Eve (Alan Parsons Project album)
Eve is the fourth studio album by British rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released on 27 August 1979 by Arista Records. The album's focus is on the strengths and characteristics of women, and the problems they face in the world of men.[6] It had originally been intended to focus on "great women in history", but evolved into a wider concept.[6]
| Eve | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 27 August 1979 | |||
| Recorded | December 1978–June 1979 | |||
| Studio | Super Bear Studios | |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Length | 39:23 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Producer | Alan Parsons | |||
| The Alan Parsons Project chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Christgau's Record Guide | D[2] |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Smash Hits | 8/10[4] |
| The Village Voice | D[5] |
Eve is The Alan Parsons Project's first album with singer Chris Rainbow. The album's opening instrumental "Lucifer" was a major hit in Europe, and "Damned If I Do" reached the US Top 40, peaking at No. 27. "Lucifer" also is used as title track for the German political TV show Monitor.
The album's artwork features three apparently beautiful women wearing veils. On closer examination, it can be seen that each has large sores, moles and other disfigurements hidden beneath the veils.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.
| No. | Title | Lead Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lucifer" | instrumental | 5:09 |
| 2. | "You Lie Down with Dogs" | Lenny Zakatek | 3:47 |
| 3. | "I'd Rather Be a Man" | David Paton | 3:53 |
| 4. | "You Won't Be There" | Dave Townsend | 3:34 |
| 5. | "Winding Me Up" | Chris Rainbow | 4:04 |
| Total length: | 20:27 | ||
| No. | Title | Lead Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Damned If I Do" | Lenny Zakatek | 4:50 |
| 2. | "Don't Hold Back" | Clare Torry | 3:37 |
| 3. | "Secret Garden" | Chris Rainbow | 4:41 |
| 4. | "If I Could Change Your Mind" | Lesley Duncan | 5:49 |
| Total length: | 18:57 | ||
Eve was remastered and reissued in 2008 with the following bonus tracks:
- "Elsie's Theme from 'The Sicilian Defence' (the Project that never was)"
- "Lucifer" (demo)
- "Secret Garden" (early rough mix)
- "Damned If I Do" (rough mix)
- "Don't Hold Back" (vocal rehearsal rough mix)
- "Lucifer" (early rough mix)
- "If I Could Change Your Mind" (rough mix)
Personnel
- Andrew Powell – orchestral arrangements, choral arrangements, conductor
- David Paton – bass, lead and backing vocals
- Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
- Ian Bairnson – electric and acoustic guitars
- Eric Woolfson – keyboards, executive producer
- Duncan Mackay – keyboards
- Alan Parsons – production, engineering, Morse code (E . V ..._ E .) on "Lucifer"
- Chris Rainbow – lead and backing vocals
- Lesley Duncan – lead vocal
- Clare Torry – lead vocal
- Dave Townsend – lead vocal
- Lenny Zakatek – lead vocal
- The Orchestra of the Munich Chamber Opera care of Eberhard Schoener
- Sandor Farkas – leader
- Curtis Briggs – coordinator
- Shapiro and Steinberg – trivia consultants
- Hipgnosis - cover art
Cover art
The cover art for Eve by Hipgnosis features three women wearing veils, with their faces partially in shadow. The cover is a gatefold. On the shaded part of each woman's face, the shadows and veils partially conceal disfiguring scars and sores (the lesions were not real, however[7]).
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | UK Albums Chart | 74 |
| 1979 | The Billboard 200 | 13 |
| 1979 | Canada | 10 |
| 1979 | Germany | 1[8] |
| 1979 | Austria | 2[9] |
| 1979 | Norway | 6 |
| 1979 | Spain (AFE) | 4 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[10] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Germany (BVMI)[11] | Gold | 400,000[12] |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[13] | Gold | 7,500^ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[15] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- Allmusic review
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 10 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Rolling Stone review
- Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (20 September – 3 October 1979): 25.
- Christgau, Robert (3 December 1979). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- Official Alan Parsons Project web site, page title "Eve | The Alan Parsons Project"
- "Interview: Alan Parsons: The Artist and Scientist of Sound Recording". BlogSpot. 24 April 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "Album – The Alan Parsons Project, Eve" (in German). charts.de. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- "The Alan Parsons Project – Eve" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- "Canadian album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Eve". Music Canada.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alan Parsons Project; 'Eve')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- "The German Hit: Alan's Eve". Billboard. 22 September 1979. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- "New Zealand album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Eve". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- "Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990" (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN 8480486392.
- "American album certifications – Alan Parsons Project – Eve". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.