Back to the Light

Last updated

All tracks are written by Brian May, except where noted

Back to the Light
Brian May Back to the Light Album Cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released28 September 1992
Recorded1988–1992
StudioAllerton Hill
Genre Hard rock
Length51:12
Label
Producer
  • Brian May
  • Justin Shirley-Smith
Brian May chronology
Star Fleet Project
(1983)
Back to the Light
(1992)
Live at the Brixton Academy
(1994)
United States cover
BacktotheLight-US.jpg
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Dark" 2:20
2."Back to the Light" 4:59
3."Love Token" 5:55
4."Resurrection"
5:27
5."Too Much Love Will Kill You"
4:28
6."Driven by You" 4:11
7."Nothin' But Blue"3:31
8."I'm Scared" (Justin's Mix '92) 4:00
9."Last Horizon" 4:10
10."Let Your Heart Rule Your Head" 3:51
11."Just One Life" 3:38
12."Rollin' Over" (includes reprise of "The Dark")4:36
Total length:51:06
Bonus track on the US and Canadian editions
No.TitleLength
13."Driven by You" (Radio Mix)4:10
Bonus tracks on the Japanese edition
No.TitleLength
13."Just One Life" (guitar version)3:37
14."Too Much Love Will Kill You" (guitar version)4:30
2021 reissue Out of the Light bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nothin' But Blue" (guitar version)
  • May
  • Powell
  • Nicholls
  • Makin
3:50
2."Too Much Love Will Kill You" (guitar version)
  • May
  • Lamers
  • Musker
4:30
3."Just One Life" (guitar version) 3:37
4."Driven by You Two" 2:32
5."Driven by You" (Ford Ad version) 1:31
6."Tie Your Mother Down" (with Slash, live on The Tonight Show , April '93) 3:27
7."Too Much Love Will Kill You" (live in Los Angeles, April '93)
  • May
  • Lamers
  • Musker
4:42
8."'39/Let Your Heart Rule Your Head" (live at the Brixton Academy, June '93) 4:33
9."Last Horizon" (live at the Brixton Academy, June '93) 3:14
10."We Will Rock You" (live at the Brixton Academy, June '93) 4:46
11."Driven by You" (Cozy and Neil Version '93) 4:10

Personnel

Musicians

  • Brian May – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, programming, backing vocals.
  • Cozy Powell – drums (2–4, 7–8, 13)
  • Geoff Dugmore – drums (10, 12)
  • Gary Tibbs – bass (2, 10, 12)
  • Neil Murray – bass (3, 8)
  • John Deacon – bass (7)
  • Mike Moran – piano (3, 12), keyboards (9)
  • Don Airey – keyboards (extra) (4, 7)
  • Gill O'Donovan – backing vocals (2, 10)
  • Maggie Ryder – backing vocals (2, 12)
  • Miriam Stockley – backing vocals (2, 12)
  • Suzie O' List – backing vocals (2, 10)
  • Chris Thompson – backing vocals (12)

Technical

  • Justin Shirley-Smith – co-producer, engineer
  • Heidi Cannavo, Noel Haris – engineer (assistant)
  • Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
  • Brian Zellis – technical assistance, programming
  • David Richards – programming
  • Bob Ludwig – 2021 remastering [24]

Singles

  1. "Driven by You" / "Just One Life" (November 1991) – No. 6
  2. "Too Much Love Will Kill You" / "I'm Scared" (August 1992) – No. 5
  3. "Back to the Light" / "Nothin' But Blue" (November 1992) – No. 19
  4. "Resurrection" / "Love Token" / "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (Live) (June 1993) – No. 23
  5. "Last Horizon" / "Let Your Heart Rule Your Head" (Live) (December 1993) – No. 51

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI) [51] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [52] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>News of the World</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Queen

News of the World is the sixth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 October 1977 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. News of the World was the band's second album to be recorded at Sarm and Wessex Sound Studios in London, and engineered by Mike Stone, and was co-produced by the band and Stone.

<i>Meat Is Murder</i> 1985 studio album by the Smiths

Meat Is Murder is the second studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 11 February 1985 by Rough Trade Records. It became the band's only studio album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks. The album was an international success: it spent 11 weeks in the European Top 100 Albums chart, peaking at number 29. It also reached number 110 on the US Billboard 200 in the United States.

<i>Sheer Heart Attack</i> 1974 studio album by Queen

Sheer Heart Attack is the third studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 8 November 1974 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. Digressing from the progressive themes featured on their first two albums, the album featured more pop-centric and conventional rock tracks and marked a step towards the "classic" Queen sound. It was produced by the band and Roy Thomas Baker, and launched Queen to mainstream popularity in the UK and throughout the world.

<i>A Night at the Opera</i> (Queen album) 1975 studio album by Queen

A Night at the Opera is the fourth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 November 1975 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, it was reportedly the most expensive album ever recorded at the time of its release.

