Maps of Music

Heartlight (1982)

Where the lyrics of Heartlight take you, and where it was really made.

The title track was reportedly inspired by the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it became one of Neil Diamond's last major hits of that era.

Key places

Recording at Ocean Way Recording (1982)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — The album is listed as recorded at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California. The point marks the city centre, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at The Village Recorder (1982)

Recording site Village Recorders — The Village Recorder in Los Angeles is listed as a recording location for the album. The point marks the building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Evergreen Studios (1982)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — Evergreen Studios in Burbank, California is listed as a recording location for the album. The point marks the city centre, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Heartlight: fifteenth studio album by Neil Diamond
• Released August 1982 on Columbia Records
• Spent 34 weeks on the charts and peaked at #9
• Certified Platinum by the RIAA for one million shipped copies
• Title track reportedly inspired by the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Background

• Last album in a decade-long streak of Platinum albums by Diamond
• Diamond would not have another Platinum album until his first Christmas album in the 1990s
• Last top 10 album for a decade
• Heartlight was Diamond's last top 10 pop hit and his last #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart
• I'm Alive was his last top 40 hit
• After Heartlight, Diamond kept some success and periodic hits, plus television specials and film appearances, but not the same level of sales, notoriety, or fame

Recording

• Producers: Neil Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach
• Tom Hensley produced tracks 7 and 8, Richard Bennett track 10, Michael Masser track 11
• Burt Bacharach arranged and conducted most tracks
• Session players include David Foster, Jim Keltner, Ron Tutt, and Dean Parks
• Lost Among the Stars: co-writer Burt Bacharach reproduced his melody from Trains and Boats and Planes, a hit from 17 years earlier

Cover

• Art direction and design: David Kirschner
• Photography: Tom Bert

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• American singer-songwriter born January 24, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Jewish family.
• Began as a staff songwriter at Sunbeam Music Publishing and worked in the Brill Building in the 1960s.
• Wrote hits for others, including "I'm a Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" recorded by the Monkees.
• Solo breakthrough with "Sweet Caroline" (1969), followed by "Cracklin' Rosie" and "Song Sung Blue", both No. 1 on the Hot 100.
• Live album Hot August Night (1972) recorded at the Greek Theater, Los Angeles.
• Starred in the 1980 remake The Jazz Singer and won a Razzie for Worst Actor.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
• Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and stopped touring in 2018.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

Records

• The album spent 34 weeks on the charts and peaked at #9
• Certified Platinum by the RIAA for one million shipped copies
• Billboard 200 peak: #9
• Title track Heartlight peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in late 1982
• I'm Alive reached #35 on the Hot 100 in early 1983
• I'm Alive was Diamond's last top 40 hit
• Heartlight was Diamond's last top 10 pop hit
• The album was Diamond's last top 10 album for a decade

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title track was reportedly inspired by the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
• Lost Among the Stars: co-writer Burt Bacharach reused his melody from Trains and Boats and Planes, a hit from 17 years earlier
• Heartlight was Diamond's last top 10 pop hit and his last #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart
• The album was Diamond's last top 10 album for a decade
• Diamond's next Platinum album came with his first Christmas album in the 1990s

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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