"Half the World" is a song by American singer

Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...

, released in 1991 as the third single from her fourth studio album, ''

Live Your Life Be Free ''Live Your Life Be Free'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Belinda Carlisle, released in 1991 by MCA Records in the United States and Virgin Records in the UK. This was the first of Carlisle's albums not to chart in the United State ...

'' (1991). The song was written by Richard Feldman, Eric Pressly and

Ellen Shipley Ellen Shipley (born March 24, 1949 in New York City, New York, United States) is an American musician and songwriter. Career At sixteen years old, Shipley got a NYC Cabaret license. She performed a duo act in Greenwich Village in the early 70's ...

, and produced by Feldman. It features backing vocals from

Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single.

Critical reception

Upon its release as single, ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' described the song as a "lushly orchestrated ballad".

David Quantick David Quantick (born 14 May 1961) is an English novelist, comedy writer and critic, who has worked as a journalist and screenwriter. A former freelance writer for the music magazine ''NME'', his writing credits have included '' On the Hour'', '' ...

of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' criticized it as "gourmet toss ordinaire" and "a weedy ' Time After Time' clone ballad". He was more favorable towards the version of "

which appears as a B-side on the single, describing it as "a belting verse which suggests Carlisle could be the punk rock

Suzi Quatro Susan Kay Quatro (born June 3, 1950) is an American singer, bass guitarist, songwriter, and actress. In the 1970s, she scored a string of hit singles that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, reaching No. 1 in th ...

of the 21st century". In a retrospective review of ''Live Your Life Be Free'', Justin Kantor of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

noted the song's "elegant arrangement" and "timeless melody", the latter of which he considered "the kind that made earlier hits like "

Heaven Is a Place on Earth "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is a song by American singer Belinda Carlisle from her second studio album, '' Heaven on Earth'' (1987). Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, the song was released as the lead single from the ''Heaven on Earth' ...

" and "

Circle in the Sand "Circle in the Sand" is a song by American singer Belinda Carlisle for her second studio album, ''Heaven on Earth (Belinda Carlisle album), Heaven on Earth'' (1987). It was written by Rick Nowels, who also produced it, and Ellen Shipley. "Circle i ...

" mainstays on radio long after their chart runs."

Track listings

CD 1 # "Half the World (radio edit) # "Only a Dream (previously unreleased) (Charlotte Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, and Richard Feldman) # "Live Your Life Be Free (Original intro version) CD 2 # "Half the World (album version) # "Vision of You (Remix 91 version) # "Circle In the Sand (album version) # "Love Never Dies (album version)

Charts

References

External links

Belinda Carlisle 1991 singles
at BelindaVault {{Authority control 1990s ballads 1991 singles 1991 songs Belinda Carlisle songs Songs written by Ellen Shipley Songs written by Richard Feldman (songwriter) Virgin Records singles