<i>Innuendo</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Queen

Innuendo is the fourteenth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 4 February 1991 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and it is the band's first studio album to be released by Hollywood Records in the United States. Produced by David Richards and the band, it was the band's last album to be released in lead singer Freddie Mercury's lifetime, and their most recent one to be composed of entirely new material, save for The Cosmos Rocks by the Queen + Paul Rodgers collaboration. The album reached the No. 1 spot on the UK album charts for two weeks, and also peaked at No. 1 in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, staying at No. 1 for three weeks, four weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks, respectively. It was the first Queen album to go Gold in the US upon its release since The Works in 1984.

<i>A Day at the Races</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Queen

A Day at the Races is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 10 December 1976 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. Recorded at The Manor, Sarm East, and Wessex Sound Studios in England, it was the band's first completely self-produced album, and the first completed without the involvement of producer Roy Thomas Baker; engineering duties were handled by Mike Stone. It serves as a companion to Queen's previous album, A Night at the Opera, with both taking their names from Marx Brothers films and having similar packaging and eclectic musical themes.

<i>Made in Heaven</i> 1995 studio album by Queen

Made in Heaven is the fifteenth and final studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 6 November 1995 by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and by Hollywood Records in the United States. It was the band's first and only album released solely under the name "Queen" after the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury in 1991. Following Mercury's death, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, and bass guitarist John Deacon worked with vocal and piano parts that Mercury recorded before his death, adding new instrumentation to the recordings. Both stages of recording, before and after Mercury's death, were completed at the band's studio in Montreux, Switzerland. The album debuted at number 1 in the UK, where it went quadruple platinum selling 1.2 million copies. 500,000 copies were shipped in the United States.

<i>The Miracle</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Queen

The Miracle is the thirteenth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 22 May 1989 by Parlophone Records and Capitol Records in both the United Kingdom and the U.S. respectively, where it was the band's third and final studio album to be released on latter label, and their first studio album on the former label. The album was recorded as the band recovered from Brian May's marital problems and Freddie Mercury's HIV diagnosis in 1987. Recording started in January 1988 and lasted for an entire year. The album was originally going to be called The Invisible Men, but three weeks before the release, according to Roger Taylor, they changed the name to The Miracle. It was also the last Queen album with a photo of the band on the front cover.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Queen album) 1981 greatest hits album by Queen

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the British rock band Queen, released worldwide on 26 October 1981. The album consisted of Queen's biggest hits since their first chart appearance in 1974 with "Seven Seas of Rhye", up to their 1980 hit "Flash". There was no universal track listing or cover art for the album, and each territory's tracks were dependent on what singles had been released there and which were successful. In 1992, the US version of the album Classic Queen was released following the band's rekindled popularity in the nation.

<i>Tyr</i> (album) 1990 album by Black Sabbath

Tyr is the fifteenth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released on 20 August 1990 by I.R.S. Records.

<i>The World Wont Listen</i> 1987 compilation album by the Smiths

The World Won't Listen is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 23 February 1987 by Rough Trade Records. The album is the second of three compilation albums—the others being Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs—released by the Smiths while they were still an active band. It reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the charts for 15 weeks. In the United States Louder Than Bombs was released in place of The World Won't Listen.

<i>Live at Wembley 86</i> 1992 live album by Queen

Live at Wembley '86 is a double live album by the British rock band Queen. It was recorded live on Saturday 12 July 1986 during the Magic Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The album was released on 26 May 1992, with a companion DVD released in June 2003.

<i>Pictures at Eleven</i> 1982 studio album by Robert Plant

Pictures at Eleven is the debut solo studio album by former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, released on 25 June 1982 in the US and on 2 July in the UK. Genesis drummer Phil Collins played drums for five of the album's eight songs. Ex-Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell handled drums on "Slow Dancer" and "Like I've Never Been Gone." On the song "Fat Lip", guitarist Robbie Blunt played a Roland TR-808 drum machine. The title was an often-heard phrase in US television news that would follow a brief announcement of a story of interest to be shown later during a station's 11 PM news program. Pictures at Eleven is the only one of Plant's solo albums to appear on Led Zeppelin's record label Swan Song. By the time of Plant's next release, 1983's The Principle of Moments, Swan Song had ceased to function, and Plant had started his own label named Es Paranza, which would also be distributed by Atlantic Records. Rhino Entertainment released a remastered edition of the album, with bonus tracks, on 20 March 2007.

<i>Star Fleet Project</i> 1983 EP by Brian May + Friends

Star Fleet Project is a solo project of Brian May, Queen's guitarist, and a mini-album of the same name. Released as the work of Brian May + Friends, the album features May, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alan Gratzer, Phil Chen, and Fred Mandel. "[T]he result is high-octane rockist instrumentals, instantly Queenish, and not unlike Flash with added fretboard pyrotechnics". The tapes were not intended to be released and received minimal mixing. "Star Fleet Project was called a 'mini-album' by [May] because he thought it ... too short to be a proper album, but too long to be even an EP single".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Much Love Will Kill You</span> 1988 song by Queen

"Too Much Love Will Kill You" is a song written by British guitarist Brian May of Queen, Frank Musker and Elizabeth Lamers. The song reflected the breakdown of May's first marriage and attraction to his future wife, Anita Dobson. It was first recorded by Queen around 1988 or before, and was intended to be on the band's The Miracle album in 1989, but did not make the cut due to legal disputes following the band's decision that all songs on the album would be written by the group as opposed to individuals.

