Memorial Beach

''Memorial Beach'' is the fifth studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released on 14 June 1993 by Warner Bros. Records.

Background

The album was recorded primarily at Prince's Paisley Park studios outside Minneapolis in the United States. ''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, Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles/ref> 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:

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

2015 Deluxe edition

;Disc 1

# "Dark Is The Night For All"
# "Move To Memphis"
# "Cold As Stone"
# "Angel In The Snow"
# "Locust"
# "Lie Down In Darkness"
# "How Sweet It Was"
# "Lamb To The Slaughter"
# "Between Your Mama And Yourself"
# "Memorial Beach"

;Bonus tracks

# "Move To Memphis" (Extended Mix)
# "Angel In The Snow" (Acoustic Instrumental)

;Disc 2

# "Dark Is The Night For All" (Demo)
# "Cold As Stone" (Demo)
# "Angel In The Snow" (Demo)
# "Locust" (Demo)
# "Lie Down In Darkness" (Demo)
# "How Sweet It Was" (Demo)
# "Bar Room" (Demo)
# "Lamb To The Slaughter" (Demo)
# "Between Your Mama And Yourself" (Demo)
# "Memorial Beach" (Demo)
# "Dark Is The Night For All" (Alternative Version)
# "Swing Of Things" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo, Norway)
# "Dark Is The Night For All" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo, Norway)
# "Move To Memphis" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo, Norway)
# "Cold As Stone/Sycamore Leaves" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo, Norway)
# "Shapes That Go Together" (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo, Norway)

Personnel

a-ha

* Morten Harket – lead vocals
* Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, backing vocals
* Pål Waaktaar – guitars, drum programming, backing vocals

Additional Musicians

* Jørun B. Bøgeberg – bass guitar
* Per Hillestad – drums
* J.D. Steele – backing vocals (2, 6)
* Jevetta Steele – backing vocals (2, 6)
* Kathy Wilson – backing vocals (2, 6)

Production

* A-ha – producers
* David Z – producer, engineer
* David Friedlander – engineer
* Sverre Henriksen – engineer
* Brian Poer – engineer
* Jamie Staub – engineer
* Djinji Brown – second engineer
* Mike Cyr – second engineer
* Derek Davis – second engineer
* Derek Duffy – second engineer
* Robert Opsahl-Engen – second engineer
* Eivind Skovdahl – second engineer
* Rod Hui – mixing
* Pål Waaktaar – mixing
* Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, NY)
* Lyn Bradley – art direction, design
* Jeri Heiden – art direction, design
* Per Fronth – original artwork
* Just Loomis – photography
* Terry Slater – management

Charts

References

{{Authority control

1993 albums
A-ha albums
Warner Records albums