Talking Back to the Night
1982 studio album by Steve Winwood
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Talking Back to the Night is the third solo studio album by English recording artist Steve Winwood. Released less than two years after the top 3 hit Arc of a Diver, it failed to see as much success as its predecessor, reaching #28 on the Billboard 200. "Valerie" was a minor hit in 1982, but when it and the title track were remixed and re-released in 1987 for Chronicles, the newer version of "Valerie" became a top 10 hit, while the remix of "Talking Back to the Night" hit the Billboard Hot 100, but failed to crack the Top 40. The track "Help Me Angel" was also remixed for Chronicles, and was then released for the first time as a single.
| Talking Back to the Night | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 August 1982 | |||
| Recorded | November 1981 – June 1982 | |||
| Studios | Netherturkdonic, Gloucestershire, England | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 40:32 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Steve Winwood | |||
| Steve Winwood chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Talking Back to the Night | ||||
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Winwood played all of the instruments on the album.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s | C[2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
Reviewing for Rolling Stone in 1982, Parke Puterbaugh said the album is "for the most part a bland, easy-listening electropop rut".[3] Mark Cooper was critical of the album, saying that the music "lacks the eccentricity or excitement that characterised Traffic's best work", adding that the "ludicrous" synths "emphasise the blandness of Winwood's current style".[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Valerie" | 4:05 |
| 2. | "Big Girls Walk Away" | 3:51 |
| 3. | "And I Go" | 4:12 |
| 4. | "While There's a Candle Burning" | 3:08 |
| 5. | "Still in the Game" | 4:49 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "It Was Happiness" | 4:59 |
| 7. | "Help Me Angel" | 5:05 |
| 8. | "Talking Back to the Night" | 5:43 |
| 9. | "There's a River" | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 40:32 | |
Personnel
- Steve Winwood – lead and backing vocals, Prophet-5, Multimoog (also used for fretless bass), Hammond B3 organ, Linn LM-1 programming
- Nicole Winwood – backing vocals (tracks 2 and 5)
Production
- Steve Winwood – producer, engineer, mixing
- John "Nobby" Clarke – assistant engineer
- Lynn Goldsmith – photography
- Tony Wright – artwork
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[16] | Gold | 50,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
