The Seventh Song

Last updated
The 7th Song, Enchanting Guitar Melodies (Archives Vol. 1)
Vai The7thSong.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedNovember 7, 2000
Genre Instrumental rock
Length61:43
Label Epic
Producer Steve Vai
Steve Vai chronology
The 7th Song, Enchanting Guitar Melodies (Archives Vol. 1)
(2000)
The Secret Jewel Box
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The 7th Song, Enchanting Guitar Melodies (Archives Vol. 1) is a 2000 album by guitarist Steve Vai. It is his first compilation album, but unlike a standard "greatest hits" or "best of" album, all of the songs on it (save for the three new tracks and the hidden track) can be found on one of Vai's previous albums as the 7th track. The 7th track on each of his albums is meant to be the most emotional and well articulated piece on the album. "Christmas Time is Here", while not previously released on a Vai album, can nonetheless be found as the 7th track on the 1996 Christmas compilation, Merry Axemas.

The new songs on this album are "Melissa's Garden" (which does occupy the 7th track), "The Wall of Light", and "Boston Rain Melody". The track for "Boston Rain Melody" continues on to contain the unlisted song "Warm Regards", the instrumental finale to Vai's 1996 album, Fire Garden. It is believed that Vai originally planned for the song to be the seventh track of the second disc, but when he discovered 80 minute CDs, he restructured the album to fit on one disc.

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Vai except "Christmas Time is Here" by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson

  1. "For the Love of God" – 6:09 (from "Passion and Warfare")
  2. "Touching Tongues" – 5:32 (from "Sex and Religion")
  3. "Windows to the Soul" – 6:25 (from "The Ultra Zone")
  4. "Burnin' Down the Mountain" – 4:19 (from "Flex-Able Leftovers")
  5. "Tender Surrender" – 5:10 (from "Alien Love Secrets")
  6. "Hand on Heart" – 5:26 (from "Fire Garden")
  7. "Melissa's Garden" – 7:54 (previously unreleased)
  8. "Call it Sleep" – 5:04 (from "Flex-Able")
  9. "Christmas Time Is Here" – 4:13 (from the compilation : "Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas")
  10. "The Wall of Light" – 2:38 (previously unreleased)
  11. "Boston Rain Melody" – 4:39 (previously unreleased)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart Hamm</span> American bass guitar player (born 1960)

Stuart Hamm is an American bass guitar player, known for his session and live work with numerous artists as well as for his unconventional playing style and solo recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Vai</span> American guitarist (born 1960)

Steven Siro Vai is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, and played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983. He embarked on a solo career in 1983 and has released eight solo albums to date. He has recorded and toured with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, as well as recording with artists such as Public Image Ltd, Mary J. Blige, Spinal Tap, Alice Cooper, Motörhead, and Polyphia. Additionally, Vai has toured with live-only acts G3, Zappa Plays Zappa, and the Experience Hendrix tour, as well as headlining international tours.

<i>Lost Dogs</i> (album) 2003 compilation album by Pearl Jam

Lost Dogs is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003 through Epic Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.

<i>Afterglow</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1990 box set by Electric Light Orchestra

Afterglow is the third box set compilation by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in 1990 with liner notes by music critic and editor Ira Robbins of Trouser Press. A different two-CD compilation with identical artwork was issued simultaneously under the title The Very Best of The Electric Light Orchestra.

<i>Flex-Able</i> 1984 studio album by Steve Vai

Flex-Able is the debut studio album by American virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa. Flex-Able does not rely as much on massive guitar arrangements and shred moments as the rest of his output from the 1990s onwards, with the exception of Leftovers which is a compilation of bonus tracks and remasters from his sessions at 'Stucco Blue'.

<i>The Ultra Zone</i> 1999 studio album by Steve Vai

The Ultra Zone is the sixth studio album by guitarist Steve Vai, released on September 7, 1999 through Epic Records.

<i>Hey Stoopid</i> 1991 studio album by Alice Cooper

Hey Stoopid is the twelfth solo studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released on July 2, 1991, by Epic Records. After his smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper attempted to continue his success with his follow-up album, which features guest performances from Lance Bulen, Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars. Hey Stoopid was Cooper's last album to feature bassist Hugh McDonald before he joined Bon Jovi in 1994.

