The Songs of Distant Earth (album)
Encyclopedia
The Songs of Distant Earth is the 16th album
by Mike Oldfield
, released in 1994
. It is based on Arthur C. Clarke
's science fiction novel The Songs of Distant Earth.
of which two versions were made. Both versions' initial pressings featured an image of a Manta
flying in front of a planet on the front cover. The cover image was changed to one of a suited man holding a glowing orb with manta rays flying overhead. The second pressing of the enhanced CD (shown at right) contains slightly more multimedia content, including the full version of the "Let There Be Light
" video. The CD audio content is the same on all versions of the album. It was also released as a vinyl LP, which has become a rare item.
The enhanced CD content, for Apple Macintosh Power PC computers only, was rendered on Silicon Graphics
computers and used Apple's QuickTime
II technology. The re-release back cover lists the "CD ROM Track" as track 000 (where all tracks have a three-digit number), and a length of 0:00. Produced in 1994 it was an early example of Enhanced CD content.
about the evolution of The Songs of Distant Earth from short story to novel. It ends with the following about the album:
This was not the first time that Oldfield's music had been connected with the books of Arthur C. Clarke. Prior to The Songs of Distant Earth, Oldfield released Tubular Bells II
, which featured a track called "Sentinel" — the title of a short story
written by Arthur C. Clarke that later evolved into 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). A track from Tubular Bells II is called "Sunjammer". The Arthur C. Clarke short story, The Wind from the Sun
, had the working title of "Sunjammer
".
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 Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, released in 1994
1994 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
. It is based on Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
's science fiction novel The Songs of Distant Earth.
Release details
The album was released as a CD and, shortly afterwards, as an Enhanced CDEnhanced CD
Enhanced CD, also known as CD Extra and CD Plus, is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players....
of which two versions were made. Both versions' initial pressings featured an image of a Manta
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
flying in front of a planet on the front cover. The cover image was changed to one of a suited man holding a glowing orb with manta rays flying overhead. The second pressing of the enhanced CD (shown at right) contains slightly more multimedia content, including the full version of the "Let There Be Light
Let There Be Light (song)
"Let There Be Light" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1995. It is from the album The Songs of Distant Earth and uses audio from the Apollo 8 space mission.- Music video :...
" video. The CD audio content is the same on all versions of the album. It was also released as a vinyl LP, which has become a rare item.
The enhanced CD content, for Apple Macintosh Power PC computers only, was rendered on Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
computers and used Apple's QuickTime
QuickTime
QuickTime is an extensible proprietary multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. The classic version of QuickTime is available for Windows XP and later, as well as Mac OS X Leopard and...
II technology. The re-release back cover lists the "CD ROM Track" as track 000 (where all tracks have a three-digit number), and a length of 0:00. Produced in 1994 it was an early example of Enhanced CD content.
Track listing
- "In the Beginning" – 1:24
- "Let There Be LightLet There Be Light (song)"Let There Be Light" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1995. It is from the album The Songs of Distant Earth and uses audio from the Apollo 8 space mission.- Music video :...
" – 4:52 - "Supernova" – 3:29
- "Magellan" – 4:41
- "First Landing" – 1:16
- "Oceania" – 3:27
- "Only Time Will Tell" – 4:19
- "Prayer for the Earth" – 2:10
- "Lament for Atlantis" – 2:44
- "The Chamber" – 1:49
- "HibernaculumHibernaculum (song)"Hibernaculum" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1994. It is from the album The Songs of Distant Earth. "Moonshine" is a remix of the final part of Tubular Bells II.It charted at number 47 in the UK Singles Chart.- UK CD 1 :...
