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Topic: Nothing but/Bridge to Paradise, Why are they connected?< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
ProjectZ Offline




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Posted: July 16 2002, 15:11

The EM album is one of my fav's since I bought it a couple of years ago. But I'm asking myself since the first time I listened to it why 'Nothing but' and 'Bridge to paradise' are connected as one track.
Does anyone have a clue? :/


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Zywy Offline




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Posted: July 17 2002, 05:06

No idea.
Maybe to surprise fans:
"Oh now I'm listening to the last track: Nothing But, oh, it's over. No! There is something else..."  :D


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Korgscrew Offline




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Posted: July 17 2002, 17:30

I believe that on the LP and certainly on the cassette, the two tracks are listed as separate tracks, so it's not like they're intended to be thought of as one (but then, you could all tell that from listening to them anyway...).

I have no idea why they're combined on the CD, but maybe I'll see if I can find out...
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Mlokie Offline




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Posted: July 20 2002, 00:14

On LP they're also 'combined': NB / BTP 8.40
Maybe it's because Mike didn't want to have an album without at least one track longer than 8 minutes for the first time.. :) (exc. TKF)
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Korgscrew Offline




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Posted: July 20 2002, 17:51

Maybe that alters my theory slightly...

I got hold of a cassette of it once, and that definitely listed the two as separate tracks. I assumed the LP might be the same, but obviously not...
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equinoxe24 Offline




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Posted: May 09 2005, 08:04

It's for sure made by Virgin. They glued this two tracks into one, that fans could be thoughts there is one long composition and will buy it for the curious...Yeeaah, ale the Vrigin...
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Ugo Offline




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Posted: May 09 2005, 11:30

I already said elsewhere that on my vinyl EM copy there is a thin blank groove between the two songs, so they're really two separated items. But I agree with others here that the cover lists 'em together to attract prospective buyers, who may be otherwise disappointed by a Mike Oldfield LP including only 3-minute-long and 4-minute-long tracks. :D

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Sir Mustapha Offline




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Posted: May 09 2005, 12:22

Sure it was Virgin's decision? I dunno, it sounds more like a Mike Oldfieldism to me.

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Navaira Offline




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Posted: May 09 2005, 17:08

Well, I wonder -- how much say did Virgin really have? I mean, they didn't stop him from doing Amarok (but they refused to promote it). Then again, Branson did force Sally out of Platinum. Maybe it was a case of:

RB: If you want us to promote this album, at least pretend you have some lengthy instrumental track stuck somewhere in there.
Mike: But you told me that you just wanted songs?!
RB: Well, I just changed my mind.
Mike: *mutters* FC UK, RB. You want a long instrumental and no songs? You will love my next album...


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Sonilink Offline




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Posted: May 21 2005, 13:00

for the simple reson that amarok is a Taurus...
let me explain each taurus is 9 tracks after the one before...
it's 27 tracks after taurus III (i may be wrong)
that's why these two songs are linked


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Sir Mustapha Offline




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Posted: May 21 2005, 13:27

I, personally, don't think it would be Branson's idea to release the two songs in one track. It was always Mike who was fond of lengthy tracks, recurring melodies and those proggy tricks. Virgin wanted a pop album, and Mike put the two last songs on a single tracks so it would appeal a little bit more to hardcore fans. And Branson didn't mind, 'cause it was still pop.

That is my theory, and I wholeheartedly agree with it.


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Baggiesfaninessex Offline




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Posted: May 22 2005, 15:17

I don't have a clue but I do think they are two of the best tracks on the album. The vocals and the end and fade out of BTP is brilliant.

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Baggiesfaninessex Offline




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Posted: May 22 2005, 15:36

Oh darn and blast! These threads get me digging the albums out to have another listen. I've just flicked through EM to hear track 9 - or should I say the two tracks in question - and I can hear reference to the verse of 'Nothing But' being made in that vocal section at the end of 'Bridge to Paradise' - it's only a few bars but I wonder if that is the link? When the vocals kick in at the end of BTP, you can virtually sing the first three lines of a NB verse over the top. Different rhythm but the chord structure is the same.

On a seperate note, Earth Moving could have been the typical 80s action movie soundtrack. Think of the soundtracks to Top Gun, Footloose, Flashdance, Rocky IV and Over the Top and you'll see what I mean. Earth Moving would have been huge had it accompanied a hit film and the eponymous track would no doubt have been a huge success worldwide (just like Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away';)!  :cool:


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Ratty Offline




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Posted: May 22 2005, 15:44

Quote (T4 @ May 22 2005, 20:36)
Oh darn and blast! These threads get me digging the albums out to have another listen.