<i>The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology</i> 2003 compilation album by Steve Vai

The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology is Steve Vai's compilation album that was released in 2003. This two-disc compilation spans Vai's entire solo career, featuring the best tracks from most of his albums including Fire Garden, Passion and Warfare, Alien Love Secrets and The Ultra Zone. One song is even included from his Whitesnake days and one from his Alcatrazz days. The songs on the album do not appear chronologically relative to Vai's career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mangini</span> American drummer

Michael Anthony Mangini is an American musician and current drummer of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has also played for bands and artists such as Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai. Before joining Dream Theater, Mangini was a faculty member at Berklee College of Music. Between 2002 and 2005, he set five World's Fastest Drummer records. Mangini appeared on the Discovery Channel show Time Warp, displaying his drum skills for high-speed cameras.

<i>The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1</i> 2002 compilation album by Steve Vai

The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1 is a 2002 compilation album by Steve Vai. The album collects many of the songs that Vai recorded for movies and television shows.

<i>Christmas Songs by Sinatra</i> 1948 studio album by Frank Sinatra

Christmas Songs by Sinatra is the name of the third studio album by the American singer Frank Sinatra. It was released in 1948 as a 78 rpm album set and a 10" LP record featuring a collection of eight holiday songs. A compilation album was released in 1994 including the songs released on the 1948 album along with other Christmas songs from his years recording at Columbia.

<i>Songs to Learn & Sing</i> 1985 compilation album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Songs to Learn & Sing is a compilation album by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released on 11 November 1985 and featured all of the singles the band had released up to that point. Released on LP, cassette and CD by Korova, WEA and Sire Records, the album received positive reviews and reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and number 158 on the US Billboard 200.

<i>Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology</i> 1995 compilation album by The Cars

Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology is a two-disc, career-spanning compilation album of songs by the American new wave rock band the Cars. It features most of the band's singles, as well as many album tracks, non-album B-sides and unreleased songs.

<i>Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology</i> 1996 compilation album by Return to Forever

Return to the 7th Galaxy: The Anthology (1996) is an anthology of recordings made from 1972 to 1975 by bands assembled by Chick Corea under the name Return to Forever. The album is a compilation of tracks from the albums Light as a Feather, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Where Have I Known You Before, and No Mystery, together with four previously unreleased tracks.

<i>Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70s Masters</i> 1995 box set by Elvis Presley

Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of the recorded work of Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1970s. It was released in 1995 by RCA Records, catalog number 66670-2, following similar box sets that covered his musical output in the 1950s and 1960s. This set's initial long-box release included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of the LP albums on which the tracks in the box set were originally released by RCA. It also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Dave Marsh, some of it excerpted from his 1982 book on Presley. The box set was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 15, 1999.

<i>The Best of Marillion</i> 2003 greatest hits album by Marillion

The Best of Marillion is a compilation album from the band Marillion. The songs come from both the Fish era and Steve Hogarth era of the band. It was released in mainland Europe only.

<i>Maybe This Christmas</i> 2002 compilation album by various artists

Maybe This Christmas is a holiday compilation album released in November 2002 through Nettwerk Records featuring contemporary musicians performing both classic and original Christmas songs. The album, named by Ron Sexsmith, is the first in a series of three holiday compilations released through the record label between 2002 and 2004. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of each album went to Toys for Tots, a charity supported by the United States Marine Corps. Most of the tracks exclusive to Maybe This Christmas were recorded just a few months prior to its release. The album's cover art was designed by artist Paul Frank, creator of Julius the pictured "wide-mouth monkey". Critical reception of the compilation was mixed, with reviewers often complimenting or criticizing select tracks. In the United States, the album reached a peak position of number thirty-eight on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart.

<i>Genesis Revisited II</i>

Genesis Revisited II is the 22nd studio album by musician Steve Hackett, released on 22 October 2012 by Inside Out Music label. It is a sequel to his 1996 album Genesis Revisited and largely consists of reworked versions of songs originally by Genesis with a variety of guest vocalists.

<i>Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path</i> 2014 album

Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path is a 3-CD compilation album by the American rock band Soundgarden. It was released on November 24, 2014. The album is a collection of rarities, live tracks, and unreleased material spanning the group's history. It includes previously released songs, such as "Live to Rise", "Black Rain", "Birth Ritual", and others, as well as a newly recorded rendition of a song from the band's pre-Matt Cameron 1985 demo, "The Storm", now simply titled "Storm", which was produced by Jack Endino.

<i>The Complete Roost Recordings</i> 1997 compilation album by Stan Getz

The Complete Roost Recordings is a 1997 compilation 3-CD set of sessions led by saxophonist and bandleader Stan Getz recorded for the Roost Records label between 1950 and 1954. The compilation includes material previously released on Getz's Roost LPs The Sound, The Getz Age, the two volumes of Stan Getz at Storyville and the album with guitarist Johnny Smith - Moonlight in Vermont along with alternate takes and previously unreleased performances.

References

  1. "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. 2000-11-07. Retrieved 2012-09-02.