Headed for the Future

Headed for the Future
Headed for the Future
Studio album by Neil Diamond
Released	March 11, 1986
Recorded	1985
Genre	Pop rock
Length	39:28
Label	Columbia
Producer	Neil Diamond, David Foster, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Maurice White, Greg Phillinganes, Stevie Wonder
Neil Diamond chronology

Last updated May 29, 2025

Headed for the Future is the seventeenth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in March 1986 on Columbia Records.^[1] The album went to number 20 on the US Billboard 200.^[2]Headed for the Future has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.^[3]

Overview

The album's title track reached the top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[4] Another single, "The Story of My Life", reached No. 11 on the same chart.^[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[6]
Detroit Free Press	(favourable)^[7]
The Mercury News	8/10^[8]

Rick Shefchik of The Mercury News found that "Diamond records albums like a man easing himself into a cold lake for a swim. He seems reluctant to get started and unsure of how to go about it, but once he takes the plunge, his natural instincts take over."^[8]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Headed for the Future"	Neil Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren	4:05
2.	"The Man You Need"	Diamond, David Foster	4:01
3.	"I'll See You on the Radio (Laura)"	Burt Bacharach, Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager	3:48
4.	"Stand up for Love"	Martin Page, Greg Phillinganes, Maurice White	2:55
5.	"It Should Have Been Me"	Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance	4:27

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Lost in Hollywood"	Diamond, Stevie Wonder	4:18
7.	"The Story of My Life"	Diamond	3:41
8.	"Angel"	Bobby Caldwell, Steve Kipner	4:01
9.	"Me Beside You"	Bacharach, Diamond, Bayer Sager	3:54
10.	"Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore"	Caldwell, William Meyers	4:18

Personnel

Musicians

Neil Diamond – main performer on all tracks

"Headed for the Future"

Alan Lindgren – synthesizers, pianos, arrangements
Tom Hensley – pianos, synthesizers, arrangements
Richard Bennett – guitar
Doug Rhone – guitar
Hadley Hockensmith – guitar
Reinie Press – bass
Ron Tutt – drums
King Errisson – percussion, congas
Vince Charles – percussion, steel drums
Linda Press – backing vocals

(These musicians were at the time all members of Neil Diamond's official backing band, known as "Diamondville"^[9]^[10])

"The Man You Need"

David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
David Boruff – keyboard programming, saxophone
Michael Landau – guitars
Tris Imboden – drums
Bill Champlin – backing vocals

"I'll See You on the Radio (Laura)"

Randy Kerber – keyboards
Burt Bacharach – synthesizers, arrangements
Robbie Buchanan – synthesizers
Todd Cochran – E-mu Emulator programming
Dann Huff – guitars
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
Carlos Vega – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
David Boruff – saxophone
Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters and Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals

"Stand Up for Love"

Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals, arrangements
Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
Steve Lukather – guitars
Nathan East – bass
John Robinson – drums
Maurice White – backing vocals, arrangements
Marva Barnes – backing vocals

"It Should Have Been Me"

David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
David Boruff – keyboard programming
Michael Landau – guitar
Dann Huff – guitar
Jason Scheff – bass, backing vocals
Tris Imboden – drum overdubs
Bill Champlin – backing vocals

"Lost in Hollywood"

Stevie Wonder – acoustic piano, synthesizers, drums, backing vocals
Herbie Hancock – synthesizer solo
Bob Bralove and Robert A. Arbittier – synthesizer programming
Dwayne Roberson, Vincent Unto and Phillip Williams – backing vocals

"The Story of My Life"

Lists the same musicians here as were listed for the "Headed for the Future" track; obviously, not all of those musicians performed on this track as well. It is possible that Diamond himself might have performed some of the instrumentation (such as piano and/or acoustic guitar) uncredited.

"Angel"

Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
Nyle Steiner – additional synthesizer
Bobby Caldwell – guitar, backing vocals
Dann Huff – additional guitar
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
John Robinson – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Maurice White – backing vocals, arrangements

"Me Beside You"

Randy Kerber – keyboards
Burt Bacharach– synthesizers, arrangements
David Foster – synthesizers
Dann Huff – guitars
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
Carlos Vega – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill and David Lasley – backing vocals

"Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore"

Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
Bobby Caldwell – guitar
Dann Huff – additional guitar
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
John Robinson – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Clare Fischer – string arrangements
Maurice White – arrangements
Assa Drori – concertmaster

^[1]

Production

Producers – Neil Diamond (Tracks 1 & 7); Tom Henley and Alan Lindgren (Track 1); David Foster (Tracks 2 & 5); Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager (Tracks 3 & 9); Maurice White and Greg Phillinganes (Tracks 4, 8); Stevie Wonder (Track 6).
Recording Engineers – John Arrias, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, John Patterson, Tom Perry, David Schober and Allen Sides.
Assistant Engineers – Bino Espinoza, Dan Garcia, Bob Harlan, Darren Klein, Bob Loftus, Steve MacMillan, Richard McKernon, Claudio Ordenes, Mike Ross, Karen Siegel and Jeffrey Woodruff.
Mixing – Bill Bottrell, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, Gary Olazabal and Allen Sides.
Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Bill Schnee Studios, Motown Recording Studios, Lion Share Recording Studio and Wonderland Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Conway Studios and Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, CA); Grover Helseley Recording Inc.
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
Music Contractor – Frank DeCaro
Production Assistants – Ned Brown, Barry Cardinale, Larry E. Williams and Alison Zanetos.
Production Coordination – Sam Cole, Frank DeCaro, Chris Earthy and Geri White.
Art Direction – David Kirschner
Design – David Kirschner and Jan Weinberg
Photography – Herb Ritts