On a seperate note, Earth Moving could have been the typical 80s action movie soundtrack. Think of the soundtracks to Top Gun, Footloose, Flashdance, Rocky IV and Over the Top and you'll see what I mean.

Heck, you have got me searching this CD out now!!! I liked lots of the tracks on this album but "Nothing but / Bridge to Paradise" were always my two (or is that one) least favourite track(s). Anyway, im going to have another listen later. Never understood why they were linked together. Also agree with your comments T4 about an 80`s soundtrack, had a "trendy" or "hipper" artiste put these out, i`m sure there would have been a couple of smash hits Pop Pickers!!!!  :)


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Ugo Offline




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Posted: May 22 2005, 19:01

Quote (T4 @ May 22 2005, 21:36)
[...] I can hear reference to the verse of 'Nothing But' being made in that vocal section at the end of 'Bridge to Paradise' - it's only a few bars but I wonder if that is the link? When the vocals kick in at the end of BTP, you can virtually sing the first three lines of a NB verse over the top. Different rhythm but the chord structure is the same.

That sounds a little bit like "Punkadiddle" being linked to "Sally" (same notes being played with different harmonies) on Platinum [which, incidentally, always gives me one more reason to blame Mr. Richard B. for removing "Sally" from the album... :)]. So maybe some sort of connection between the two songs was something Mike was aiming at. But I think that if he really wanted the songs to be joined, he would have built some sort of bridge between them... not only one to Paradise. :D

Regarding your 'soundtrack' theory: it sounds very interesting to me, but I also tend to agree with Ratty above here that it would've worked much better if Mike was a little bit more famous in the field of 'pop' music than he actually was in that period. :)


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Sir Mustapha Offline




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Posted: May 22 2005, 19:31

I actually said once that Earth Moving sounded like the Top Gun soundtrack to me - if someone else says the same then it means I'm unquestionably right. And I have to say, in terms of cheesiness, "Danger Zone" and "Hostage" make a really, really tough match. The problem is... Top Gun is '86. Footloose is '84. Flashdance is '83. If Earth Moving is comparable to that, then it was dated the moment it was released. And I do think that's the case.

Secondly, the idea of a "musical" link between the two tracks is interesting... but I don't agree with it. The similarity between the verses of "Nothing But" and the chorus of "Bridge To Paradise" is only two chords, as my memory tells me. And when Mike wants to make a musical link, he makes it clear and obvious (*cough*Discovery*cough* *annoy annoy*).


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Baggiesfaninessex Offline




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Posted: May 23 2005, 13:10

I think you are right. In fashion terms, Earth Moving was dated on release. However, for clarification, that doesn't make it a poor album. What lets EM down for me is simply that I prefer Mike in Ommadawn/Hergest Ridge mode to 4 minute pop/rock/AOR cheese. That I can compare EM to the Top Gun soundtrack suggests in itself that Mike does a bloody good job of 4 minute pop/rock/AOR cheese - Top Gun the soundtrack was a huge success; okay, it was on the back of a very popular movie but it still follows that had the music been shite, then the soundtrack would not have sold.

I really don't think that Mike Oldfield fans can be that bothered about music fashion so the fact that it was dated on release isn't off putting to most fans but merely damaging from a commercial aspect, particularly when one must assume that a degree of success in the singles chart would be expected of an album like EM. Like I have said before, the eponymous track, dated or not, simply needed a huge movie to get the exposure. It would have topped the UK charts without a doubt.

Bryan Adams - Everything I do......
Wet, Wet, Wet - Love is All Around
Berlin - Take My Breath Away
Mike Oldfield - Earth Moving


Kinda' fits!  ;)


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jeremyroberts Offline




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Posted: July 13 2005, 22:50

the reason why "Nothing But" and "Bridge To Paradise" are on one track is :

- Just a mistake

- A way to have only 9 tracks on the C.D. (so, no "10" in the tracklisting, only 1-digit numbers! lol)

- Or just a complete nonsense to make us wonder "WTF?"

Make your bet!
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hiawatha Offline




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Posted: July 14 2005, 08:49

I think that "Nothing But.." has a sort of "prelude" quality to it that makes it fit better leading it something else (no matter how apparently unrelated) than as a stand-alone track.

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larstangmark Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2009, 11:10

Can't hear any link between the two tracks actually. My guess is that Mike was afraid that hardcore fans wouldn't buy the album if there wasn't a longer track on it. I remember feeling a bit cheated because I expected something like The Lake to finish off the album.
My impression is that Mike was taking too much advise from too many people at the time.


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25 replies since July 16 2002, 15:11 < Next Oldest | Next Newest >

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