''The Crossing'' is the fifth studio

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by English singer

Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...

. Released in 1993, the album peaked at No. 27 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...

. The album contains three UK singles: "Now I Know What Made Otis Blue" (UK No. 14), "Hope in a Hopeless World" (UK No. 42), and "It Will Be You" (UK No. 34).

Critical reaction

Aaron Badgley 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 ...

writes that ''The Crossing'' is a "very consistent, smooth, well-produced album ... "Now I Know What Made Otis Blue" is worth the price of the CD alone, but the other songs are top-notch as well."

Track listing

Personnel

* Paul Young – lead vocals, backing vocals (6) * Roy Hay – keyboards (1), guitar (1) * Bob Thiele Jr. – keyboards (1), backing vocals (1) *

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

–

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

(1) * Peter Vale – keyboards (2), programming (2), guitar (2), bass (2), backing vocals (2) *

Adrian Lee Adrian Lee (born 9 September 1957, London, England) is an English musician, known especially for his brass instrumentation work with several well-known acts of the 1980s. Career Lee was first signed to Phonogram Records in the late 1970s as g ...

– keyboards (3), bass (3) *

Louis Biancaniello Louis John Biancaniello is an American songwriter and record producer. Career Biancaniello's skills were developed while working alongside producer Narada Michael Walden with whom he produced hits for Shanice ''I Love Your Smile'', Whitney Ho ...

– keyboards (4, 8), Fairlight programming (4), synth bass (4), drum programming (4),

sequencing In genetics and biochemistry, sequencing means to determine the primary structure (sometimes incorrectly called the primary sequence) of an unbranched biopolymer. Sequencing results in a symbolic linear depiction known as a sequence which succ ...

(4), arrangements (4, 8), programming (8) *

Jamie Muhoberac Benjamin Edward "Jamie" Muhoberac is an American session keyboardist with numerous credits. He is best known for his work with Seal and Was (Not Was). Biography Muhoberac has worked with acts including The All-American Rejects, Fleetwood Mac, Bob ...

– additional keyboards (4) *

Larry Knechtel Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles-based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Simon ...

– acoustic piano (5, 7, 9, 10) *

Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin ...

– Hammond B3 organ (5, 7, 9, 10) *

Don Was Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was, is an American musician, record producer and record executive. Primarily a bass player, Was co-founded the funk-rock band Was (Not Was). In later years he produced s ...

–

Mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...

(5),

vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist,' ...

(8) *

Martin Page Martin George Page (born 23 September 1959) is an English singer-songwriter and bassist. Page has collaborated with artists such as Paul Young, Starship (band), Starship, Robbie Robertson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Heart (band), Heart, Robbie William ...

– keyboards (6), acoustic piano (6), programming (6), backing vocals (6) * Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (9, 10) *

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

– acoustic piano (11) * Jim Cox –

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

(11) * Paul Jackson Jr. – electric guitar (1, 4), guitars (11) * Phil Roy – guitar (1), backing vocals (1) *

Neil Hubbard Neil Terrence Hubbard (born 24 February 1948) is a British guitarist who has performed with Juicy Lucy, The Grease Band, Bluesology, Joe Cocker, Roxy Music, Kokomo, Alvin Lee, B.B. King, Kevin Rowland and Tony O'Malley, and played on the or ...

– rhythm guitar (2) *

Tim Renwick Timothy John Pearson Renwick (born 7 August 1949) is an English guitarist. He is best known for his association with Al Stewart in his early career and for his long-standing role as lead guitarist for the Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. His single ...

– guitars (3) *

Dean Parks Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas. Albums Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...

– acoustic guitar (5, 7, 9, 10),

slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...

(7), guitar solo (7), electric guitar (8) *

Reggie Young Reggie Grimes Young Jr. (December 12, 1936 – January 17, 2019) was an American musician who was lead guitarist in the American Sound Studio house band, The Memphis Boys, and was a leading session musician. He played on various recordings with ...

– electric guitar (5, 7, 9, 10) *

Mark Goldenberg Mark Goldenberg (born April 10, 1952) is an American guitarist and songwriter, noted for his session work and composition of successful songs for Linda Ronstadt, the Pointer Sisters, and others. Biography Early career Raised in Chicago, Illin ...

