"Yellow Pearl" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Phil Lynott | ||||
from the album Solo in Soho (original) and The Philip Lynott Album (remix) | ||||
B-side | "Girls" | |||
Released | March 1981 26 December 1981 (7" remix) | |||
Genre | Synthpop | |||
Length | 4:06 2:58 (7" remix) 4:29 (12" remix) | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Phil Lynott, Midge Ure | |||
Producer(s) | Phil Lynott, Kit Woolven | |||
Phil Lynott singles chronology | ||||
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"Yellow Pearl" is a song recorded by Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, originally for his 1980 solo album, Solo in Soho . It was written by Lynott and Midge Ure, who was a temporary member of Thin Lizzy at the time, as well as frontman of Ultravox. It was subsequently remixed and released again on Lynott's second album, The Philip Lynott Album . The remixed version was used as the theme music to the British music chart television programme Top of the Pops from 1981 to 1986.
"Yellow Pearl" originated during a Thin Lizzy tour of Japan in September 1979, during which time Midge Ure was playing keyboards in the band. He had initially been drafted in as a guitarist to replace Gary Moore who had left the band abruptly during a tour of the US. For the Japanese tour, Dave Flett was brought in to play guitar and Ure switched to keyboards. "I was never a keyboard player by any stretch of the imagination," Ure admitted, but added that Lynott kept him in the band to add an extra dimension to the sound. [1]
At rehearsals and soundchecks Ure would often play around with the riff to "Yellow Pearl", and Lynott remembered the tune when recording songs for Solo in Soho. He asked Ure to help him work the idea into a full song, around the same time as he was building a home studio, and Ure was introducing him to new developments in recording technology. Ure has said, "I actually have no idea what the song is really about, except perhaps that, as a thin outline, it's a comment on the thought of Japanese technology taking over – a twist on the Yellow Peril idea." [1] Lynott and Ure were also influenced by the new technology that they saw in Japan, such as the new Sony Walkman, and by a trip to see the Yellow Magic Orchestra. [1]
Regarding the lyrics, Ure was amused by Lynott attempting to make every word rhyme, commenting, "You'll hear that some of what he sings is complete nonsense, stuff that came off the top of his head and just happened to rhyme. It still makes me laugh today." [1]
The song initially featured a female spoken-voice intro ("We all must beware of the Yellow Pearl"), and used a drum machine. This version was featured on Lynott's first solo album, Solo in Soho, released on 18 April 1980. On its first release as a single in the UK in March 1981, the song reached No. 56 in the British charts, and No. 25 in Ireland. [2]
After the initial release of the single, Lynott recalled that he was approached by Top of the Pops producer Michael Hurll, who told Lynott that he liked "Yellow Pearl" and asked him to write new theme music for the programme. When asked what kind of song he wanted, Hurll replied, "Something like "Yellow Pearl"," and Lynott suggested simply using that song. [3]
After the remixed version was chosen as the Top of the Pops theme music in the summer of 1981, the remix was released as a single on 26 December, reaching No. 14 in the UK, and No. 13 in Ireland. It was accompanied by a video, costing around £20,000 and directed by Midge Ure, who appeared in silhouette in the video. [4]
The remix was over a minute shorter in length, dispensed with the spoken intro, and featured more prominent drums. The 12" single featured a longer remix, including the spoken intro, with drums by Rusty Egan. Lynott later said, "It has made me a fortune; every time I see Top of the Pops the cash register in me head starts ringing." When pressed about the actual value of the royalties, he answered, "About 2p, I don't know. I wish I'd written the theme tune to Coronation Street ." [3] Another version of the song was used as the chart rundown music between 1984 and 1986. This version featured electric guitar sounds instead of the popular synthpop version.
Thin Lizzy is an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Thin Lizzy initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon, although Wrixon left after a few months. Bell left at the end of 1973 and was briefly replaced by Gary Moore, who himself was replaced in mid-1974 by twin lead guitarists: Scott Gorham, who remained with the band until their break-up in 1983, and Brian Robertson, who remained with the band until 1978 when Moore re-joined. Moore left a second time and was replaced by Snowy White in 1980, who was himself replaced by John Sykes in 1982. The line-up was augmented by keyboardist Darren Wharton in 1980. The singles "Whiskey in the Jar" (1972), "The Boys Are Back in Town" (1976) and "Waiting for an Alibi" (1979) were international hits, and several Thin Lizzy albums reached the top ten in the UK. The band's music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or sometimes heavy metal.
