Runaway Horses - Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle - Runaway Horses

It's October 1989. This is the tail-end of the Eighties; as the economic boom splutters out, the poll tax demands arrive and the national mood finally begins to turn. Sure, in Manchester, the indie kids and students are hanging out at the Hacienda and listening to the Stone Roses. But in the vast swathes of suburban Britain, on a dozen MOR commercial radio stations and on the ITV Chart Show every weekend, ...
...3 seconds.

Runaway Horses

This is the title track from the eponymous album and a live favourite. Another stomping power-chorus designed to convey energy, excitement... you get the picture. The bridge is particularly addictive: "Out on the road, I'll share your secrets..."

Vision of You

Slower and softer paced ballad: "Did I walk or did you run? What's the way to love someone?" ... more

Belinda Carlisle - Runaway Horses

It's October 1989. This is the tail-end of the Eighties; as the economic boom splutters out, the poll tax demands arrive and the national mood finally begins to turn. Sure, in Manchester, the indie kids and students are hanging out at the Hacienda and listening to the Stone Roses. But in the vast swathes of suburban Britain, on a dozen MOR commercial radio stations and on the ITV Chart Show every weekend, they're playing Belinda Carlisle.

"Runaway Horses" is the second album from the flame-haired Californian icon who shot to fame with punk shockers the Go-Go's. By 1989, her sun-drenched pop tracks "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and "Circle in the Sand" are already lodged in most peoples' minds. So the stage is set for this beautiful 31-year old star to launch her highly accomplished and musically polished follow-up.

Production standards are high. The album showcases the song writing talent of Rick Nowels, the industry legend who would go on to win both Grammy and Ivor Novello Awards. With an ex-Beatle (George Harrison) and a certain Canadian rock star (a certain Mr. Adams) playing star turns, the album is already poised for greatness. In my view, "Runaway Horses" is indeed Belinda's finest hour.

Leave a Light On

This is a true classic. The firecracker percussion draws you in, the rhythm keeps you hooked and from the first line, "Take my hand, tell me what you are feeling" the super-charged energy of the track drags you along. The video is one of the finest of the era, showing Belinda as a Fifties film star hitting Vegas amid fireworks and film sets. From bridge to chorus, the music is compelling - against this sonic backdrop even lyrics like "Just like a spark lights up the dark/Baby that's your heart" sound moving rather than trite. Watch out for George Harrison's spectacular slide guitar solo at 3 min 3 seconds.

Runaway Horses

This is the title track from the eponymous album and a live favourite. Another stomping power-chorus designed to convey energy, excitement... you get the picture. The bridge is particularly addictive: "Out on the road, I'll share your secrets..."

Vision of You

Slower and softer paced ballad: "Did I walk or did you run? What's the way to love someone?" It's a fine melody; although the lyrics do veer a little towards the soppy and self-indulgent end of the spectrum.

Summer Rain

A single and stand-out track on the album - Belinda sings of her parting moments in the summer rain with her lover. (The video provides context - he is a young man heading off to war and presumably never to return). The chorus explodes with genuine force, and a song that could so easily have veered off into saccharine cliché ends up being quite polished and hook-laden. The use of strings in the final quarter of the song is particularly evocative.

La Luna

The best track on the album - sultry and passionate with Spanish guitar and an absolutely killer chorus. Twenty years on, this still sounds fantastic and is more than a match for similarly themed tracks like Madonna's "La Isla Bonita". The bridge is wonderful: "Now I walk along the streets of Marseilles, the winter sky is cold and grey". Powerful, enchanting and seductive - Belinda at her best!!

(We Want) The Same Thing

The album version is a country-tinged version of the power-pop single with slightly different lyrics. On the album this comes across as Southern, percussion-heavy and a little repetitious. When reworked into single format (as showcased on "The Best of Belinda Vol. 1) the same song becomes a chant-a-long supercharged classic with more hooks than a fly fishing convention. Amazing what a little bit of editing can do.

Deep Deep Ocean

I enjoyed this track, particularly the accomplished George Harrison contribution on guitar, although it does tend a little towards bread-and-butter Eighties FM radio fare.

Valentine

A more upbeat track with some classic pop hooks... "You say that it's complicated, but baby you're wrong". Sometimes I miss the power chords, simplicity, and lyrical certainty of Eighties pop music.

Whatever it Takes

This is a reasonably engaging and more soulful song that showcases Belinda's vocal abilities. It boasts the kind of poppy uplifting and affirming chorus that could be a Wilson Phillips release from the same era. All in all, "Whatever it takes" is a perfectly pleasant and competent track.

Shades of Michaelangelo

This is a beautiful track and a fitting finale to a well-produced album with consistently high production standards. Belinda herself wrote this song with ex-Go Go's band-mate Charlotte Caffey. "I'm painting a perfect world, with shades of Michaelangelo". It's a surprisingly uplifting and impressive finale. Who knows? The Florentine genius himself might have nodded approvingly at this homage.

Runaway Horses - The Album

On the front cover, Belinda is shown in a black-and-white pose, head tilted back, cascading big 1980S hair, shoulder bare and eyes closed as if she is swooning. This kind of image is typical of the visual shorthand of the era: think Häagen-Dazs adverts or the video for "Being Boring" by the Pet Shop Boys. Unremarkable today, it would have appeared stylish, sophisticated and sleek in 1989.

The title "Runaway Horses" is doubtless chosen to evoke images of passion, freedom, energy etc and is reinforced by the centaur motif on the reverse of the CD. There is also a colour picture of Belinda in the insert and advertisements for Friends of the Earth and Lynx - Fighting the Fur Trade. 1989 was perhaps the first year when environmental concerns achieved mass recognition, so Belinda is proving she is right at the heart of the culture.

So this is one cracking late Eighties album that perhaps hasn't achieved the place in the pop firmament it deserves. Give Belinda another chance and get ready to party like it's 1989...

(c) Paul/Westocean
Review also on Dooyoo as EasternStar 

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