Customer Reviews

Spirit of St. Louis

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ellen Foley (remember her from Bat Out of Hell and Night Court?) is in possession of one of the great voices of modern pop music. Originally released in 1981 and ignored by the general public, this brilliant collection of songs has been remastered and released in the UK. If you like, The Motels, Ronnie Spector and The Clash, you may love this. Most of the songs were written by the Clash and it was produced by Joe Strummer. She covers so many genres here, that it might have been a bit confusing for the general public. My favorite cut is The Death of the Psychoanalyst of Slavador Dali written by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer. Her performance on this song is an emotional rainstorm. She covers an Edith Piaf standard, Mon Legionaire, and again, pure emotion is what it's all about. The bonus track of Le Palais Secret is a great suprise. A jewel that should not be missed.

Ellen Foley was born in St Louis (hence the albumtitle, also illustrating the journey she made from America to Europe with reference to the plane Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic in 1927) and will probably be best remembered for her femme fatale-singing on Meat Loaf's "Paradise by the dashboard light". Her solodebut in 1979, "Nightout", sounded very all-American (although produced by Hunter/Ronson) with songs like the Springsteenesque "We belong to the night", coverrippers like Stones "Stupid girl" making Jagger's original recording sound like a lullaby and Graham Parkers "Thunder and rain", along with a bunch of hypnotic songs like "Young lust", "Hideaway" and "Sad song". But "Spirit of St Louis" is a new scene altogether. Instead of pursuing the American road of rock Foley took a giant leap of music and landed in Europe. Just as American as the debut sounded, the European influences flow through this album.

Produced by former boyfriend/Clashmember Mick Jones (who shares the mike with Ellen on "Torchlight"), with songs mainly written by Mick Jones/Joe Strummer and with The Clash as her backinggroup - how could this album be anything but sensational? An outstanding masterpiece, one of a kind - although not five stars (due to a couple of halfhearted tracks) - but sentenced to silence by radiostations, since there's virtually no possible hitsingle. This is an album which demands concentration from the listener. The journey begins with the beautiful opener, "The shuttered palace" - an alltime classic and beautifully arranged. The final song, "In the killing hour", revokes memories of Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien". In between, you have weird-but-lovely songs like "Theatre of crulety" and "The death of the pscyhoanalyst of Salvador Dali", "My legionaire" and Tymon Dogg's "Beautiful waste of time" and "Game of a man", to mention some.

I love this album just as much as "Nightout", because they're each others total opposites. From the heavy rock and all the promises made on "Nightout" to the Europeanstyled challenge of "Spirit of St Louis", it is like travelling from one music pole to another. Both albums illustrate the musical diversity of this singer and "Spirit of St Louis" is in every way remarkable. Hats off to Jones/Strummer naturally, this must be on the top of their musical CV in the alltime musical Hall of Fame.

After this record, Ellen did "Another breath", in 1983 - produced by Vini Poncia. Not a very memorable record, sorry to say. From then on, mainly silence. Come back, Ellen, wherever you are!

Ellen Foley's 2nd album, released in 1981, is a total about face from her 1st album, NIGHTOUT. She retreated to England where this gorgeous album was produced by Mick Jones of The Clash. But it's not really indicative of their music. It really has an eclectic, European vibe to it. It's got ballads, a few rockers, and some esoteric songs bordering on the eccentric. At the center is Foley's gorgeous singing. She can sing a song, and this 2nd album is without the bombastic production of her 1st album.

Most of the songs were written by Mick Jones with help from other Clash members. The songs are from a woman's point of view, & Ellen's voice is never enveloped too much by the production. MPH is the rocker on here, a very catchy one that has the refrain " more miles per hour " rockin' on to the end. Ellen's own PHASES OF TRAVEL is a rocker also, one of the highlights on this album. It was included on the 2 album various artists EXPOSED album in 1981, so many people may know this song. TORCHLIGHT is a very melodic, mid-paced rocker that Ellen & Mick Jones share lead vocals on. It should have been a big hit. The balance of the album is on mid-tempo songs & ballads. BEAUTIFUL WASTE OF TIME is nothing but beautifully sung, a real Foley classic that Ellen just breezily sings . So many of the songs have an atmospheric sound . THEATRE OF CRUELTY, GAME OF A MAN , THE SHUTTERED PALACE and INDESTRUCTIBLE are all hypnotic-like songs, all with a female slant , yet universal with their lyrics of daily living and survival. HOW GLAD I AM is an oldie from the 60's that La Foley effortlessly sings, with some nice horns in the background. A real nice change of pace. You also get 2 rather eccentric songs, including Ellen's dramatic, yet soft interpretation of French legend Edith Piaf's MY LEGIONNAIRE, which is nice, but not essential and the really odd THE DEATH OF THE PSYCHOANALYST OF SALVADOR DALI. The album ends with a bang, with the very dramatic IN THE KILLING HOUR. This song about an execution is propelled with a marching sound & very dramatic vocal by Ellen. It's a real tour-de-force ending to a great album.

