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Passion(Peter Gabriel album)

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Passion
Soundtrack album/Studio albumby
Released5 June 1989
RecordedFebruary 1988 – March 1989
StudioReal World,Box,UK
Genre
Length67:03
LabelGeffen(US & Canada)
Virgin
Real World
ProducerPeter Gabriel
Peter Gabrielchronology
So
(1986)
Passion
(1989)
Shaking the Tree
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
NME6/10[6]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[7]
Q[8]
Record Collector[9]
Rolling Stone[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[11]

Passion(re-released asPassion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ) is an album released in 1989 by the English singer-songwriterPeter Gabriel.It was the first Peter Gabriel album to be released onReal World Records,Gabriel's second soundtrack, and his eighth album overall.

Passionwas originally composed as thesoundtrack albumforMartin Scorsese's filmThe Last Temptation of Christ(1988), but Gabriel spent several months after the film's release further developing the music, finally releasing it as a full-fledged album instead of a movie soundtrack. The album was released in June 1989 (almost a year after the theatrical release ofThe Last Temptation of Christin August 1988) as avinyldouble albumand a 1-discCD.

Passionis seen as a landmark in the popularisation ofworld music,and won aGrammy Award for Best New Age Albumin 1990. It was remastered with most of Gabriel's catalogue in 2002.

Overview

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Peter Gabriel's first film soundtrack,Birdy(1985), contained instrumental rearrangements of songs from Gabriel's earlier albums.Passion,on the other hand, contained music entirely original to Gabriel's catalogue.

To record the soundtrack forThe Last Temptation of Christ,Gabriel used the resources ofWOMAD,an organization he founded, to bring together musicians from the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South Asia. He worked with them to create music meant to enhance the mood of the film, but he also added a modernambient musicaltouch to the original pieces, producing a musical work that has influenced many musicians.Passionintroduced many listeners to such artists asNusrat Fateh Ali Khan,Youssou N'Dour,L. Shankar,andBaaba Maal.N'Dour and Shankar had provided contributions to Gabriel's previous album,So(1986);Passionalso features other musicians who had worked with Gabriel before, includingDavid Rhodes,Manny Elias,David Bottrill, andManu Katché.

The delay of the album's release was due to Gabriel’s schedule with theHuman Rights Now!tour forAmnesty Internationalin 1988 and to the truncated production time allotted byUniversal Picturesfor the soundtrack: Universal cut the recording time for Gabriel from 10 to three weeks, leaving Gabriel very little time to complete all the pieces he wanted. After the film's mix was finished, Gabriel had unfinished ideas he wanted to develop and took extra time to complete the album. Gabriel took a further four months to completePassion,building the pieces and developing the musical textures as part of his stated desire for the album to stand as a piece of work in its own right.[12]

Later in the year a companion album was released,Passion – Sources,featuring additional songs on which Gabriel does not perform. Gabriel described this album as "a selection of some of the traditional music, sources of inspiration, and location recordings."

The cover art for the album,Drawing study for Self Image II(1987), is a mixed media composition by the artistJulian Grater.[13]When re-released, the album was titledPassion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christdue to "legal barriers" according to Gabriel in its liner notes.[14]

Reception

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Upon its release,Passionreceived generally positive reviews from critics. ReviewingPassionforRolling Stone,Jimmy Guterman wrote that "Gabriel’s journey is just as deeply felt as Scorsese's... [Passion] stands as a testament to the breadth of Gabriel's interests, as well as his talents. "Noting songs which" successfully accommodate third-world melodies and cross-rhythms in a Western pop context, "Guterman claimed,"Passionis stirring, stunning stuff: You won’t hear it on the radio like you heard ‘’Sledgehammer’’ or ‘’Big Time’’, but if you do search it out, you'll find a piece of work by an artist who remains idiosyncratic without being obtuse. "[15]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Peter Gabriel except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Feeling Begins"4:00
2."Gethsemane"1:26
3."Of These, Hope"3:55
4."LazarusRaised "1:26
5."Of These, Hope – Reprise"2:44
6."In Doubt"1:33
7."A Different Drum"4:40
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
8."Zaar"4:53
9."Troubled"2:55
10."Open"Gabriel,L. Shankar3:27
11."Before Night Falls"2:18
12."With This Love"3:40
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Sandstorm"3:02
14."Stigmata"Gabriel, Mahmoud Tabrizi Zadeh2:28
15."Passion"7:39
16."With This Love (Choir)"3:20
Side four
No.TitleLength
17."Wall of Breath"2:29
18."The Promise of Shadows"2:13
19."Disturbed"3:35
20."It Is Accomplished"2:55
21."Bread and Wine"2:21

