Work of Heart

History

The original album was released on Harper's own label, Public Records, formed with Mark Thompson, (son of nuclear campaigner E.P. Thompson). Additionally, the album was chosen by Derek Jewell of The Sunday Times as "Album of the Year" in 1982.

The demo version of this album was later released (in 1984) on a limited edition (830 copies) vinyl release, titled Born in Captivity. The sound of Born in Captivity being more typical of previous Harper recordings; featuring him and guitar only.

Whilst Harper describes this period as his musical career nadir, it came at a time of the zenith for the United Kingdom hi-fi industry. Harper released a very limited number of so-called "Real-Time Mastered" compact audio cassette copies of the Work of Heart album. Unlike mass-market cassettes which at the time were produced at high speed from a multi-generational copy of the master, these issues were transcribed in real time from the original two track studio master tape. In order to eke maximum sound quality from this technique, the tape stock used was high quality Maxell Type I ferric oxide stock in conjunction with Dolby B Noise Reduction. The result was superp audio transcription which beautifully captured the aura and atmosphere of the ethereal tracks therein.

Work of Heart together with Born in Captivity form the Double CD version of this album currently available.

N.B. The songs "Jack of Hearts" and "No Woman is safe" are basically the same, containing identical lyrics.

Track listing

All tracks credited to Roy Harper

Side one

1. "Drawn To The Flames" – 6:34
2. "Jack Of Hearts"* – 4:14
3. "I Am A Child" – 3:09
4. "Woman" – 4:42
5. "I Still Care" – 4:50

Side two

1. "Work of Heart" – 21:32
   1. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive"
   2. "Two Lovers in the Moon"
   3. "We Are the People"
   4. "All Us Children (So Sadly Far Apart)"
   5. "We Are the People" (reprise)
   6. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive" (finale)

Disc one – Born in Captivity

1. "Stan" – 5:03
2. "Drawn to the Flames" (Demo Version) – 4:43
3. "Come To Bed Eyes" – 4:20
4. "No Woman Is Safe"* – 4:42
5. "I Am A Child" (Demo Version) – 3:59
6. "Elizabeth" – 4:47
7. "Work of Heart" (Demo Version) – 19:20
   1. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive"
   2. "Two Lovers in the Moon"
   3. "We Are the People"
   4. "All Us Children (So Sadly Far Apart)"
   5. "We Are the People" (reprise)
   6. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive" (finale)

Disc two – Work of Heart

1. "Drawn To The Flames" – 6:34
2. "Jack Of Hearts"* – 4:14
3. "I Am A Child" – 3:09
4. "Woman" – 4:42
5. "I Still Care" – 4:50
6. "Work of Heart" – 21:32
   1. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive"
   2. "Two Lovers in the Moon"
   3. "We Are the People"
   4. "All Us Children (So Sadly Far Apart)"
   5. "We Are the People" (reprise)
   6. "No One Ever Gets Out Alive" (finale)

(* The songs "Jack of Hearts" and "No Woman is safe" are basically the same, containing identical lyrics.)

Personnel