This album is not to be missed. It's off the beaten path of her other 2 albums, and that's what makes it great. It has many faces to it. Don't be deceived by having members of The Clash playing it. It's not a prototype new wave album. It's a gorgeously sung & produced album that somehow was made at the height of new wave , yet very diverse in it's sound. This re-issue also has the bonus tracks LE PALAIS SECRET, [ the French version of THE SHUTTERED PALACE ], BLACK BOYS [ a song from the Film " HAIR " that Ellen appeared in , & which she shares vocals on ], and THE TIME IS NOW [ from the Cleveland International charity album CHILDREN OF THE WORLD, sung with Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie ].

While Meatloaf was trying to recycle flying rodents and demonic idols into yet another symphonic pseudo-rock opus (1981), Ellen said good-bye and teamed up with Jones and Strummer (The Clash) to record "Spirit of St. Louis." Close your eyes and imagine The Clash led by a lady with not only an punk attitude, but also an ability to carry a melody. Spirit opens with "The Shuttered Palace" where Ellen beckons the listener, "Won't you come inside my sheltered palace." Without warning, we're lured into the crashing drums and heavy bass lines of "Torchlight." Spirit successfully juxtaposes mid-tempo tunes like "How Glad I Am" with no-holds-barred rockers like "Phase Of Travel." Minor annoyances include "My Legionnaire"(better suited for Broadway) and "Le Palais Secret" ("The Shuttered Palace" sung in French). Hot Pick: "M.P.H" is guaranteed to get you up from the couch and strutting around the living room like Mick Jagger.

This is easily Ellen Foley's best album and that's in large part to no only Ellen's excellent lead vocals but, equally to the involvement of The Clash on the whole album supplying not only backing but songwriting too. For those who don't know, Mick Jones of The Clash was Ellen's boyfriend at the time hense, the credit "Produced by my boyfriend" that was on the original LP. Most of the songs sound like Clash outtakes from their classic 'Sandinista' album released in late 1980. I mean that in the best posible way as these songs do not feel like studio rejects at all. Not suprisingly this album was recorded around that same time and released in 1981 so, it should feel like those sessions. What can I say about the magnificent single, 'Shuttered Palace' penned by Strummer/Jones ? It's a classic as far as I'm concerned and as a bonus you get the French sung version, too ! Two other similar era recordings ('Black Boys' from 'Hair' The Movie, The Time is now' w/ Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie) have been added here as a bonus and they're fun to have. Wounded Bird Records did a nice job on reissuing this album and they should be applauded for releasing it. Don't miss out on this album Foley and Clash fans it's a winner !

The album you are thinking about is "Night Out" and yes it's a corker.

It's very difficult to get on cd.

There is a Very Best of that has six of the Night Out tracks

Wish they would rerelease Night Out with bonus tracks.............

Ellen Foley was Mick Jones' girlfriend during the Sandinista era. That is her providing the female lead vocals on the terrific Hitsville UK. Jones / Strummer wrote much of this album and The Clash is the backing band.

The results: Ellen Foley is a talented singer and this record has its moments but is not super fabulous. Some of the music and lyrics provided by Jones / Strummer is somewhat lame but there is one standout: Torchlight is an excellent Mick / Ellen duet and would have been one of the better tracks had it been included on Sandinista. For this song alone, Clash fans need to track this down.

The CD is virtually impossible to find however, you can find the vinyl in your local used record store without too much hunting.

I Love this Album!

A lotta the songs have this French/Existentialist/Mediterranean pose/"feel" but it really works for me. Whether she's rockin out or induliging in Gaullic theatrics, the songs are great showcases for her voice, a powerful and emotive instrument.

Anyway what could be wrong with trying to create a timeless aural setting for passion, despair, femininity, and "commitment" to humanitarian setiments? This album is a "feminist edged" product of Sandinsta days with songs by Mick Jones, Tymon Dogg, and Foley herself.

The CD has a track not on the original vinal called "Le Palais Secret" which I'd love to hear.

I'm slightly confused. I thought I remember this album containing a whole different set of tunes? I owned it when it first came out, and you folks are right, shes's a great talent, but the album I'm thinking of had great tunes like "We Belong to the Night", "What's the Matter, Baby" and a cover of the Stones tune "Stupid Girl", with a great accompanying band featuring Mick Ronson, Ian Hunter, and others. Maybe there is yet another Ellen Foley album? (perhaps long out of print). Time does have a habit of scrambling the synapses...

Another excellent record, this time with boyfriend Mick Jones of TheClash. Slower pace and more of a commercial sound with Ellen's powerful voice equals a nice compliment to the 'Night Out' record. CD comes well packaged and arrived right on time.