Different Light

Last updated
Different Light
The Bangles - Different Light.jpg
Studio album by
the Bangles
ReleasedJanuary 10, 1986 (1986-01-10) [1]
Studio Sunset Sound and Sunset Sound Factory (Hollywood, California)
Genre Pop rock
Length38:48
Label Columbia
Producer David Kahne
the Bangles chronology
All Over the Place
(1984)		Different Light
(1986)		 Everything
(1988)
Singles from Different Light
  1. "Manic Monday"
    Released: December 23, 1985 [2]
  2. "If She Knew What She Wants"
    Released: April 14, 1986 [3]
  3. "Walk Like an Egyptian"
    Released: September 1, 1986 [4]
  4. "Walking Down Your Street"
    Released: December 1986 (UK) [5]
  5. "Following"
    Released: April 1987 (UK)

Different Light is the second studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles, released in January 1986. The album's Top 40 sound was a departure from their earlier 1960s-style rock'n'roll sound. It is their most successful album, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 and producing five charting singles, including the Billboard top two hits "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like an Egyptian". It is also the first album in which bassist Michael Steele sings lead vocals on some tracks.

Contents

The 2008 reissue CD on the Wounded Bird Records label (WOU 4039) adds a bonus track: "Walk Like an Egyptian (Extended Dance Mix)".

Singles

Different Light produced five singles, the first three of which were written by someone other than the Bangles. Lead single "Manic Monday", written by Prince under the pseudonym "Christopher" [6] in 1984 as a duet for the Apollonia 6 album, peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1986. [7] [8] "If She Knew What She Wants", the second single from Different Light, was recorded by Jules Shear on his 1985 Eternal Return album. The song was written in the first person, however the Bangles rewrote the lyrics in the third person as they considered it more appropriate; their version charted at number 29 in the United States [7] and number 31 in the United Kingdom. [8] "Walk Like an Egyptian" was written by Liam Sternberg after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance as figures do in Ancient Egyptian reliefs; it became one of the most successful singles by the Bangles, hitting number one in the United States, [7] Denmark, [9] and the Netherlands, [10] as well as peaking at number three in the United Kingdom. [8] "Walking Down Your Street" hit number 11 in the United States [7] and number 16 in the United Kingdom, [8] and a fifth single, "Following", was released exclusively in the latter country.

Album cover variations

The covers of most of the album's cassette pressings and the sheet music songbook only show 12 (out of 16) of the "different" snapshots, eliminating the third column to best fit the rectangular layout of cassette cases and book.

The back cover of European-made CDs replicates the back cover of the vinyl LP edition, with all 16 snapshots and the track index at the top. The back cover of the US version, however, only shows the first column of four snapshots, with the track index list occupying the rest of the space – a rare deviation for Columbia's CD issues during the 1980s.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The Baltimore Sun Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Record Mirror 3+1⁄2/5 [15]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Smash Hits 7/10 [18]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 6/10 [19]
The Village Voice B [20]

Rolling Stone critic Laura Fissinger wrote that Different Light finds the Bangles "using less hook-happy song structure and more modernized production" than on their 1984 debut All Over the Place , "covering their roots without burying them ten feet under." [21] She disagreed with objections to the more "deliberate, sophisticated and airwaves ready" nature of the production and felt that the album "puts then and now in significantly better balance", while also finding that the band had advanced "past the fan-apes-idol phase" in their musicianship. [21]

In 2012, Slant Magazine ranked Different Light at number 78 on its list of the best albums of the 1980s. [22]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Manic Monday""Christopher" (Prince)Hoffs3:06
2."In a Different Light" Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson V. Peterson2:52
3."Walking Down Your Street"Hoffs, Louis Gutierrez, David Kahne Hoffs3:04
4."Walk Like an Egyptian" Liam Sternberg V. Peterson, Steele and Hoffs3:24
5."Standing in the Hallway"Hoffs, Kahne, Debbi Peterson, V. PetersonD. Peterson2:56
6."Return Post"Hoffs, V. PetersonV. Peterson4:22
7."If She Knew What She Wants" (Jules Shear cover, 1985) Jules Shear Hoffs3:49
8."Let It Go"Hoffs, D. Peterson, V. Peterson, Michael Steele Group2:32
9."September Gurls" (Big Star cover, 1974) Alex Chilton Steele2:45
10."Angels Don't Fall in Love"Hoffs, V. PetersonV. Peterson3:23
11."Following"SteeleSteele3:21
12."Not Like You"Hoffs, Kahne, D. PetersonD. Peterson3:06

Personnel

The Bangles

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Different Light
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [48] 2× Platinum140,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [49] 2× Platinum200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [50] Platinum15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [51] Platinum300,000^
United States (RIAA) [52] 3× Platinum3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  2. ↑ "Bangles singles".
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  4. ↑ "BPI".
  5. ↑ "Great Rock Discography". p. 40.
  6. ↑ Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 Nr. 1 hits uit de Top 40, Page 234, 9023009444
  7. 1 2 3 4 Billboard.com the Bangles singles chart history Accessed: November 4, 2006
  8. 1 2 3 4 Everyhit.co.uk UK Top 40 database Accessed: November 4, 2006
  9. ↑ Infinity charts German Top 20 - The Chart Of December 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006
  10. ↑ Top4000.nl Chart week 49, 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006
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  12. ↑ Gilbert, Kelly (January 22, 1986). "Bangles, Different Light (Columbia)". The Evening Sun .
  13. ↑ Pond, Steve; Strauss, Duncan; Hochman, Steve; Hunt, Dennis; Willman, Chris; Johnson, Connie; Hilburn, Robert; Atkinson, Terry; Cromelin, Richard; Grein, Paul; McKenna, Kristine; Matsumoto, Jon (December 21, 1986). "Stars Twinkle on Top 40 Shopping List". Los Angeles Times .
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  48. ↑ "The Bangles ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on February 11, 2019" . Retrieved February 11, 2020– via Imgur. Note: This contains chart data only from the era where the chart was produced by ARIA (June 13, 1988, onward). The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column indicates the release's peak position on the national chart.
  49. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Bangles – Different Light". Music Canada. February 26, 1987. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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  52. ↑ "American album certifications – Bangles – Different Light". Recording Industry Association of America. October 7, 1994. Retrieved August 24, 2021.

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