Personnel

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  1. "The Feeling Begins"
    The doudouk is playing an Armenian melody, "The Wind Subsides". (Armenian doudouks recorded for Ocora Records under the direction of Robert Ataian.)
  2. "Gethsemane"
    • Peter Gabriel – flute samples, flute, voices
  3. "Of These, Hope"
    • Massamba Diop – talking drum
    • Peter Gabriel – bass, percussion, flute whistle,Prophet 5
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • David Rhodes – guitar
    • Mustafa Abdel Aziz –arghuldrone
  4. "Lazarus Raised"
    • (Players unknown) – Kurdishduduk& tanbur
    • David Rhodes – guitars
    • Peter Gabriel – piano, Akai S900
    This piece incorporates a traditional melody fromKurdistantelling of the unhappy love of a young girl for Bave Seyro, a legendary warrior. (Kurdish duduks are fromUNESCOCollection –A Musical Anthology of the Orient,general editor Alain Danielou for Musicaphon Records.)
  5. "Of These, Hope – Reprise"
    • Massamba Diop – talking drum
    • Peter Gabriel – bass, percussion, flute whistle, Prophet 5
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • David Rhodes – guitar
    • Mustafa Abdel Aziz – arghul drone
    • Baaba Maal– vocals
    • Fatala – additional percussion
  6. "In Doubt"
  7. "A Different Drum"
    • Doudou N'Diaye Rose– percussion loop (four bars)
    • Fatala – percussion loop (three bars)
    • Peter Gabriel – surdo, percussion, Audioframe, Prophet 5, voice
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • Youssou N'Dour– voice
    • David Sancious– backing vocals
  8. "Zaar"
    • Hossam Ramzy – tambourines, dufs, tabla, finger cymbals, triangle
    • Peter Gabriel – surdo, additional percussion, Audioframe, Akai S900, voice
    • Nathan East– bass
    • David Rhodes – guitar
    • Mahmoud Tabrizi Zadeh – kementché
    • L. Shankar – double violin
  9. "Troubled"
    • Bill Cobham– drums, percussion
    • Hossam Ramzy – finger cymbals
    • Peter Gabriel – percussion, Fairlight, Emulator, backing vocals
    • David Sancious – backing vocals
  10. "Open"
    • Peter Gabriel – Prophet 5, Akai S900, vocals
    • L. Shankar – double violin, vocals
  11. "Before Night Falls"
    • Hossam Ramzy – finger cymbals, tabla, dufs
    • Kudsi Ergunerneyflute (playing a traditional Armenian melody)
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    The Ney flute is playing a traditional Armenian melody.
  12. "With This Love"
    • Robin Canter – oboe, cor Anglais
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • David Sancious – Akai S900, synthesizer arrangement
    • Peter Gabriel – Audioframe, Fairlight, piano, Prophet 5, synthesizer arrangement
  13. "Sandstorm"
    • Location Recording – Moroccan percussion & vocals
    • Hossam Ramzy – surdo, tabla, tambourine dufs, mazhar
    • Manu Katché– additional percussion
    • Mahmoud Tabrizi Zadeh – kementché
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • Peter Gabriel – Fairlight
  14. "Stigmata"
    • Mahmoud Tabrizi Zadeh – kementché
    • Peter Gabriel – Prophet 5, voice
    Based on an improvisation by Mahmoud and Peter Gabriel
  15. "Passion"
    • Djalma Correa– Brazilian percussion
    • Jon Hassell– trumpet
    • Peter Gabriel – Prophet 5, Akai S900, Fairlight, voice
    • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan– Qawwali voice
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • Youssou N'Dour – voice
    • Julian Wilkins – choirboy
  16. "With This Love (Choir)"
    • Robin Canter – cor anglais
    • Richard Evans – choir recording
  17. "Wall of Breath"
    • Kudsi Erguner – Turkish ney flute
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • Musicians Du Nil – arghul
    • David Rhodes – Ebow guitar
    • Peter Gabriel – synthesizers
  18. "The Promise of Shadows"
    • Bill Cobham – drum kit
    • David Bottrill – lead tambourine
    • Peter Gabriel – Emulator, Prophet 5, Audioframe, additional percussion
    • David Rhodes – guitar
  19. "Disturbed"
    • Hossam Ramzy – surdo, tabla
    • Mustafa Abdel Aziz – percussion loop
    • Said Mohammad Aly – percussion loop
    • Fatala – African percussion
    • L. Shankar – double violin
    • Peter Gabriel – Fairlight, Prophet 5
  20. "It Is Accomplished"
    • Bill Cobham – drums, tambourine
    • David Bottrill – tambourine 2, distorted slide
    • Nathan East – bass
    • Mustafa Abdel Aziz – arghul drone
    • David Sancious – Hammond organ
    • David Rhodes – Steinberger guitar
    • Peter Gabriel – doholla, additional percussion, Roland D-50, piano, Prophet 5, voice
  21. "Bread and Wine"
    • Peter Gabriel – contrabass, Prophet 5, voice
    • David Rhodes –EBowguitar
    • Richard Evans – tin whistle
    • L. Shankar – double violin

