''Too Close to Heaven'' is a collection of

outtake An outtake is a portion of a work (usually a film or music recording) that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and D ...

s, alternative versions, and unreleased tracks from

The Waterboys The Waterboys are a rock band formed in 1983 by Scottish musician and songwriter Mike Scott (Scottish musician), Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Britain and Ireland, with Scott re ...

' ''

Fisherman's Blues ''Fisherman's Blues'' is the fourth studio album by the Waterboys, released by Ensign Records in October 1988. The album marked a change in the band's sound, with them abandoning their earlier grandiose rock sound for a mixture of traditional Iri ...

'' period, released September 2001. The album was released as ''Fisherman's Blues, Part 2'' in the

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with five additional tracks in July of that year. The title track of the album refers to the myth of

Icarus In Greek mythology, Icarus (; , ) was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete. After Theseus, king of Athens and enemy of King Minos, escaped from the labyrinth, Minos suspected that Icarus and Daedalu ...

. Dave Simpson writes in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', "Quite how Too Close to Heaven – a song that is easily worthy of either

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...

- languished in the vaults for 12 years is a matter for Scott's conscience (and his accountants)". The song has become a favourite at Waterboys concerts.

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Scott, except as noted. # "On My Way to Heaven" (Traditional) – 4:01 # "Higher in Time" (Scott,

Anthony Thistlethwaite Anthony "Anto" Thistlethwaite (born 31 August 1955, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, England) is an English-born Irish multi-instrumentalist best known as a founding member (with guitarist Mike Scott) of the folk rock group, The Waterboys and lat ...

) – 5:02 # "The Ladder" – 2:58 # "Too Close to Heaven" – 12:29 # "Good Man Gone" – 5:13 # "Blues for Your Baby" – 5:42 # "Custer's Blues" – 5:59 # "A Home in the Meadow" (

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premie ...

Alfred Newman Alfred Newman (March 17, 1900 – February 17, 1970) was an American composer, arranger, and conductor of film music. From his start as a music prodigy, he came to be regarded as a respected figure in the history of film music. He won nine Acad ...

) (includes "Patch and MacHugh at the Puck Fair") – 3:13 # "Tenderfootin'" (Trevor Hutchinson, Scott, Thistlethwaite,

Steve Wickham Steve Wickham is an Irish musician. Originally from Ballyfermot, Dublin, but calling Sligo home, Wickham was a founding member of In Tua Nua (left in 1985 replaced by Aingeala de Burca) and played violin on the classic U2 song " Sunday Blo ...

Kevin Wilkinson Kevin Michael Wilkinson (11 June 1958 – 17 July 1999) was an English drummer, who was based in Baydon, Wiltshire, England. Career Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Wilkinson is credited as a former official member of several successful ...

) – 5:15 # "Lonesome Old Wind" – 8:19

''Fisherman's Blues, Part Two'' track listing

;Disc one # "On My Way to Heaven" (Traditional) – 4:01 # "Higher in Time" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 5:02 # "The Ladder" – 2:58 # "Too Close to Heaven" – 12:29 # "Good Man Gone" – 5:13 # "Blues for Your Baby" – 5:42 # "Custer's Blues" – 5:59 # "A Home in the Meadow" (Cahn, Newman) – 3:13 # "Tenderfootin'" (Hutchinson, Scott, Thistlethwaite, Wickham, Kevin Wilkinson) – 5:15 # "Lonesome Old Wind" – 8:19 ;Disc two # "Higher in Time" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 3:39 # "Ain't Leaving, I'm Gone" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 4:24 # "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" (Scott, Thistlethwaite) – 3:20 # "The Good Ship Sirius" (Wickham) – 0:36 # "Too Close to Heaven" (Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso, November 2001) – 13:16

Personnel

* Mike Scott – vocals, acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10), electric guitar (2, 10), piano (1, 3, 4, 7), electric piano (2, 6, 9, 10), fuzz bass guitar (1), intro/outro bass guitar (7), bouzouki (1), RD500 organ (5), phased organ (6), organ (10), Native American rattle (7) *

– saxophone (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 ,10), acoustic mandolin (1), electric mandolin (3), mandolins (8), bass (2), electric piano (7), acoustic guitar (8) *

– fiddle (1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10), electric fiddle (2), fuzz mandolin (7), lilting vocal (8 - "Patch..." section) *

Trevor Hutchinson Trevor Hutchinson is a Northern Irish bass player and a founding member of Lúnasa. Born in Cookstown, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland, Hutchinson is known for his work as a double bass player within traditional Irish music. Prior to his ...

– bass (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9) *Eoghan O'Neill – bass (5) *

John Patitucci John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz bassist and composer. Biography John James Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing the electric bass at age 10, performing and composing at age 12, and at age 15, s ...

– bass (6, 10) *James Delaney – piano (5) *

Noel Bridgeman Noel A. "Nollaig" Bridgeman (10 December 1946 – 23 March 2021) was an Irish musician, best known as a drummer and a co-founder of the blues rock band Skid Row alongside Phil Lynott, Brush Shiels and Bernard "Ben" Cheevers. Biography Bridgeman ...

– drums (1, 5, 8) *Peter McKinney – drums (2, 7) *

– drums (4, 9) *

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Do ...

– drums (6, 10) *

Jay Dee Daugherty Jay Dee Daugherty (born March 22, 1952) is an American drummer and songwriter most known for his work with Patti Smith. As a member of the Patti Smith Group, he has been nominated twice to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Biography Moving to Ne ...

– drums (8 - "Patch..." section) *

Roddy Lorimer Roddy Lorimer (born 19 May 1953) is a Scottish musician who plays trumpet and flugelhorn. He has performed with Blur, Gene, the Rolling Stones, Draco Rosa, the Who, the Style Council, Eric Clapton, Suede, Supergrass, Beyoncé, Jamiroquai, D ...

– trumpet (1, 9), solo trumpet (7) * Vinnie Kilduff – uilleann pipes (1), tin whistle (8) *The Little Big Horns – brass section (7) *Essie, Sam & Michelle of the London Community Gospel Choir – backing vocals (1)

Notes and references

External links

Lyrics at mikescottwaterboys.comOfficial forum
Chord requests are often fulfilled at "Musician's Corner" {{DEFAULTSORT:Too Close To Heaven The Waterboys albums 2001 compilation albums