Wikipedia

Headed for the Future

Headed for the Future is the seventeenth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in March 1986 on Columbia Records.[3] The album went to number 20 on the US Billboard 200.[4] Headed for the Future has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.[5]

Headed for the Future
Studio album by
Neil Diamond
ReleasedMarch 11, 1986
Recorded1985
GenrePop rock
Length39:28
LabelColumbia
ProducerNeil Diamond, David Foster, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Maurice White, Greg Phillinganes, Stevie Wonder
Neil Diamond chronology
Primitive
(1984) 		Headed for the Future
(1986) 		Hot August Night II
(1987)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Detroit Free Press(favourable)[2]

Overview

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The album's title track reached the top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[6] Another single, "The Story of My Life", reached No. 11 on the same chart.[7]

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Headed for the Future"Neil Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren4:05
2."The Man You Need"Diamond, David Foster4:01
3."I'll See You on the Radio (Laura)"Burt Bacharach, Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager3:48
4."Stand up for Love"Martin Page, Greg Phillinganes, Maurice White2:55
5."It Should Have Been Me"Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance4:27
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Lost in Hollywood"Diamond, Stevie Wonder4:18
7."The Story of My Life"Diamond3:41
8."Angel"Bobby Caldwell, Steve Kipner4:01
9."Me Beside You"Bacharach, Diamond, Bayer Sager3:54
10."Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore"Caldwell, William Meyers4:18

Personnel

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Musicians

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  • Neil Diamond – main performer on all tracks

"Headed for the Future"

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  • Alan Lindgren – synthesizers, pianos, arrangements
  • Tom Hensley – pianos, synthesizers, arrangements
  • Richard Bennett – guitar
  • Doug Rhone – guitar
  • Hadley Hockensmith – guitar
  • Reinie Press – bass
  • Ron Tutt – drums
  • King Errisson – percussion, congas
  • Vince Charles – percussion, steel drums
  • Linda Press – backing vocals

(These musicians were at the time all members of Neil Diamond's official backing band, known as "Diamondville"[8][9])

"The Man You Need"

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"I'll See You on the Radio (Laura)"

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"Stand Up for Love"

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"It Should Have Been Me"

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  • David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
  • David Boruff – keyboard programming
  • Michael Landau – guitar
  • Dann Huff – guitar
  • Jason Scheff – bass, backing vocals
  • Tris Imboden – drum overdubs
  • Bill Champlin – backing vocals

"Lost in Hollywood"

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  • Stevie Wonder – acoustic piano, synthesizers, drums, backing vocals
  • Herbie Hancock – synthesizer solo
  • Bob Bralove and Robert A. Arbittier – synthesizer programming
  • Dwayne Roberson, Vincent Unto and Phillip Williams – backing vocals

"The Story of My Life"

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  • Lists the same musicians here as were listed for the "Headed for the Future" track; obviously, not all of those musicians performed on this track as well. It is possible that Diamond himself might have performed some of the instrumentation (such as piano and/or acoustic guitar) uncredited.

"Angel"

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  • Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
  • Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
  • Nyle Steiner – additional synthesizer
  • Bobby Caldwell – guitar, backing vocals
  • Dann Huff – additional guitar
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Maurice White – backing vocals, arrangements

"Me Beside You"

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  • Randy Kerber – keyboards
  • Burt Bacharach– synthesizers, arrangements
  • David Foster – synthesizers
  • Dann Huff – guitars
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • Carlos Vega – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill and David Lasley – backing vocals

"Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore"

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  • Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
  • Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
  • Bobby Caldwell – guitar
  • Dann Huff – additional guitar
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Clare Fischer – string arrangements
  • Maurice White – arrangements
  • Assa Drori – concertmaster

[3]

Production

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  • Producers – Neil Diamond (Tracks 1 & 7); Tom Henley and Alan Lindgren (Track 1); David Foster (Tracks 2 & 5); Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager (Tracks 3 & 9); Maurice White and Greg Phillinganes (Tracks 4, 8); Stevie Wonder (Track 6).
  • Recording Engineers – John Arrias, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, John Patterson, Tom Perry, David Schober and Allen Sides.
  • Assistant Engineers – Bino Espinoza, Dan Garcia, Bob Harlan, Darren Klein, Bob Loftus, Steve MacMillan, Richard McKernon, Claudio Ordenes, Mike Ross, Karen Siegel and Jeffrey Woodruff.
  • Mixing – Bill Bottrell, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, Gary Olazabal and Allen Sides.
  • Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Bill Schnee Studios, Motown Recording Studios, Lion Share Recording Studio and Wonderland Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Conway Studios and Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, CA); Grover Helseley Recording Inc.
  • Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
  • Music Contractor – Frank DeCaro
  • Production Assistants – Ned Brown, Barry Cardinale, Larry E. Williams and Alison Zanetos.
  • Production Coordination – Sam Cole, Frank DeCaro, Chris Earthy and Geri White.
  • Art Direction – David Kirschner
  • Design – David Kirschner and Jan Weinberg
  • Photography – Herb Ritts

[3]

Charts

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Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[10] 72
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[11] 51
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] 33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] 65
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 36
US Billboard 200[15] 20

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[16] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Graff, Gary (May 11, 1986). Pop: Neil Diamond steps forward slowly. Detroit Free Press. p. 5F.
  3. ^ a b c Neil Diamond: Headed for the Future. Columbia Records. March 1986.
  4. ^ "Neil Diamond: Headed For The Future (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  5. ^ "Neil Diamond: Headed For The Future". riaa.com. RIAA.
  6. ^ "Neil Diamond: Headed for the Future (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  7. ^ "Neil Diamond: The Story of My Life (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Information from the Diamondville website". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  9. ^ Ron Tutt's entry in DrummerWorld; includes a photograph of the bandmembers a bit over halfway down the page
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0694". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Diamond – Headed for the Future" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Neil Diamond – Headed for the Future" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  14. ^ "Neil Diamond | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  16. ^ "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – Headed for the Future". Recording Industry Association of America.
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