<i>The Works</i> (Queen album) 1984 studio album by Queen

The Works is the eleventh studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 27 February 1984 by EMI Records just shortly after recording for the album had been completed in the United Kingdom and it is the band's first studio album to be released by Capitol Records in the United States. After the synth-heavy Hot Space (1982), the album saw the re-emergence of Brian May and Roger Taylor's rock sound, while still incorporating the early 80s retro futuristic electronic music and New York funk scenes. Recorded at the Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, California, and Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, from August 1983 to January 1984, the album's title comes from a comment Taylor made as recording began – "Let's give them the works!".

<i>Another World</i> (Brian May album) 1998 studio album by Brian May

Another World is the second solo album by Queen guitarist Brian May, released on 1 June 1998 by Parlophone Records in the UK, and on 15 September 1998 by Hollywood Records in the US. May dedicated it to his mother. The song "Business" was the theme song of the first season of the comedy-drama series Frank Stubbs Promotes, and the track "On My Way Up" was used for its second season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driven by You</span> 1991 single by Brian May

"Driven by You" is a song by Queen lead guitarist Brian May from his 1992 solo album, Back to the Light. It was released as the lead single on November 25, 1991, a day after the death of May's Queen bandmate Freddie Mercury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Ga Ga</span> 1984 single by Queen

"Radio Ga Ga" is a 1984 song performed and recorded by the British rock band Queen, written by their drummer Roger Taylor. It was released as a single with "I Go Crazy" by Brian May as the B-side. It was included as the opening track on the album The Works and is also featured on the band's compilation albums Greatest Hits II and Classic Queen.

<i>A Night at the Odeon – Hammersmith 1975</i> 2015 live album by Queen

A Night at the Odeon is a live album by the British rock band Queen. The album is the first official release of the band's Christmas Eve performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1975, filmed by the BBC. The show was broadcast on BBC2 and BBC Radio 1, and included one of the first live performances of "Bohemian Rhapsody". It is the band's most popular bootleg.

References

  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 23 November 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 August 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  3. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 7 November 1992. p. 19.
  4. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 5 June 1993. p. 19.
  5. "Single Releases". Music Week. 4 December 1993. p. 21.
  6. 1 2 Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 134. ISBN   9780857685513.
  7. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 154. ISBN   9780857685513.
  8. Brian May – The Dark , retrieved 4 July 2022
  9. The Brian May Band – Back to the Light & Tie Your Mother Down (Tonight Show, 5/04/93) , retrieved 24 June 2022
  10. Brian May – Back To The Light: The Time Traveller 1992–2021 (Official Video) , retrieved 4 July 2022
  11. Purivs, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 222. ISBN   9780857685513.
  12. "QueenVault.com – RCD Classic Rock Collection Vol. 4 (1991)". www.queenvault.com. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  13. Brian May – Love Token , retrieved 4 July 2022
  14. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 256. ISBN   9780857685513.
  15. Brian May – Resurrection (Official Video Remastered) , retrieved 4 July 2022
  16. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 282. ISBN   9780857685513.
  17. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. pp. 159–160. ISBN   9780857685513.
  18. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 239. ISBN   9780857685513.
  19. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 196. ISBN   9780857685513.
  20. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 212. ISBN   9780857685513.
  21. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. pp. 214–215. ISBN   9780857685513.
  22. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 204. ISBN   9780857685513.
  23. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 258. ISBN   9780857685513.
  24. 1 2 "Brian May announces reissue of his debut solo album 'Back to the Light'". NME. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  25. AllMusic review
  26. Obee, Dave (7 February 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald .
  27. Wood, Sam (2 March 1993). "Intriguing Music from Two Movies". The Philadelphia Inquirer .
  28. Rolling Stone review
  29. Kampert, Patrick (4 February 1993). "Brian May Back to the Light". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  30. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 180.
  31. 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – Brian May – Back to the Light" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  32. 1 2 "Dutchcharts.nl – Brian May – Back to the Light" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  33. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Brian May – Back to the Light" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  34. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1992. 52. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  35. http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/264861/1/ [ dead link ]
  36. "Charts.nz – Brian May – Back to the Light". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  37. "Swedishcharts.com – Brian May – Back to the Light". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  38. "Swisscharts.com – Brian May – Back to the Light". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  39. "BRIAN MAY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts .
  40. "Brian May Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  41. "Ultratop.be – Brian May – Back to the Light" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  42. "Ultratop.be – Brian May – Back to the Light" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  43. "Irish Albums Chart: 13 August 2021". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  44. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-08-23" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  45. "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 32 (dal 6.8.2021 al 12.8.2021)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  46. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  47. "Swisscharts.com – Brian May – Back to the Light". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  48. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  49. "Brian May Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  50. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1992". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  51. "Dutch album certifications – Back to the Light" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter Back to the Light in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1992 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  52. "British album certifications – Back to the Light". British Phonographic Industry.