Too Close to Heaven

Too Close to Heaven
Compilation album by The Waterboys
Released	24 September 2001
Recorded	July 1986–February 2001
Genre	Folk-Rock
Label	BMG International U.K. Razor And Tie Entertainment U.S.
The Waterboys chronology
A Rock in the Weary Land (2000) Too Close to Heaven (2001) Universal Hall (2003)

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Too Close to Heaven is a collection of outtakes, alternative versions, and unreleased tracks from The Waterboys' Fisherman's Blues period, released September 2001. The album was released as Fisherman's Blues, Part 2 in the United States with five additional tracks in July of that year.

The title track of the album refers to the myth of Icarus. Dave Simpson writes in The Guardian , "Quite how Too Close to Heaven – a song that is easily worthy of either John Lennon or Van Morrison - languished in the vaults for 12 years is a matter for Scott's conscience (and his accountants)" . The song has become a favourite at Waterboys concerts.

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Scott, except as noted.

1. "On My Way to Heaven" (Traditional) – 4:01
2. "Higher in Time" (Scott, Anthony Thistlethwaite) – 5:02
3. "The Ladder" – 2:58
4. "Too Close to Heaven" – 12:29
5. "Good Man Gone" – 5:13
6. "Blues for Your Baby" – 5:42
7. "Custer's Blues" – 5:59
8. "A Home in the Meadow" (Sammy Cahn, Alfred Newman) (includes "Patch and MacHugh at the Puck Fair") – 3:13
9. "Tenderfootin'" (Trevor Hutchinson, Scott, Thistlethwaite, Steve Wickham, Kevin Wilkinson) – 5:15
10. "Lonesome Old Wind" – 8:19

Fisherman's Blues, Part Two track listing

Disc one

1. "On My Way to Heaven" (Traditional) – 4:01
2. "Higher in Time" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 5:02
3. "The Ladder" – 2:58
4. "Too Close to Heaven" – 12:29
5. "Good Man Gone" – 5:13
6. "Blues for Your Baby" – 5:42
7. "Custer's Blues" – 5:59
8. "A Home in the Meadow" (Cahn, Newman) – 3:13
9. "Tenderfootin'" (Hutchinson, Scott, Thistlethwaite, Wickham, Kevin Wilkinson) – 5:15
10. "Lonesome Old Wind" – 8:19

Disc two

1. "Higher in Time" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 3:39
2. "Ain't Leaving, I'm Gone" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 4:24
3. "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 3:20
4. "The Good Ship Sirius" (Wickham) – 0:36
5. "Too Close to Heaven" (Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso, November 2001) – 13:16

Personnel

• Mike Scott – vocals, acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10), electric guitar (2, 10), piano (1, 3, 4, 7), electric piano (2, 6, 9, 10), fuzz bass guitar (1), intro/outro bass guitar (7), bouzouki (1), RD500 organ (5), phased organ (6), organ (10), Native American rattle (7)
• Anthony Thistlethwaite – saxophone (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 ,10), acoustic mandolin (1), electric mandolin (3), mandolins (8), bass (2), electric piano (7), acoustic guitar (8)
• Steve Wickham – fiddle (1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10), electric fiddle (2), fuzz mandolin (7), lilting vocal (8 - "Patch..." section)
• Trevor Hutchinson – bass (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9)
• Eoghan O'Neill – bass (5)
• John Patitucci – bass (6, 10)
• James Delaney – piano (5)
• Noel Bridgeman – drums (1, 5, 8)
• Peter McKinney – drums (2, 7)
• Kevin Wilkinson – drums (4, 9)
• Jim Keltner – drums (6, 10)
• Jay Dee Daugherty – drums (8 - "Patch..." section)
• Roddy Lorimer – trumpet (1, 9), solo trumpet (7)
• Vinnie Kilduff – uilleann pipes (1), tin whistle (8)
• The Little Big Horns – brass section (7)
• Essie, Sam & Michelle of the London Community Gospel Choir – backing vocals (1)

Notes and references

1. ^ Dave Simpson (3 November 2001). "The Waterboys Nottingham". The Guardian, Rock City. London. Retrieved 25 October 2005.

External links

• Lyrics at mikescottwaterboys.com
• Official forum Chord requests are often fulfilled at "Musician's Corner"