Charts

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Chart (1989) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[16] 62
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[17] 59
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[18] 38
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 30
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 34
UK Albums(OCC)[21] 29
USBillboard200[22] 60

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[23] Gold 500,000^

^Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^Ramos, Dante E.A. (1 October 1992)."Peter Gabriel Abandons Role as King of PC Pop".The Harvard Crimson.Retrieved8 August2017.
  2. ^Ankeny, Jason."Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ – Peter Gabriel".AllMusic.Retrieved28 July2014.
  3. ^Heim, Chris (29 June 1989)."Peter Gabriel: Passion (Geffen)".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved14 February2018.
  4. ^Brunner, Rob (12 July 2002). "Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel 1 / Peter Gabriel 2 / Peter Gabriel 3 / Security / Plays Live / Birdy / So / Passion / Us".Entertainment Weekly.No. 662. pp. 84–85.
  5. ^Willman, Chris (4 June 1989)."Peter Gabriel 'Passion.' Geffen".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved14 February2018.
  6. ^Romney, Jonathan (17 June 1989). "Gabriel World Domination Enterprise".NME.p. 34.
  7. ^Moon, Tom(11 June 1989). "Peter Gabriel: Passion (Geffen)".The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. ^"Peter Gabriel: Passion".Q.No. 191. June 2002. p. 137.
  9. ^Easlea, Daryl (August 2017)."Birdy, Passion: Music From The Last Temptation Of Christ, The Long Road Home: Music From Rabbit Proof Fence | Peter Gabriel".Record Collector.No. 469.Retrieved7 January2019.
  10. ^Guterman, Jimmy (29 June 1989)."Passion".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2022.Retrieved7 June2012.
  11. ^Considine, J. D.(2004). "Peter Gabriel". InBrackett, Nathan;Hoard, Christian(eds.).The New Rolling Stone Album Guide(4th ed.).Simon & Schuster.pp.319–320.ISBN0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ^Asregadoo, Ted (15 June 2015)."How Peter Gabriel told his own story with the 'Passion' soundtrack".Prog.
  13. ^"Artist's home page".JulianGrater.com.Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2011.Retrieved5 November2008.
  14. ^Peter, Gabriel (2002).Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ (remastered, reissued)(booklet). Europe:Real World,Virgin.p. 2. RWCDR1.
  15. ^Guterman, Jimmy (29 June 1989)."Passion".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2022.Retrieved7 June2012.
  16. ^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 6410".RPM.Library and Archives Canada.Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  17. ^"Dutchcharts.nl – Peter Gabriel – Passion"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  18. ^Pennanen, Timo (2006).Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972(in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava.ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
  19. ^"Offiziellecharts.de – Peter Gabriel – Passion"(in German).GfK Entertainment Charts.Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  20. ^"Swedishcharts.com – Peter Gabriel – Passion".Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  21. ^"Official Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  22. ^"Peter Gabriel Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  23. ^"American album certifications – Peter Gabriel – Passion: Music for the Last Temptation Of Christ".Recording Industry Association of America.
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