" – 3:32 - "Tubular World" – 3:23
- "The Shining Ones" – 2:59
- "Crystal Clear" – 5:42
- "The Sunken Forest" – 2:39
- "Ascension" – 5:48
- "A New Beginning" – 1:33
Inspiration
The then Chairman of Warner, Rob Dickins, suggested to Oldfield that he should produce an album based on Clarke's novel, The Songs of Distant Earth.Clarke and Oldfield
The LP cover and CD booklet of the album features a foreword by Arthur C. ClarkeArthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
about the evolution of The Songs of Distant Earth from short story to novel. It ends with the following about the album:
This was not the first time that Oldfield's music had been connected with the books of Arthur C. Clarke. Prior to The Songs of Distant Earth, Oldfield released Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II is the 15th music album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1992. The album - the first for his new record label, Warner Bros. Records, following an acrimonious departure from Virgin Records after twenty years - was conceived as a sequel to Oldfield's 1973 Tubular Bells...
, which featured a track called "Sentinel" — the title of a short story
The Sentinel (short story)
"The Sentinel" is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, which was expanded and modified into the novel and movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke expressed impatience with the common description of it as "the story on which 2001 is based." He was quoted as saying, it is like comparing "an acorn to...
written by Arthur C. Clarke that later evolved into 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). A track from Tubular Bells II is called "Sunjammer". The Arthur C. Clarke short story, The Wind from the Sun
The Wind from the Sun
The Wind from the Sun is a 1972 collection of short stories by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. Some of the stories originally appeared in a number of different publications...
, had the working title of "Sunjammer
Sunjammer
"Sunjammer" is a science fiction short story by English author Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1963. It has also been published under the title "The Wind from the Sun" and has been included into Clarke's 1972 collection of short stories with this title.-Plot summary:John...
".
Personnel
- Gregg Jackman – Assistant engineer
- Steve MacMillan –Assistant engineer
- Tom NewmanTom Newman (musician)Not to be confused with Thomas Newman.Tom Newman is an English record producer and musician...
– Assistant engineer - Richard Barrie – Technical engineer
- Eric Cadieux – Additional programming
- Mark RutherfordMark Rutherford (composer)Mark Joseph Rutherford is a classically trained British musician, composer and producer. He has worked with, and for, some of the world’s most prominent producers, directors, artists and writers including Peter Gabriel, Steve Levine, William Orbit, Goldie, Mike Oldfield, Simon Beaufoy, John...
– Additional rhythm loops and programming - Sugar 'J' – Additional rhythm loops
- Pandit Dinesh – Tablas
- Molly Oldfield – Keyboards
- Cori Josias – Vocalist
- Ella HarperElla HarperElla Harper , known as the "Camel Girl", was born with an orthopedic condition that caused her knees to bend backwards, called congenital genu recurvatum. This deformity is very rare. Her preference to walk on all fours resulted in her nickname "Camel Girl". In 1886 she was featured as the star in...
– Vocalist - Nils-Aslak ValkeapääNils-Aslak ValkeapääNils-Aslak Valkeapää, known as Áillohaš in the Northern Sami language was a Finnish Sami writer, musician and artist. He was born in Enontekiö in Lapland province, Finland. He lived most of his life in Käsivarsi, close to the border of Sweden, and also in Skibotn in Norway...
- Vocalist & composer (performs his joik, dubbed as "Prayer for the Earth" on the album) - David Nickless – Vocalist
- Roame – Vocalist
- Members of 'Veulam Consort' – Vocalists
- The Tallis ScholarsTallis ScholarsThe Tallis Scholars are a British vocal ensemble normally consisting of two singers per part, with a core group of ten singers.Formed in 1973 by their director Peter Phillips, they specialise in performing a cappella sacred vocal music written during the Renaissance by composers from all over Europe...
– Vocalists - Mike Joseph – Self hypnosis tape
- Vahine Taihara – Tubuai Choir
- Apollo 8Apollo 8Apollo 8, the second manned mission in the American Apollo space program, was the first human spaceflight to leave Earth orbit; the first to be captured by and escape from the gravitational field of another celestial body; and the first crewed voyage to return to Earth from another celestial...
astronaut Bill Anders reading from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
on Christmas EveChristmas EveChristmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, 1968.
External links
- Mike Oldfield Discography - The Songs of Distant Earth at Tubular.net