Happiness Is the Road

Last updated

"During the 'Somewhere Else' tour I was suffering with my health. It was self-induced really. I wasn't eating properly and was also under a lot of stress both within my domestic situation [recent divorce] and professionally [on tour]. My body eventually rebelled and although I won't go into gory details, I ended up needing surgery. I was referred to a doctor in Utrecht, Holland who performed a minor operation (on the afternoon of the Utrecht show!). The doctor was also a healer and after the surgical procedure, he held his hands over me. I noticed that there were tears running down his face during this, and afterwards he told me that the tears were mine, not his. He had felt much of the guilt, regret and consequent pain that I was carrying and he said he would recommend a book that I must read. He wrote the name of the book on his prescription pad and gave it to me. "Read that! It will make you better," he said.The book is The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle. I bought the book and read it slowly. Much of what it contains resonated with my own thoughts and instincts and it crystallized my own ideas of the meaning of life. I would recommend the book to everyone. 'Essence' is directly influenced by the book, although much of what I have written was written before I read it. The theme of the 'Essence' CD is life's journey, time and it's passing, and the meaning of life." [8]

Track listing

The album was originally scheduled to be just a single album. Those tracks became "Volume 2: The Hard Shoulder." In the middle of the recording sessions, the band experienced a major bit of inspiration and songwriting. They decided to follow their instincts, and wound up producing what would eventually become "Volume 1: Essence." These tracks hang together loosely as a concept, and are much mellower than the harder rocking -and non-conceptual- Volume 2. Fans were treated to double the material, and two completely different vibes for their investment.

All music written by Marillion, lyrics by Steve Hogarth

Volume 1: Essence

  1. "Dreamy Street" – 2:02
  2. "This Train Is My Life" – 4:50
  3. "Essence" – 6:29
  4. "Wrapped Up in Time" – 5:06
  5. "Liquidity" – 2:12
  6. "Nothing Fills the Hole" – 3:23
  7. "Woke Up" – 3:40
  8. "Trap the Spark" – 5:43
  9. "A State of Mind" – 4:33
  10. "Happiness Is the Road" – 10:05
  11. (blank) – 1:59
  12. "Half-Full Jam" – 6:48 (hidden track)

Track 12 is listed as Half-Empty Jam on the download version, but was changed just prior to the CD release of the album. This could be seen as a play on words, as the lyrics of the song begin with "I used to be half empty, but now I'm half full..." Track 11 does not appear on the download version.

Volume 2: The Hard Shoulder

  1. "Thunder Fly" – 6:24
  2. "The Man from the Planet Marzipan" – 7:55
  3. "Asylum Satellite #1" – 9:32
  4. "Older Than Me" – 3:11
  5. "Throw Me Out" – 4:01
  6. "Half the World" – 5:08
  7. "Whatever Is Wrong with You" – 4:16
  8. "Especially True" – 4:37
  9. "Real Tears for Sale" – 7:34

Volume 1: Essence – Vinyl edition

Side one

  1. "Dreamy Street" – 2:02
  2. "This Train Is My Life" – 4:50
  3. "Essence" – 6:29

Side two

  1. "Wrapped Up in Time" – 5:06
  2. "Liquidity" – 2:12
  3. "Nothing Fills the Hole" – 3:23
  4. "Woke Up" – 3:40

Side three

  1. "Trap the Spark" – 5:43
  2. "A State of Mind" – 4:33

Side four

  1. "Happiness Is the Road" – 10:05
  2. "Half-Full Jam" – 6:48

Volume 2: The Hard Shoulder – Vinyl edition

Side one

  1. "The Man from the Planet Marzipan" – 7:55
  2. "Asylum Satellite #1" – 9:32

Side two

  1. "Thunder Fly" – 6:24
  2. "Whatever Is Wrong with You" – 4:16
  3. "Especially True" – 4:37

Side three

  1. "Older Than Me" – 3:11
  2. "Throw Me Out" – 4:01
  3. "Half the World" – 5:08

Side four

  1. "Real Tears for Sale" – 7:34
  2. "Nothing Fills the Hole" / "Woke Up" (Live in Cologne) – 7:32

Personnel

Band members

Additional musicians

  • Sam Morris – French horn on "Real Tears For Sale"
  • S. Claydon – Arco Bass
  • S. Audley – Dulcimer
  • P. Bisset – "Additional Tuned Percussion"
  • Jon Hotten – "Overworked Tambourine"
  • Emil Hogarth – "Ultrasound Heartbeat" on "Dreamy Street"
  • Dawn Roberts – Finger Cymbal on "Essence"

Production

  • Produced by Michael Hunter and Marillion
  • Recorded and Mixed by Michael Hunter
  • Assistant Engineers: Roderick Brunton, Jon Cameron
  • Mastered by Simon Heyworth
  • Artwork and Photography by Antonio Seijas
  • Graphic design and Layout by Carl Glover

References

  1. Prato, Greg (2011). "Happiness Is the Road, Volume 1: Essence – Marillion | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  2. Wilding, Phil (2011). "marillion.com | NEWS – Press Room – Marbles | The Official Marillion Website". marillion.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  3. "NEWS – Press Room | The Official Marillion Website". marillion.com. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  4. "Marillion Setlist at ABC Glasgow, Glasgow". setlist.fm. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  5. Satellite Navigation – The Making of Happiness Is The Road liner notes
  6. "Whateveriswrongwithyou.com". Whateveriswrongwithyou.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  7. BBC NEWS | New Marillion album free to share.
  8. "Interview by Sean Palmerston". 6 August 2021.
Happiness Is the Road
Marillion Happiness.jpg
Double-album cover
Studio album by
Released20 October 2008 (physical release)
Recorded2007/2008
StudioThe Racket Club (Buckinghamshire)
Genre Neo-prog, pop rock, alternative rock
Length108:06
Label Intact Records
EMI (CD only)
Producer Michael Hunter & Marillion
Marillion chronology
Somewhere Else
(2007)
Happiness Is the Road
(2008)
Early Stages
(2008)
Alternative cover
Hitr1.jpg
Volume 1: Essence cover