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Memorial Beach

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Memorial Beach
Studio album by
A-ha
Released14 June 1993
Recorded1991-1993
GenreAlternative rock, pop rock, new wave
Length49:33
LabelWarner Bros. 9362-45229-2
ProducerA-ha, Pål Waaktaar, David Z
A-ha chronology
East of the Sun, West of the Moon
(1990) 		Memorial Beach
(1993) 		Minor Earth Major Sky
(2000)
Singles from Memorial Beach
  1. "Move to Memphis"
    Released: 14 October 1991
  2. "Dark Is the Night"
    Released: 24 May 1993
  3. "Angel in the Snow"
    Released: 6 September 1993
  4. "Lie Down in Darkness (US promo)"
    Released: 28 September 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Q[1]

Memorial Beach is the fifth album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released in 1993.

History

The album was recorded primarily at Prince's Paisley Park studios outside Minneapolis in the U.S. Memorial Beach featured three UK Top 50 singles for the band, "Move to Memphis" (released as a single in 1991, almost two years before the album), "Dark is the Night" and "Angel in the Snow". While the album did not chart on the U.S. Billboard 200 and would be the band's last to be released there, the single "Dark Is the Night" peaked at #11 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart,[2] their last U.S. charting to date. Q magazine listed the album as one of the 50 best albums of 1993: "If ever a band deserved reappraisal on the back of an album then it was a-ha!"

"Angel in the Snow" was written by Pål Waaktaar for his bride, Lauren, as a wedding gift. Recording the album was, according to Morten Harket, "A rather dark and heavy period for the band", although Magne Furuholmen has said, "I dig Memorial Beach, and 'Dark is the Night for All' is the high point, the best thing on the disc."

JD and Jevetta Steele from the American gospel group The Steeles contribute backing vocals on the songs "Move to Memphis" and "Lie Down in Darkness". French actress Béatrice Dalle appears in the music video for the song "Move to Memphis".

Some lyrics from "Locust" were reused on the 2004 Savoy single "Whalebone".

This was the last album to feature the original a-ha logo until they reunited for the second time for Cast in Steel (2015).

Track listing

All tracks written by Pål Waaktaar unless noted otherwise:

  1. "Dark Is the Night for All" – 3:46
  2. "Move to Memphis" – 4:22 (Pål Waaktaar/Magne Furuholmen)
  3. "Cold as Stone" – 8:19
  4. "Angel in the Snow" – 4:13
  5. "Locust" – 5:09
  6. "Lie Down in Darkness" – 4:32
  7. "How Sweet It Was" – 6:00
  8. "Lamb to the Slaughter" – 4:20 (Magne Furuholmen)
  9. "Between Your Mama and Yourself" – 4:16
  10. "Memorial Beach" – 4:36

2015 Deluxe edition

Disc 1
  1. "Dark Is The Night For All"
  2. "Move To Memphis"
  3. "Cold As Stone"
  4. "Angel In The Snow"
  5. "Locust"
  6. "Lie Down In Darkness"
  7. "How Sweet It Was"
  8. "Lamb To The Slaughter"
  9. "Between Your Mama And Yourself"
  10. "Memorial Beach"
Bonus tracks
  1. "Move To Memphis" (Extended Mix)
  2. "Angel In The Snow" (Acoustic Instrumental)
Disc 2
  1. "Dark Is The Night For All" (Demo)
  2. "Cold As Stone" (Demo)
  3. "Angel In The Snow" (Demo)
  4. "Locust" (Demo)
  5. "Lie Down In Darkness" (Demo)
  6. "How Sweet It Was" (Demo)
  7. "Bar Room" (Demo)
  8. "Lamb To The Slaughter" (Demo)
  9. "Between Your Mama And Yourself" (Demo)
  10. "Memorial Beach" (Demo)
  11. "Dark Is The Night For All" (Alternative Version)
  12. "Swing Of Things" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  13. "Dark Is The Night For All" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  14. "Move To Memphis" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  15. "Cold As Stone/Sycamore Leaves" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  16. "Shapes That Go Together" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)

Personnel

a-ha

Additional Musicians

  • J.B. Bogeberg - bass
  • Per Hillestad - drums
  • J.D. Steele - backing vocals on (2, 6)
  • Jevetta Steele - backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Kat Wilson- backing vocal (2, 6)

Production

  • Producers - A-ha, Pål Waaktaar, David Z
  • Mastering - Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC

Chart positions

Album

Chart Peak
France French Albums Chart 25
Germany German Albums Chart[3] 17
Japan Japanese Albums Chart 27
Norway Norwegian Albums Chart[4] 1
Sweden Swedish Albums Chart[5] 39
Switzerland Swiss Albums Chart[6] 39
United Kingdom UK Albums Chart[7] 17

The song "Memorial Beach" was used in an episode of Baywatch.

References

  1. ^ "a-ha: Memorial Beach". Q (87): 118. December 1993.
  2. ^ Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
  3. ^ Steffen Hung. "germancharts.com - a-ha - Memorial Beach". Germancharts.de. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  4. ^ Steffen Hung. "a-ha - Memorial Beach". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  5. ^ Steffen Hung. "a-ha - Memorial Beach". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  6. ^ Steffen Hung. "a-ha - Memorial Beach". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  7. ^ "A-HA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
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