Description
Drifting is the third album by the British singer Sheila Walsh, released in the UK on Myrrh Records in 1983, a division of Word (distributed on licence from DJM Records). As well distributed by DJM into mainstream record stores in the UK (with the title cut peaking at No. 64 on the UK single chart). A slightly modified version of the album was released in the US market by Sparrow Records, re-titled War of Love and featuring different cover artwork. (The UK title track was replaced by “Star Song”, a track originally released as a UK-single by DMJ Records in 1981, produced by Cliff Richard.) War of Love was also distributed by MCA Distributing Corporation. The album was recorded between September 1982 and January 1983 by Keith Bessey at Riverside, Strawberry, Ramp and Sonoptics Studios in England; with Cliff Richard and Craig Pruess co-producing. Mixed at Strawberry Studios in Dorking, England. (Earlier in 1982, Bessey, Pruess, and Richard had teamed up to record Richard’s synth-pop album Now You See Me… Now You Don’t, and Bessey and Pruess would go on to also record and produce the next two albums by Sheila Walsh.) (It should be noted that British singer/songwriter Cliff Richard actually also had a dual career as a producer, working with fellow Christian musicians such as Bryn Haworth, Garth Hewitt and Network 3 – a pop trio formerly known as Nutshell – but his most influential efforts as a producer probably came with Sheila Walsh.)
War of Love was included among the Best Albums of 1983 by CCM Magazine, voted number six on a list featuring eleven albums released from the last quarter of 1982 through the last quarter of 1983. – Imported from Great Britain by Sparrow’s Billy Ray Hearn, Walsh is the most successful Christian artist to cross the Atlantic in ten years. In May, Joe Polizzi said, “The subjects dealt with on this electric tract range from spiritual life to planet life… Progressive music cleverly disguised as pop, ‘War of Love’ puts Sheila Walsh in the front line for the cause of the King.”
The album features several cover songs: a synth-heavy version of the Peter Seeger classic “Turn Turn Turn” (a number one hit for The Byrds in 1965); “Yes He Lives” written by Cliff Richard sideman Terry Britten and originally recorded by Cliff on his 1978-album Small Corners; three songs written by Graham Kendrick (“Fighter”, originally recorded on his 1978-album by the same title, as well as “Private Life” and “Sleepwalking” from Kendrick’s cassette-only effort, Nightwatch); and “Fooled by a Feeling” written by Jamie Owens-Collins and recorded on her 1980-album Straight Ahead. As well featuring “Sunset Skies” written by Chris Eaton of Mark Williamson Band fame and “Mystery” co-written by Paul Field (formerly of Nutshell) and Dave Cooke (who did release Thinking It Over on EMI Records in 1974), “Drifting” co-written by Bruce Woolley and Simon Darlow, and “It’s Lonely When The Light Go On” co-written by Daniel d’Costa and John Woodfield. According to an article featured in the October 19, 1985 issue of Billboard Magazine “Sheila Walsh’s “Mystery” video was a pioneer Christian video and one of the first to gain wide acceptance. It also caused her album sales to double.”
War of Love (the US Edition of Drifting), Sparrow Records
Glitter commando Sheila Walsh has declared a ‘War of Love’ (Sparrow SPR-1067) with her second pop-wave release. First impression is that Sheila has recorded side three of ‘Chariots of Fire’. Reverberating bass synthesizers pulsate through the opener, a remake of the Seeger/Byrds classic «Turn, Turn, Turn», filtered through Sheila’s progressive vision.
Cliff Richard‘s production adds all of the luster of his experience, with rich breathy vocals permeating all tracks.
«Mystery» is the second assault on side one and deserves honorable mention. Accessability is the keyword in this song, which at moments calls to mind the Pretenders. A barrage of various electronic devices form the basis for the rhythm tracks. «Private Life» begins with fiery riffs, adds an echo, and ends with thought-provoking lyrics.
Sheila’s classical training works better here than on ‘Future Eyes‘; there are no high pitched squeals. Side one concludes with «Yes, He Lives», originally recorded by Cliff Richard on ‘Greenbelt Live‘. All keyboards act as percussion to achieve an interesting reggae-wave feel. Lyrically, Sheila is clearly fighting for the truth.
Arranger Craig Pruess is to be congratulated for creativity. Headphone listeners will be treated to some top notch speaker-to-speaker effects.
Originally released as a single from the Sparrow album ‘25 Songs for Christmas‘, «Star Song» gained a foothold on the charts, leading its release on this LP. «Sleepwalking»’s penetrating dithrambic vibrations – borrowed from the twenty-first century – along with a wall of robotic vocals accent its catch-phrase, “…only the dream is real.”
