Heaven Is a Place on Earth

"Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
Single by Belinda Carlisle
from the album Heaven on Earth
B-side	"We Can Change"
Released	September 1987
Format	CD single, 7" single, 12" single
Recorded	1987
Genre	Pop
Length	4:06 (Album version) 3:35 (Radio mix)
Label	MCA Records
Writer(s)	Rick Nowels, Ellen Shipley
Producer	Rick Nowels
Certification	Silver (BPI)
Belinda Carlisle singles chronology
"Since You've Gone" (1986) "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (1987) "I Get Weak" (1988)
Music sample "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"

"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is the title of a song recorded by Belinda Carlisle, the lead singer of The Go-Go's. Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, and interpolating the aria "Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh'" from Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 1987, becoming Carlisle's only U.S. chart-topper with or without The Go-Go's. A month later it hit number one on the UK Singles Chart and held the spot for two weeks. The song reached number one in many other countries, among them Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa and Norway. The song also reached number three in Germany, number two in Australia, and number six in Italy. It is widely considered to be Carlisle's signature song because of its success on the charts and its continued relevance today. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Track listing

1. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
2. "We Can Change"
3. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (Heavenly version)
4. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (A cappella version)

Music video

The promotional video was directed by Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton and features an appearance of Carlisle's husband Morgan Mason. It also features children wearing black masks and a cape while each of them holding an illuminated plastic globe. Carlisle appeared wearing a sampo and later changed to a black off-the-shoulder blouse. The video was partially filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California, on the Spin Out ride.

Production

Carlisle's backup vocalists on the track include songwriters Nowels and Shipley as well as Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas and songwriter Diane Warren. It also featured Thomas Dolby on keyboards.

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)	10
Canadian Adult Contemporary (RPM)	5
Canadian Top Singles (RPM)	3
Germany (Media Control AG)	3
Ireland (IRMA)	1
Italy (FIMI)	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	7
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)	7
New Zealand (RIANZ)	1
Norway (VG-lista)	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	7
US Billboard Hot 100	1

Chart successions

Preceded by "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes	Billboard Hot 100 number-one single December 5, 1987	Succeeded by "Faith" by George Michael
Preceded by "Always on My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys	UK number-one single January 16, 1988 – January 23, 1988	Succeeded by "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany
Preceded by "Always on My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys	Eurochart Hot 100 Singles number-one single January 30, 1988 – February 6, 1988	Succeeded by "Always on My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys

Cover versions

• The Shadows did an instrumental of the song in 1989 on Steppin' to the Shadows.
• Numerous dance versions of the song have been released by different artists including Nicki French, Becky Baeling on her debut 2003 album Becstasy, and DJ Lhasa.
• Pop punk band Student Rick covered the song.
• Ashley Tisdale recorded a version.
• The Clique Girlz recorded a version for their album.
• Gregorian recorded a cover on their album Masters of Chant Chapter IV
• Cyndi Lauper recorded a version.
• Italian folk metal band Elvenking covered the song on their 2008 album Two Tragedy Poets (...and a Caravan of Weird Figures)
• The Chipettes included a version of the song on their album Born to Rock in 1988.
• Millionaires sampled the song and released it under the name "The One".
• MxPx covered the song on their 2009 album On the Cover II.
• Virus Inc covered the song in 2005.

Sampling

• A looped sample of the song's opening chorus (also played backwards) is used in live appearances of the composition "Halcyon + On + On" by the British electronic music duo Orbital. It has been documented on a 2007 album Orbital: Live at Glastonbury 1994-2004.
• Girl Talk samples the song on his album All Day.
• Mika samples the song on his album The Boy Who Knew Too Much.
• Jon Connor samples the song on his mixtape Vinnie Chase Season 2.
• Electropop band Millionaires sampled this song in the song "The One" (A bonus track on their EP Bling, Bling, Bling!)

See also

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of Swedish number-one hits

External links

• Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth music video posted on YouTube by Universal Music Group.
• Belinda Carlisle - A Place On Earth.
• Belinda discusses "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" - RetroRewind interview