Released 7 February 1984 Length 39:58 Release date 7 February 1984 | Recorded Mid 1982 – Late 1983 | |
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Artists The Alan Parsons Project, Alan Parsons Similar The Alan Parsons Project albums, Progressive rock albums | ||
Ammonia Avenue is the seventh studio album by the British progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released on 7 February 1984 by Arista Records. The Phil Spector-influenced "Don't Answer Me" was the album's lead single, and reached the Top 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, as well as the fourth position on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single also reached the Top 20 in several countries and represents the last big hit for the Alan Parsons Project. "Prime Time" was a follow-up release that fared well in the top 40. "Since The Last Goodbye" was a minor hit.
Contents
Ammonia Avenue is one of the band's biggest-selling albums, carrying an RIAA certification of gold and reaching the Top 10 in a number of countries.
Background and release
The title of the album was inspired by Eric Woolfson's visit to Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in Billingham, England, where the first thing he saw was a street with miles of pipes, no people, no trees and a sign that read 'Ammonia Avenue'. The album focuses on the possible misunderstanding of industrial scientific developments from a public perspective and a lack of understanding of the public from a scientific perspective. This album was the second of three recorded on analogue equipment and mixed directly to the digital master tape.
"You Don't Believe" had already been released as both a single and a new song on 1983's "The Best Of The Alan Parsons Project" compilation.
Promotion
Music videos for "Don't Answer Me" and "Prime Time" were produced in 1984, the former with art and animation by MW Kaluta. The latter video is inspired by John Collier's story "Evening Primrose".
Reissue
Ammonia Avenue was remastered and reissued in 2008 with bonus tracks.
In popular culture
The album's title track was sampled by Kanye West in his track Heartless.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.
- "Don't Answer Me" (Early Rough Mix)
- "You Don't Believe" (Demo)
- "Since the Last Goodbye" (Chris Rainbow Vocal Overdubs)
- "Since the Last Goodbye" (Eric Guide Vocal – Rough Mix)
- "You Don't Believe" (Instrumental Tribute to The Shadows)
- "Dancing on a Highwire/Spotlight" (Work in Progress)
- "Ammonia Avenue Part 1" (Eric Demo Vocal – Rough Mix)
- "Ammonia Avenue" (Orchestral Overdub)
Personnel
Songs
1Prime Time5:04
2Let Me Go Home3:21
3One Good Reason3:37