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)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	(favorable)

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 Judgment 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

Personnel

• Steve Winwood: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, 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

Year	Chart	Position
1986	The Billboard 200	3
1986	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	46

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	"Higher Love"	Billboard Hot 100	1
1986	"Higher Love"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	1
1986	"Higher Love"	Adult Contemporary	7
1986	"Freedom Overspill"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	4
1986	"Freedom Overspill"	Billboard Hot 100	20
1986	"Freedom Overspill"	Hot Dance Music/Club Play	28
1986	"Freedom Overspill"	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	34
1986	"Take It as It Comes"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	33
1986	"Back in the High Life Again"	Adult Contemporary	1
1987	"Back in the High Life Again"	Billboard Hot 100	13
1987	"Back in the High Life Again"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	19
1987	"The Finer Things"	Adult Contemporary	1
1987	"The Finer Things"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	5
1987	"The Finer Things"	Billboard Hot 100	8