Gone to Earth (David Sylvian album)

History

The album is a two-record set featuring one record of experimental rock songs with vocals and one consisting entirely of ambient instrumental tracks. Guest artists include Robert Fripp (who co-wrote three songs) and Bill Nelson (who co-wrote one song). It was recorded in part at The Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, England, with producer Steve Nye. The album peaked at no.24. in the UK albums chart and has been certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

Original UK, US and Japanese CD pressings omit four of the instrumentals: "Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples", "Camp Fire: Coyote Country", "A Bird of Prey Vanishes Into a Bright Blue Cloudless Sky" and "Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees". Later Japanese CD editions and the "Weatherbox" set both included the complete album on two discs. In 2003, the album was re-released in a double-disc format that mirrors the original vinyl release, and included three bonus remixes.

Track listing

All compositions by David Sylvian, except where noted.

Vinyl

1. "Taking the Veil" – 4:40
2. "Laughter and Forgetting" – 3:18
3. "Before the Bullfight" – 9:20
4. "Gone to Earth" (Robert Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:06

1. "Wave" – 9:11
2. "River Man" – 4:54
3. "Silver Moon" – 6:19

1. "The Healing Place" – 5:34
2. "Answered Prayers" (Bill Nelson/Sylvian) – 3:10
3. "Where the Railroad Meets the Sea" – 2:52
4. "The Wooden Cross" – 5:04
5. "Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples" – 2:22

1. "Camp Fire: Coyote Country" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:51
2. "A Bird of Prey Vanishes Into a Bright Blue Cloudless Sky" – 3:16
3. "Home" – 4:33
4. "Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees" – 3:02
5. "Upon This Earth" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 6:30

Original CD pressing

1. "Taking the Veil" – 4:40
2. "Laughter and Forgetting" – 2:40
3. "Before the Bullfight" – 9:45
4. "Gone to Earth" (Robert Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:06
5. "Wave" – 9:11
6. "River Man" – 4:54
7. "Silver Moon" – 6:19
8. "The Healing Place" – 5:34
9. "Answered Prayers" (Bill Nelson/Sylvian) – 3:10
10. "Where the Railroad Meets the Sea" – 2:52
11. "The Wooden Cross" – 5:04
12. "Home" – 4:33
13. "Upon This Earth" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 6:30

2003 remastered CD

1. "Taking the Veil" – 4:40
2. "Laughter and Forgetting" – 3:18
3. "Before the Bullfight" – 9:20
4. "Gone to Earth" (Robert Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:06
5. "Wave" – 9:11
6. "River Man" – 4:54
7. "Silver Moon" – 6:19
8. "River Man (remix)" – 4:24
9. "Gone to Earth (remix) (Fripp/Sylvian)" – 1:56
10. "Camp Fire: Coyote Country (remix)" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:46

1. "The Healing Place" – 5:34
2. "Answered Prayers" (Bill Nelson/Sylvian) – 3:10
3. "Where the Railroad Meets the Sea" – 2:52
4. "The Wooden Cross" – 5:04
5. "Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples" – 2:22
6. "Camp Fire: Coyote Country" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 3:51
7. "A Bird of Prey Vanishes Into a Bright Blue Cloudless Sky" – 3:16
8. "Home" – 4:33
9. "Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees" – 3:02
10. "Upon This Earth" (Fripp/Sylvian) – 6:30

Personnel

Additional personnel