– guitars (6) *

Davey Faragher David Allen "Davey" Faragher (born August 18, 1957) is an American bass guitarist from Redlands, California. Faragher's career took off and received critical notice as a founding member of the nineties band Cracker, and his subsequent work wit ...

– bass (1) *

James "Hutch" Hutchinson James Hutchinson (born January 24, 1953) is an American session bassist best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt. Though his work takes him nearly everywhere he primarily resides in Studio City, Los Angeles, CA and Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii. Car ...

– bass (5, 9) *

Pino Palladino Giuseppe Henry "Pino" Palladino (born 17 October 1957) is a Welsh musician, songwriter, and record producer. A prolific session bassist, he has played bass for acts such as The Who, the John Mayer Trio, Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, Jeff Beck ...

– bass (6, 7, 10) * Ken Wild – bass (10) * Freddie Washington – bass (11) *

Jeff Porcaro Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the rock band Toto but is one of the most recorded session musicians in history, working on ...

– drums (1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10) *

Peter Van Hooke Peter Van Hooke (born 6 April 1950) is an English rock drummer and producer with over 350 credits to his name. He was the drummer for the English band Mike + The Mechanics (from 1984 to 1995) and also drummed for Van Morrison's band, Headstone, ...

– drums (3) *

Ed Greene Ed Greene is an American drummer and session musician. In 1971 he recorded with Donald Byrd (''Ethiopian Knights'', 1972), together with Thurman Green, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Sample, Bobbye Porter Hall, David T. Walker, and Wilton ...

– drums (11) *

Lenny Castro Lenny or Lennie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Lenny (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Lennie (surname), a list of people * Lenny (singer) (born 1993), Czech songwriter Arts and entertainment Music * ''L ...

– percussion (1, 5-10) *

Luis Conte Luis Conte (born 16 November 1954) is a Cuban percussionist best-known for his performances in the bands of artists including James Taylor, Madonna, Pat Metheny Group, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Shakira. He began ...

– tambourine (1), congas (4), shaker (4),

timbales Timbales () or pailas are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. They are shallower than single-headed tom-toms and usually tuned much higher, especially for their size.Orovio, Helio 1981. ''Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfico ...

(4) * Alan Estes – vibraphone (11) * Mark Feltham –

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...

(2) *

Tommy Morgan Thomas Morgan Edwards (December 4, 1932 – June 23, 2022) was an American harmonicist and session musician, who had been active since the 1950s. He was considered one of the most heard harmonica players in the world, playing in over 500 fea ...

– bass harmonica (10) *

Kirk Whalum Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk'' ...

– saxophone (4, 5) * Jon Clarke – woodwind (5, 7, 10) * Andrew Love – saxophone (7) * Steve Kujala –

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

(9) * Gary Herbig – saxophone solo (11) * Wayne Jackson – trombone (7), trumpet (7) *

Mark Isham Mark Ware Isham (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician and film composer. A trumpeter and keyboardist, Isham works in a variety of genres, including jazz and electronic. He is also a film composer, having worked on numerous films and t ...

– trumpet (8) * David Campbell – string arrangements (5, 7, 10, 11), conductor (11) * Larry Corbett – cello (5, 7, 10) * Suzie Katayama – cello (5, 7, 10) *

Novi Novog Novi Novog is an American viola player. She is sometimes simply credited as "Novi" and is a cousin of Lauren Wood (also known as "Chunky"). In 1973, Novi became one of three members of her cousin's band Chunky, Novi and Ernie with the bassist Ern ...

– viola (5, 7, 10) *

Charlie Bisharat Charlie Bisharat is an American violinist known as a member of Shadowfax and for his work in film and with other New Age Jazz artists. He was born in Inglewood, CA in 1963 to parents who immigrated to the United States from Palestine in the 1950 ...