Philip Parris Lynott was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive pick-based style on the bass and for his imaginative lyrical contributions, including working class tales and numerous characters drawn from personal influences and Celtic culture.
William Lee Currie is a British multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Huddersfield, England. He is best known as the keyboard and strings player with new wave band Ultravox, who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1980s.
James "Midge" Ure is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, a hypocorism of his given name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids, Visage, and as the second frontman of Ultravox. In 1984, he co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which has sold 3.7 million copies in the UK. The song is the second-highest-selling single in UK chart history. Ure co-organised Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 with Bob Geldof. He acts as a trustee for the charity and also serves as an ambassador for Save the Children.
Thin Lizzy is the debut studio album by Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, released on 30 April 1971. The album was followed by the EP New Day, produced and recorded by Nick Tauber at Decca Studios on 14–17 June 1971 and released on 20 August 1971. The songs from the EP were included in later editions of the album.
Chinatown is the tenth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1980. It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist. White had previously worked with Cliff Richard, Peter Green and Pink Floyd. Chinatown also featured eighteen-year-old Darren Wharton on keyboards, and he joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member later that year.
Renegade is the eleventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1981. Though not his first appearance, this was the first album in which keyboard player Darren Wharton was credited as a permanent member, becoming the fifth member of the line-up. As such, he made a contribution as a songwriter on the opening track "Angel of Death". However, even though he had officially joined the band, his picture was omitted from the album sleeve. Renegade was the second and final album to feature guitarist Snowy White. By his own admission, White was more suited to playing blues than heavy rock and he quit by mutual agreement the following year. He went on to have a hit single with "Bird of Paradise" in 1983.
Greatest Hits is a double-CD compilation of Thin Lizzy songs released in 2004.
Warren Reginald Cann is a Canadian drummer and songwriter. He was a founding member of the British new wave band Ultravox.
Solo in Soho is the debut solo album by Irish rock singer Philip Lynott, released while he was still in Thin Lizzy. Current and former Lizzy members guested on the album, including Scott Gorham, Brian Downey, Snowy White, and Gary Moore. Brian Robertson also contributed to the writing of one of the tracks, "Girls".
Rusty Egan is a British pop musician and DJ, although he has only ever held an Irish passport.
The Continuing Saga of the Ageing Orphans is a 1979 compilation album by the rock group Thin Lizzy.
Darren Leigh Wharton is a British keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He has fronted his own band, Dare, since 1985, but first came to attention as a member of Thin Lizzy. In 2023, Wharton launched a second band alongside Dare, Darren Wharton's Renegade. His son, Paris, is also a musician.
Grand Slam are a British rock band originally formed in 1984 by Phil Lynott, after the breakup of his earlier ensemble Thin Lizzy. Grand Slam was active for a year, and Lynott died in 1986, but the band was revived in 2016 by original members Mark Stanway and Laurence Archer.
The Philip Lynott Album is the second and final solo album by Irish rock singer Philip Lynott, released in 1982.
"Waiting for an Alibi" is a song by the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy and the first single from the band's 1979 album, Black Rose: A Rock Legend. Black Rose was the only Thin Lizzy album recorded while Gary Moore was a member of the band, and he left soon after.
"Sarah" is a pop song released in 1979 by Irish rock group Thin Lizzy, included on their album, Black Rose: A Rock Legend. The song was written by the band's frontman Phil Lynott and guitarist Gary Moore about Lynott's newborn daughter. The song was also issued as a single, and appeared on several compilation albums including Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy. The song was never performed live by Thin Lizzy, but it was adopted as a live favourite by Lynott's post-Thin Lizzy project, Grand Slam, and featured on Live in Sweden 1983, a recording of Lynott's solo band.
Live in Sweden 1983 is a live album, released almost 20 years after it was recorded, of Phil Lynott's solo band after the breakup of the band Thin Lizzy. It was recorded from the soundboard and was released by Mark Stanway.
Yellow Pearl is a compilation album of songs recorded by Irish rock musician Phil Lynott; the only such compilation as of 2022. The album, released in 2010, features songs taken from Lynott's two solo albums, Solo in Soho and The Philip Lynott Album, together with rare singles, remixes and b-sides.
If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox is a 1993 compilation album by Scottish musician Midge Ure, featuring songs from his solo career and as part of the new wave and synthpop band Ultravox, along with Ure's collaborations with Mick Karn, Phil Lynott, Visage, and charity supergroup Band Aid.