up front. It would be another two and a half years before Roxette in its final form would release a full-length album, 1986's Pearls of Passion
Pearls of Passion
-Singles:*"Neverending Love":*#"Neverending love"*#"Neverending Love" *"Goodbye To You":*#"Goodbye To You"*#"So Far Away"*"Soul Deep":*#"Soul Deep" *#"Pearls Of Passion"*"I Call Your Name":*#"I Call Your Name"...
.
The Aftermath
While a milestone in the history of RoxetteRoxette
Roxette are a Swedish pop music duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle . Formed in 1986, the duo became an international act from the late 1980s, when they released their breakthrough album Look Sharp!...
, The Heartland Café is considered a mild success in the history of Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider
Gyllene Tider is a Swedish pop group. The name Gyllene Tider translates as "Golden ages" or "Golden times". Few Scandinavians would not recognize the band's most famous song "Sommartider", often played on the radio during late spring and early summer...
, having sold 45,000 copies in its first distribution. The band toured briefly to support the album, but Gessle claimed that international distributors other than Capitol were not interested in it. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "I think it sold 8,000 copies or so", he wrote. Despite the disappointing sales, Gessle continued, "I remember what a kick it was to find us in our own slot (in front of Roxy Music) at Tower Records in L.A.!"
But The Heartland Café would prove to be a stopping point for the band. "Problems arose", Gessle wrote. "Anders (Herrlin) wanted to move to Stockholm. I wanted to make another Swedish solo album. Money was getting short for everyone.… Almost a year went by, and nothing really happened." Though one song was recorded in that time that ultimately ended up on Gessle's next solo album, it would be another 11 years before the members of Gyllene Tider recorded another song, "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" — this time featured on Roxette's 1995 greatest-hits compilation, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!
Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!
-Singles:*"You Don't Understand Me":*#"You Don't Understand Me"*#"Crazy About You"*#"Harleys And Indians "*The Look '95" :*#"The Look" *#"The Look"...
— and toured again and then another eight years before the band united to record another album, Finn 5 fel!
Finn 5 fel!
Finn 5 fel! is an album from Swedish pop group Gyllene Tider, released on 9 June 2004. The album stayed at #1 in Sweden for six weeks. It was the first full studio album recorded by the group since 1984's The Heartland Café.-Track listing:...
.
Track listing
Swedish release- "Heartland"
- "Run Run Run"
- "Break Another Heart"
- "Teaser Japanese"
- "Another Place, Another Time"
- "Demon Emptiness"
- "Dreaming"
- "When Love’s on the Phone (You Just Have to Answer)"
- "Can You Touch Me?"
- "Even If It Hurts (It's Alright)"
- "Heartland Café"
United States release
- "Run Run Run"
- "Break Another Heart"
- "Teaser Japanese"
- "Another Place, Another Time"
- "Dreaming"
- "When Love’s on the Phone (You Just Have to Answer)"
Additional tracks on the 1990 CD re-issue
(These songs were recorded in the same sessions as the others but not included on the original album.)
- "Kiss From a Stranger"
- "Young Girl"
- "Anytime"
- "Mr. Twilight"
- "Rock On" (re-make of 1973 David EssexDavid EssexDavid Essex OBE is an English musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK , and sixteen Top 40 albums...
)