Description
Believe It or Not is the fourth and final studio album by the British folk-pop trio Nutshell, released in both the UK and the US on Myrrh Records in 1979, a division of Word. The album was recorded at Redan Recorders in London, England; and was produced and arranged by Triumvirate Production; Jon Miller, Rod Edwards, and Roger Hand (the same team also produced classic albums by artists like Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Adrian Snell, Malcolm & Alwyn, Alwyn Wall Band and Garth Hewitt). String arrangements by Del Newman and John Mealing. Brass provided by Gonzales Brass, arranged by Chris Mercer. Featuring the classic “Thief In The Night”, a track written by Paul Field and later covered by both Cliff Richard (on Now You See Me…Now You Don’t, 1982) and Sheila Walsh (on Don’t Hide Your Heart, 1985).
In the beginning of the 80s the trio released two vinyl singles as Network 3. Both singles, Last Train Home (b/w “Lifeline”, EMI Records 1981) and Dangerous Game (b/w “Come Go With Me”, EMI Records 1981), were produced by Cliff Richard, who also provided backup vocals. Between 1979 and 1981 Network 3 toured with Cliff Richard as backup singers as well as support act. The band broke up after this, and a Best of LP was released by Myrrh Records in 1981 with songs from all four Nutshell albums, featuring tracks from both incarnations of the band on one side each.
Paul Field went onto have a successful career as both singer and songwriter. Cliff Richard recorded a number of his songs, including “The Millennium Prayer”, a charity single recorded by Cliff that reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1999. As well, Mo McCafferty (later to become Mo Turner after marrying author and poet Steve Turner) and Annie McCaig went on to have successful careers in the UK as backup singers.
These days Paul Field is revered as one of British Christendom’s finest and most talented songwriters. Back in 1980 he was fronting the pop group Nutshell and ‘Believe It Or Not’ was the trio’s fourth album. I saw the group on tour promoting this opening up for Cliff Richard and in the early ’80s. Shortly after they changed their name to Network 3 and attempted a mainstream crossover career which didn’t take off. The tracks on ‘Believe It Or Not’ are very much of their era. The production is top notch for its day, the arrangements both vocal and musical are imaginative and lyrically Field tackles some interesting issues. There are two absolute classics here! «Thief In The Night» is a song looking at the end times and went on to become a live favourite for Cliff, but this original version features some magnificent guitar playing from Gordon Giltrap. And the prayerful ballad «Empty Page» is another gem. Elsewhere «First Stone» is a quirky look at judgment and grace, «Night Flight» is an observation of the challenges of travelling musicians who leave spouses behind. «Hard To Say Goodnight» was always an inspiration when I was single and needed to not stay late at a girlfriend’s house. These days it’s rare for Christian artists to write songs that help listeners to live out their faith in this practical way and I was always grateful for Field’s songwriting. Okay, so it’s nearly 30 years since its release and time hasn’t always been kind to the production side of these recordings but ‘Believe It Or Not’ is still an album worthy of a CD reissue. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, May 2009]
Believe It Or Not finds the trio rocking out a tad more, pushing closer to that 2nd Chapter of Acts sound on heavier cuts like «Better Take Another Look», the brassed-backed «Looking For Love» and «Without Love», and the closing «Thief In The Night», the latter a powerful song with ace guitar work (both acoustic and electric) from Gordon Giltrap. Kevin Peek and Dave “Diesel” Martin also plug their usual offerings of mellow string-orchestration pop and ballads. I seem to recall «Empty Page» getting some airplay. A UK-only “best of”-collection followed in 1981, after which Field pursued some solo projects. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Better Take Another Look” – 3:44
A2. “Empty Page” – 5:07
A3. “Looking For Love” – 3:31
A4. “Goin’ Nowhere” – 3:53
A5. “Redeemed” – 3:49
Side Two
B1. “First Stone” – 3:25
B2. “Night Flight” – 4:20
B3. “Without Love” – 3:36
B4. “Hard To Say Goodnight” – 3:50
B5. “Thief In The Night” – 3:55
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Myrrh Records. Available at Paul Field’s Bandcamp website: https://paulfield.bandcamp.com/album/believe-it-or-not
[youtube_sc url=”MZDlvqrRzw0″ title=”Cliff Richard feat. Network 3 – Thief In The Night and I Wish Wed All Been Ready” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]Network 3, Live in Concert – “Thief In The Night”. Cliff Richard feat. Network 3 – “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”. (From a Cliff Richard show at the Chichester Festival Theatre, 12-12-1980.)
CREDITS. Produced and arranged by Triumvirate Productions; Jon Miller, Rod Edwards, and Roger Hand. Engineered by Roger Wake. The album was recorded at Redan Recorders, Queensway, London. String arrangements by Del Newman (tracks: A2, B4) and John Mealing (tracks: A5, B3). Brass arrangements by Chris Mercer (Brass by Gonzales Brass).
Musicians: Paul Field (Vocals, Guitar, Piano), Annie McCaig (Vocals), Mo McCafferty (Vocals), Rod Edwards (Piano and Keyboards), Gordon Giltrap (Acoustic Guitar, Electric Lead Guitar – track B5), Kevin Peek (Guitar), Dave Martin (Guitar), John Gustafson (Bass), Mike Giles (Drums), Morris Pert (Percussion), Tony Carr (Saxophone), Chris Mercer (Saxophone), Eric Clapton (Harmonicas).
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