– violin (5, 7, 10) * Ron Clark – violin (5, 7, 10) * Lee Thornberg – horn arrangements (11) * Angel Rogers – backing vocals (1) * Billy Valentine – backing vocals (1) *

Sylvia Mason-James Sylvia Mason-James (born 8 December 1958) is a British singer who has worked extensively as a backing vocalist and solo artist. Early life and career Mason-James was born on 8 December 1958 in south London, United Kingdom to immigrants from J ...

– backing vocals (2) * Beverley Skeete – backing vocals (2) * Pam Sheyne – backing vocals (3) * Linda Taylor – backing vocals (3) * Willie Greene Jr. – backing vocals (5, 7, 9, 10) * Arno Lucas – backing vocals (5, 9) * Leslie Smith – backing vocals (5, 9) * Everette Drake – backing vocals (7, 10) * Wayne Murry – backing vocals (7, 10) * Francine Reed – backing vocals (7, 10) * Delta Dickerson – backing vocals (8) * Portia Griffin – backing vocals (8) * Anita Sherman – backing vocals (8) *

Myrna Smith Myrna Yvonne Smith (May 28, 1941 – December 24, 2010)
– accessed December 2010 was an American songwriter and singe ...

– backing vocals (8) * Jessica Williams – backing vocals (8) *

Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards. Turner became widely k ...

– special guest vocal appearance (8) * Patty Smith – backing vocals (10) * Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals (11) *

Jim Gilstrap James Earl Gilstrap (born November 10, 1946)''U.S. Public Records Index'' Vol 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010. is an American singer, considered one of the most prolific session musicians in the industry. He is best known for ...

– backing vocals (11) * Dorian Holley – backing vocals (11) * Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (11)

Production

* Paul Young – executive producer * Don Was – producer (1, 4-10) * Peter Vale – producer (2) * Christopher Neil – producer (3), mixing (3) * Steve Lindsey – producer (11) * Rik Pekkonen – recording (1, 4-10), mixing (9, 10) * Richard Whaley – engineer (2) * Simon Hurrell – engineer (3) * Gabe Veltri – engineer (11), recording (11) *

Bob Clearmountain Bob Clearmountain (born January 15, 1953) is an American recording engineer, mixer and record producer. He has worked with many major acts, including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Toto, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, with whom he has a very ...

– mixing (1) *

Laurie Latham Laurie Latham (born 1955) is a British rock producer who worked with Glenn Tilbrook, Paul Young and others. He has produced albums by Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Echo & the Bunnymen, Squeeze, The Stranglers, The Christians and Slapp Happy. Care ...

– mixing (2), additional vocal mixing (4), additional recording production (5) * Ken Kessie – mixing (4, 8) *

George Massenburg George Y. Massenburg (born Baltimore, Maryland c. 1947) is a Grammy award-winning recording engineer and inventor. Working principally in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Macon, Georgia, Massenburg is widely known for submitting a paper to ...

– mixing (5) *

Chris Lord-Alge Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic compression for molding mixes that play wel ...

– mixing (6) *

Ed Cherney Edward Cherney (1950 – October 22, 2019) was an American recording engineer and record producer, based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Over his career, he earned four Grammy awards, one Emmy Award, and five TEC Awards. Cherney was a ...

– mixing (7) *

Bill Schnee William S. Schnee (born July 4, 1947) is an American musician, music producer, and audio engineer. Schnee has been nominated 11 times for the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Grammy Award and worked on a multitude of other Grammy nominated an ...

– mixing (11) * Dan Bosworth – recording assistant (1, 4-10), mix assistant (4, 9, 10) * Alex Reed – mix assistant (1) * Randy Wine – mix assistant (1) * Paul Mortimer – assistant engineer (3) * Marnie Riley – mix assistant (5, 7) * Talley Sherwood – mix assistant (6) * Danny Alonso – mix assistant (8) * Noel Hazen – recording assistant (11) * Vince Frost – art direction, design *

Douglas Brothers Douglas Brothers is the photographic imprint of Andrew Douglas (10 August 1952) and Stuart Douglas (6 February 1962), British photographer/director siblings. Early life and education The Douglas Brothers grew up in Southend, Essex, UK. Andrew D ...

– photography

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Crossing 1993 albums Paul Young albums Albums produced by Don Was Columbia Records albums