If My Heart Had Wings (album)
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| If My Heart Had Wings | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
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| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | Atlantic[1] | |||
| Producer |
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| Melissa Manchester chronology | ||||
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If My Heart Had Wings is an album by the American musician Melissa Manchester, released in 1995.[2][3] It was a commercial disappointment.[4][5]
Manchester promoted the album by performing its first single, "In a Perfect World", on the soap opera General Hospital.[6][7]
Production[edit]
The album was executive produced by Arif Mardin and Michael Lippman.[8] Due to Manchester's work on the musical I Sent a Letter to My Love, the album was produced over a period of two years.[9] "If My Heart Had Wings" was written with Amy Sky.[10]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | [12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+[14] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [15] |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | [16] |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that, "too often, the tunes on If My Heart Had Wings sound like bland anthems in search of a maudlin movie score."[14] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thought that "Manchester turns in a hopelessly-out-of-it performance that serves as a harsh reminder that having great pipes is no guarantee of success."[16] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opined that it was "too bad Manchester couldn't take a cue from Bonnie Raitt, whose music has grown along with her shock of gray hair and her insight."[12]
AllMusic wrote that the album was "filled with big, dramatic ballads and widescreen production values."[11] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide considered the album to be "not a great work [but] representative of her talent."[15]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The House That Love Built" | Melissa Manchester, Dana Merino, Matt Sherrod | 4:25 |
| 2. | "In a Perfect World" | Jud Friedman, Alan Rich, Wendy Waldman | 4:14 |
| 3. | "If My Heart Had Wings" | Melissa Manchester, Eric Kaz, Amy Sky | 4:13 |
| 4. | "Heart of Love" | Billie Hughes, Roxanne Seeman | 4:23 |
| 5. | "To Be in Love with Me" | Jody Davidson | 3:55 |
| 6. | "Here to Love You" | Michael McDonald | 4:25 |
| 7. | "Higher Ground" | Kent Agee, Steve Dorff, George Green | 4:18 |
| 8. | "Crazy People" | Edgar Leslie, James V. Monaco | 2:33 |
| 9. | "Moments Like This" | Alan Rich, Pam Reswick, Steve Werfel | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Don't Let Me Walk This Road Alone" | David Foster, Keith Thomas, Linda Thompson | 4:10 |
Personnel[edit]
- Melissa Manchester – vocals, backing vocals (6), arrangements (6, 8)
- Robbie Kondor – keyboards (1), keyboard programming (1), arrangements (1), additional keyboards (7)
- Joe Mardin – additional keyboards (1), cymbals (1), hi-hat (1)
- Steve Skinner – additional keyboards (1), keyboards (5, 7), programming (5, 7), arrangements (5, 7)
- Scott Alspach – keyboards (2), programming (2)
- Jud Friedman – keyboards (2), programming (2), string arrangements (2)
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (3, 9, 10), arrangements (9)
- Claude Gaudette – keyboards (4, 6), orchestra programming and arrangements (4)
- Tom Salisbury – acoustic piano (6), backing vocals (6)
- Michael Lang – acoustic piano (8)
- John Putnam – guitars (1, 7)
- Teddy Castellucci – guitars (2)
- Tim Pierce – guitars (3, 10)
- Peter Hume – guitars (6), backing vocals (6)
- Dennis Budimir – guitars (8)
- Michael Landau – guitars (9)
- Will Lee – bass (1, 7)
- Cliff Hugo – bass (6)
- Chuck Berghofer – bass (8)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (9)
- Bob Harsen – drums (3, 10)
- Carlos Vega – drums (4, 6)
- Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (8, 9)
- Brian Kilgore – percussion (2)
- Efrain Toro – percussion (6)
- Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone (1)
- Andy Snitzer – tenor saxophone (1)
- Danny Wilensky – alto saxophone (5)
- Doug Norwine – saxophone (6)
- Gary Foster – clarinet (8)
- Charles Loper – trombone (8)
- Jimmy Hynes – trumpet (1)
- Frank Szabo – trumpet (8)
- Melissa Hasin – cello (7)
- Jimbo Ross – viola (7)
- Margaret Wooten – violin (7)
- Richard Greene – violin solo (7)
- Arif Mardin – arrangements (1, 7-9), string arrangements (7), orchestration (9)
- David Campbell – string arrangements (2)
- Gene Orloff – concertmaster (9)
- Johnny Mandel – string arrangements (10)
- Christopher Tate – choir master (1, 3)
- Deborah A. Alexander, Beverly Dangerfield, Ettamaria Ellis, Warren Harrington, Dewayne C. Knox, Charles May and Linda T. Willis – backing vocals (1, 3)
- Jerry Barnes – additional backing vocals (1)
- Katreese Barnes – additional backing vocals (1)
- Rachele Cappelli – additional backing vocals (1)
- Sue Holder – backing vocals (6)
- Carolyn Willis – backing vocals (6)
- Peggi Blu – backing vocals (9)
- Ollie Cregget – backing vocals (9)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (9)
- Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (9)
- Witnley Phipps – vocals (10)
Production[edit]
- Michael Lippman – executive producer, management
- Arif Mardin – executive producer, producer (1, 5, 7-9)
- Jud Friedman – producer (2)
- Ron Nevison – producer (3, 4, 10), engineer (3, 4, 10)
- Melissa Manchester – producer (6)
- Michael O'Reilly – engineer (1, 5, 7, 8), remixing (1, 5, 7-9)
- Taavi Mote – engineer (2), remixing (2)
- Chris Lord-Alge – remixing (3, 4, 10)
- Jeremy Smith – additional engineer (5), engineer (6, 9), remixing (6)
- Corey Baker – assistant engineer
- Greg Barrett – assistant engineer
- Shawn Berman – assistant engineer
- Brian Broadwater – assistant engineer
- Bruce Buchanan – assistant engineer
- John Jackson – assistant engineer
- Rail Rogut – assistant engineer
- Brian Soucy – assistant engineer
- Andy Udoff – assistant engineer
- Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
- Frank DeCaro – production assistant
- Lisa Maldonado – production assistant
- Deandra Vallier – production assistant
- Melanie Nissen – art direction
- Richard Bates – design
- Donald May – design
- Glen Earler – photography
References[edit]
- ^ "Fall Music". The Advocate. Here Publishing. September 20, 1994.
- ^ Lasswell, Mark (Feb 6, 1995). "Picks & pans — If My Heart Had Wings by Melissa Manchester". People. Vol. 43, no. 5. p. 27.
- ^ Green, Blake (6 Feb 1995). "She Knows the Score". Newsday. p. B3.
- ^ Deggans, Eric (29 Nov 1996). "Multitalented Manchester". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 25.
- ^ Bream, Jon (20 Aug 1996). "Manchester leans to musicals". Star Tribune. p. 1E.
- ^ "Singer Checks into 'Hospital'". News. The Star-Ledger. August 3, 1994.
- ^ Hart, Marla (11 Aug 1994). "In the late '60s, when the pace of daytime drama was slower...". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 13.
- ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 5. Feb 4, 1995. p. 94.
- ^ Renzetti, Elizabeth (16 June 1994). "Manchester's music guides her home". The Globe and Mail. p. E3.
- ^ LeBlanc, Larry (Apr 13, 1996). "Amy Sky reaches new heights". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 15. p. 64.
- ^ a b "If My Heart Had Wings". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Longino, Miriam (January 28, 1995). "If My Heart Had Wings Melissa Manchester". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. L16.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 462.
- ^ a b "If My Heart Had Wings". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 710.
- ^ a b Collins, Tracy (10 Mar 1995). "Melissa Manchester If My Heart Had Wings". Arts & Entertainment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 16.