Here You Are: The Music of My Life

by Billy Ocean

Overview

For such a modest album, Here You Are: The Music of My Life has a remarkably complicated release history. Originally released as a ten-track album by Aqua Music in 2013, it was re-released as a 12-track album -- an acoustic version of the title track was excised and three new tracks were added -- paired with a 19-track The Best Of bonus disc in 2016. That double-disc set only appeared in the U.K., although Ocean did wind up making a promo appearance on the American television show The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Here You Are: The Music of My Life finally saw an American release in the summer of 2017 in an edition that split the difference between the two U.K. releases. The single disc contains ten of the recently recorded covers, then adds Ocean's five biggest American hits: "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)," "Suddenly," "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car," "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going," and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)." The oldies don't necessarily jibe with the new tunes -- they're bouncier and livelier, bearing all the neon trademarks of the '80s -- but the contrast is also appealing, as the hit singles don't suggest the relaxed, friendly singer Ocean now is. If the arrangements sometimes seem a little too simple -- everything is a little too clean and airy, the instruments sometimes sounding synthesized even when they're not -- the Spartan surroundings keep the focus on Ocean's warm presence. He seems happy to be singing the songs that inspired him to begin singing, and it's hard not to smile at his joy. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	07/21/2017
Label:	Sony Music
UPC:	0889854402327
Rank:	99950

Tracks

1. Here You Are
2. A Simple Game
3. A Change Is Gonna Come
4. No Woman No Cry
5. Cry Me a River
6. Having a Party
7. It Was a Very Good Year
8. These Foolish Things
9. Judge Not
10. Love Train
11. Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)
12. Suddenly
13. Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
14. When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
15. There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Billy Ocean   Primary Artist
Sharon Bryant   Vocals (Background)
Terry Silverlight   Drums
Shedrick Mitchell   Organ
Cindy Mizelle   Vocals (Background)
Bashiri Johnson   Percussion
Vaneese Thomas   Vocals (Background)
Carl Carter   Bass
Barry J. Eastmond   Piano,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion
Freddie Washington   Bass
Jeff Smith   Soloist,Horn Section
Tyrone Cox   Trumpet
Barry Eastmond   Piano,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion

Technical Credits

Aki Nishimura   Assistant Engineer
Bob Marley   Composer
Keith Diamond   Composer
Kenny Gamble   Composer
Billy Ocean   Composer
Jack Strachey   Composer
Anthony Ruotolo   Engineer
Vincent Ford   Composer
Wayne Brathwaite   Composer
Sam Cooke   Composer
Robert John "Mutt" Lange   Composer
Mike McGinnis   Copyist
Ray Bardani   Mixing
Harry Link   Composer
Barry J. Eastmond   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming
Eric Maschwitz   Composer
Ervin Drake   Composer
Leon Huff   Composer
Phil Magnotti   Engineer
Mike Pinder   Composer
Arthur Hamilton   Composer
Bob Mallory   Assistant Engineer
Tip Wyman   Assistant Engineer
David Pearl   Copyist
Maria Eastmond   Production Coordination
Artie Smith   Drum Technician
Barry Eastmond   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming
Timothy Marchiafava   Assistant Engineer