Rain Dances

Rain Dances
Rain Dances
Studio album by Camel
Released	September 1977
Recorded	February–August 1977
Studio	Basing Street Studios, London
Genre	Progressive rock; jazz rock;
Length	41:28
Label	Gama/Decca
Producer	Rhett Davies, Camel
Camel chronology
Singles from Rain Dances
	"Highways of the Sun"; Released: 30 September 1977;

Rain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977 on Gama Records/Decca Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan member Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
ProgroGraphy review	^[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer except where noted

Side one
No.	Title	Notes^[4]	Length
1.	"First Light" (instrumental)	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – 6- and 12-string guitars, pan pipes Mel Collins – alto saxophone Pete Bardens – Minimoog, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass Andy Ward – drums, ocarina, teeth, cheek, Turkish ring	4:59
2.	"Metrognome"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar Mel Collins – tenor saxophone Pete Bardens – electric piano, organ, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass, lead vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion, money	4:07
3.	"Tell Me"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – fretless bass, backing vocals, flute Mel Collins – soprano and bass clarinets Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog Richard Sinclair – lead and harmony vocals Andy Ward – finger cymbals, glockenspiel	4:04
4.	"Highways of the Sun"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – acoustic guitar, lead vocals Mel Collins – soprano and bass flutes Pete Bardens – acoustic and electric pianos, organ, Minimoog, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass, wicket keeper Andy Ward – drums, percussion, liquid Boo Bams	4:25

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes^[4]	Length
1.	"Unevensong"	Bardens, Latimer, Andy Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar, second lead vocals Pete Bardens – electric piano, clavinet, Minimoog, string synthesizers, car horns Richard Sinclair – bass, first lead vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion, Rototoms	5:22
2.	"One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (instrumental)	Bardens, Mel Collins, Latimer, Richard Sinclair, Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar Mel Collins – all saxophones Pete Bardens – electric piano Richard Sinclair – bass Andy Ward – drums, percussion, talking drum, smurd Martin Drover – trumpet Malcolm Griffiths – trombone	5:49
3.	"Elke" (instrumental)	Latimer	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – fuzz guitar, acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, string synthesizers, flute Brian Eno – acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, bells Fiona Hibbert – harp	4:20
4.	"Skylines" (instrumental)	Bardens, Latimer, Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – feedback, 6- and 12-string, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, sore fingers Mel Collins – alto saxophone Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog, string synthesizers Andy Ward – drums, Tunisian clay drum, swanee Martin Drover – flugelhorn Malcolm Griffiths – trombone	4:17
5.	"Rain Dances" (instrumental)		Personnel: Andrew Latimer – pizzicato guitar, treated piano, glockenspiel, umbrellas Mel Collins – soprano saxophone, umbrellas Pete Bardens – Minimoog, string synthesizer, umbrellas	2:47

CD bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
10.	"Highways of the Sun" (Single edit)	Bardens, Latimer	4:01

2009 Expanded & Remastered Edition
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Highways of the Sun" (Single version)	4:00
11.	"First Light" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:01
12.	"Metrognome" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:55
13.	"Unevensong" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:47
14.	"Skylines" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:36
15.	"Highways to the Sun" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:59
16.	"One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:12

Personnel

Camel

Andrew Latimer – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, panpipes, flute, backing vocals; fretless bass on "Tell Me"; electric piano, Minimoog, synthesizer and fuzz guitar on "Elke"; piano on "Elke" and "Rain Dances"; rhythm guitar and bass on "Skylines"; glockenspiel on "Rain Dances"; lead vocals on "Highways of the Sun" and "Unevensong"
Peter Bardens – organ, piano, electric piano, Minimoog, synthesizer, Hohner Clavinet
Andy Ward – drums, percussion, ocarina, glockenspiel, talking drum
Richard Sinclair – bass; lead vocals on "Metrognome", "Tell Me" and "Unevensong"
Mel Collins – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass flute, brass arrangements

Additional personnel

Martin Drover – trumpet on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night", flugelhorn on "Skylines"
Malcolm Griffiths – trombone on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" and "Skylines"
Brian Eno – Minimoog, electric piano, piano on "Elke"
Fiona Hibbert – harp on "Elke"

Production

Rhett Davies – producer
Dave Hutchins – engineer
Paul Henry – sleeve design
Bob Searles – illustration

Release details

1977, UK, Gama/Decca, Release date: September 1977, LP
1991, UK/GER, Deram, Release date: 26 August, CD (w. bonus track)
2004, UK, London 8207252, Release date: 2 February 2004, CD (remastered version)

Charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[5]	29
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[6]	49
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[7]	17
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)^[8]	18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[9]	30
UK Albums (OCC)^[10]	20
US Billboard 200^[11]	136

References

^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 102.
^ Plichta, Mathew (2011). "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
^ "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review & credits at ProgroGraphy/ConnollyCo.com". ConnollyCo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
^ ^a ^b Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Camel – Rain Dances" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

External links

[1] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 102.

[2] Plichta, Mathew (2011). "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.

[3] "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review & credits at ProgroGraphy/ConnollyCo.com". ConnollyCo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.

[test1-4] Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album releases & credits at Discogs.com

[FINI-5] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[ac_Germany4_Camel-6] "Offiziellecharts.de – Camel – Rain Dances" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Norway_Camel-7] "Norwegiancharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[8] Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[ac_Sweden_Camel-9] "Swedishcharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_UK2_-10] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Billboard200_Camel-11] "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

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