Back in the High Life

Back in the High Life
Studio album by Steve Winwood
Released	June 1986
Recorded	Unique Recording Studio, Power Station, NYC, Netherturkdonic Studio, Gloucestershire UK Autumn 1985-Spring 1986
Genre	Rock, Blue-eyed soul
Length	45:03
Label	Island
Producer	Russ Titelman, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood chronology
Talking Back to the Night (1982) Back in the High Life (1986) Chronicles (1987)

Back in the High Life is the fourth solo album by English rock musician Steve Winwood. It was a top ten hit on the album charts in the United States, hitting #3, and has sold over five million copies. The single "Higher Love" topped the singles chart and won the Grammy Award for "Record of the Year"; "Back in the High Life Again" (US #13), "The Finer Things" (US #8, the second biggest hit from the album), and "Freedom Overspill" (US #20) were also big hits. This was Winwood's last studio album with Island Records after twenty years with the label. The album also features collaborations in backing vocals, featuring Chaka Khan in "Higher Love", and James Taylor in "Back in the High Life Again".

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings except where noted

1. "Higher Love" – 5:45
2. "Take It as It Comes" – 5:20
3. "Freedom Overspill" – 5:33 (Winwood, George Fleming, James Hooker)
4. "Back in the High Life Again" – 5:33
5. "The Finer Things" – 5:47
6. "Wake Me Up on Judgement Day" – 5:48
7. "Split Decision" – 5:58 (Winwood, Joe Walsh)
8. "My Love's Leavin'" – 5:19 (Winwood, Viv Stanshall)

Production

• Produced By Steve Winwood & Russ Titelman
• Mixed By Tom Lord-Alge
• Engineered By Jon Wolfson, Steve Rinkoff, Mike Nicholson, Scott Mabuchi, Chris Lord-Alge, Tom Lord-Alge, Jeff Lord-Alge, Bruce Lampcov, Dave Greenberg, John Goldberger, Rob Eaton, Jason Corsaro, Nobby Clark, Ed Bruder, Sean Chennery, Jim Boyer & Claude "Swifty" Achille

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	C[2]
Rolling Stone	favorable[3]

Back in the High Life received very positive reviews. Timothy White of Rolling Stone magazine glowed that "With 'Back In The High Life,' Steve Winwood has created the first undeniably superb record of an almost decade-long solo career", criticizing only the delay in its release. Karyn Albano, writing for the website "Classic Rock Reviews" went even further, designating it Album of the Year, with the summary description that "the album achieves that elusive goal of combining great songs that will stand the test of time while also catering to the commercial appeal of the day." Long-time critic Robert Christgau was less charitable, however, remarking that "this is the fate of a wunderkind with more talent than brains."

Personnel

• Steve Winwood: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Mandolin, Synthesized Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Drum Programming
• James Taylor, Mark Stevens, Chaka Khan, James Ingram, Dan Hartman, Connie Harvey, Jocelyn Brown: Vocal Backing
• Andrew Thonas, Rob Mounsey, Robbie Kilgore, Arif Mardin, David Frank: Keyboards, Synthesizers
• Joe Walsh, Ira Siegel, Nile Rodgers, Paul Pesco, Eddie Martinez: Guitars
• Phillipe Saisse: Electric & Synthesized Bass
• Jimmy Bralower: Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming
• Carol Steele, John Robinson, Steve Ferrone, Mickey Curry: Drums, Percussion
• Horns: George Young, Bob Mintzer, Louis Del Gatto, Randy Brecker
• Horn Arrangements By David Frank

Awards

• 1986 Grammy Awards, Best Engineered Album, Non Classical
• 1986 Grammy Awards, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, "Higher Love"
• 1986 Grammy Awards, Record of the Year, "Higher Love"

Charts

Album

Singles

References

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