The subjects dealt with on this electric tract range from spiritual life to planet life. Drawing the album to a poetic conclusion, «God Put a Fighter in Me» rings with a laser version call to war. “And souls grow weary in this war of love/ And seek their solice strolling down the sweet civilian waste/…Where have all the Christian soldiers gone?” Military drums, electronic thunder, and superb use of brass create a dramatic, visionary climax.
Progressive music cleverly disguised as pop, ‘War of Love’ puts Sheila Walsh in the front line for the cause of the King. [Joe Polizzi, CCM, May 1983]
Sparrow Records has made significant inroads into secular television with videos by Sheila Walsh and Steve Taylor. Since its release in June, 1983, Walsh’s “Mystery” clip has aired on ON-TV, WTBS’s “Night Tracks” and the now-defunct “America’s Music Tracks,” according to Bob Angelotti, Sparrow’s director of special markets and publicity.
Taylor’s “Meltdown,” which came out in April, features the dramatic talents of “Facts Of Life” star Lisa Welchel and the special effects of Ken Horn, who worked on “Superman: The Movie.” The clip has been seen on KABC’s “Goodnight L.A.,” the New York Times Cable Network and Black Entertainment Television’s “Video Soul” program.
Sparrow gained impressive economies in the production costs of Taylor’s video; all the professionals working on it donated their time. “The production was completed for one-tenth the cost of a similar MTV-style video,” Angelotti says.
“Meltdown” and “Mystery” will be available starting Oct. 1 as a video double-play at Christian retail outlets and at venues where Taylor and Walsh perform. The package will sell for $19.95 in both the VHS and Beta formats. [Excerpt from the article “Christian Artists Climbing On Promo Clip Bandwagon” by Andrew Roblin, featured in the September 29, 1984 issue of Billboard Magazine]
LP tracklist (original UK version):
Side One
A1. “Turn Turn Turn” – 3:59
A2. “Mystery” – 3:27
A3. “Sunset Skies” – 4:36
A4. “Private Life” – 3:28
A5. “Yes He Lives” – 4:05
Side Two
B1. “Drifting” (feat. Cliff Richard) – 3:40
B2. “Fooled By A Feeling” – 3:48
B3. “Sleepwalking” – 4:01
B4. “It’s Lonely When The Lights Go On” – 3:10
B5. “Fighter” – 5:08
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Myrrh, and later by Sparrow Records. The Sparrow version of the album replaced the title track with “Star Song” (originally a 1981-single) and re-titled the album War of Love as well. Sparrow tracklist: A1. Turn, Turn, Turn / A2. Mystery / A3. Sunset Skies / A4. Private Life / A5. Yes He Lives / B1. Fooled By A Feelin’ / B2. Star Song / B3. Sleepwalking / B4. Lonely When The Lights Go On / B5. Fighter.
The original version of Sheila Walsh’s album Drifting was released by the mainstream label DJM Records in the UK only.
A slightly modified version of Sheila Walsh’s UK album Drifting was released in the US by Sparrow Records, re-titled War of Love and featuring new cover artwork.
A full-page advertisement for Sheila Walsh’s War of Love was featured in the May and October 1983 issues of CCM Magazine.
“Sleepwalking”: The Rock Gospel Show with Sheila Walsh and Arbie The Robot, aired on BBC 1983.
Sheila Walsh made videos for two tracks from her 1983 UK release Drifting, “Mystery” as well as the title track.
CREDITS. Produced by Cliff Richard and Craig Pruess. Engineered by Keith Bessey. Recorded between September ’82 and January ’83 at Riverside, Strawberry, Ramp and Sonoptics studios. Mixed at Strawberry Studios, Dorking, Surrey, UK. All Rhythm, Orchestral and Electronic Arrangements by Craig Pruess. Sleeve Design by David Larkham. Photography by Clive Arrowsmith. (US Version: Cover Design by Phil Thomson. Photography by Brian Aris.)
Musicians: Craig Pruess (Synthesizer, Piano, Brass, Electronic and Assorted Percussion), Rick Fenn (Acoustic Guitar tracks B1), Clem Clemson (Electric Guitar – tracks: A1, A2, B2), John Clark (Electric Guitar – tracks: A4, A5, B1), Mel Collins (Saxophone solo track A2), Graham Jarvis (Drums – tracks: A1-A3, B2). Backing Vocals: Cliff Richard (backing vocals on all tracks), Craig Pruess (track A1), Sammy Brown (track A5), Vicki Brown (track A5).
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