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|artist = [[The Alan Parsons Project]]
|artist = [[The Alan Parsons Project]]
|album = [[Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Alan Parsons Project album)|Tales of Mystery and Imagination]]
|album = [[Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Alan Parsons Project album)|Tales of Mystery and Imagination]]
|B-side = The Fall of the House of Usher (Prelude)
|B-side = The Fall of the House of Usher (Prelude)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/27545730-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-The-Raven|title=The Alan Parsons Project – The Raven|website=[[Discogs]]|date=1976}}</ref>
|released = September 1976<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/616/mode/2up|title=Great Rock Discography|date=22 October 1995 |page=616|isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}</ref>
|released = September 1976<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/616/mode/2up|title=Great Rock Discography|date=22 October 1995 |page=616|isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}</ref>
|recorded =
|recorded =
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|misc =
|misc =
}}
}}
'''"The Raven"''' is the first song by [[the Alan Parsons Project]], recorded in April 1976 at Mama Jo's Studio, [[North Hollywood, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/4322-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-Tales-Of-Mystery-And-Imagination-Edgar-Allan-Poe|title=The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe|website=[[Discogs]]|date=1976}}</ref> It is the second track on their debut album, ''[[Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Alan Parsons Project album)|Tales of Mystery and Imagination]]'', which is a tribute to author and poet [[Edgar Allan Poe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com/tales-of-mystery-and-imagination|title=Tales of Mystery and Imagination|website=The Alan Parsons Project Official Website}}</ref> Though the song is based on [[The Raven|Poe's poem of the same name]], and is almost a verbatim recital of the lyrics of the poem, Poe is not given song writing credit. It is credited to [[Alan Parsons]] and [[Eric Woolfson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/The-alan-parsons-project-the-raven-lyrics|title=The Raven|website=ML Genius Holdings, LLC|publisher=Woolfsongs Ltd/ Careers Music Inc}}</ref>
'''"The Raven"''' is the first song by [[the Alan Parsons Project]], recorded in April 1976 at Mama Jo's Studio, [[North Hollywood, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/4322-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-Tales-Of-Mystery-And-Imagination-Edgar-Allan-Poe|title=The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe|website=Discogs|date=1976}}</ref> It is the second track on their debut album, ''[[Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Alan Parsons Project album)|Tales of Mystery and Imagination]]'', which is a tribute to author and poet [[Edgar Allan Poe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com/tales-of-mystery-and-imagination|title=Tales of Mystery and Imagination|website=The Alan Parsons Project Official Website}}</ref> Though the song is based on [[The Raven|Poe's poem of the same name]], and is almost a verbatim recital of the lyrics of the poem, Poe is not given song writing credit. It is credited to [[Alan Parsons]] and [[Eric Woolfson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/The-alan-parsons-project-the-raven-lyrics|title=The Raven|website=ML Genius Holdings, LLC|publisher=Woolfsongs Ltd/ Careers Music Inc}}</ref>


According to the liner notes of the album, "The Raven" is first rock songs to use a [[vocoder]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-alan-parsons-project/the-raven|title=The Raven by The Alan Parsons Project|website=Song Facts}}</ref> developed by [[Electronic Music Studios]] (EMS), to distort vocals. It is also one of the few songs by the band featuring the vocals of Alan Parsons, who sings the first verse through the EMI vocoder. Actor [[Leonard Whiting]] performs the lead vocals for the remainder of the song, with Eric Woolfson and the [[Westminster City School]] Boys Choir as backing vocals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tales-of-mystery-and-imagination-edgar-allan-poe-mw0000116700|last=DeGagne|first=Mike|title=Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe Review|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
According to the liner notes of the album, "The Raven" is the first rock songs to use a [[vocoder]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-alan-parsons-project/the-raven|title=The Raven by The Alan Parsons Project|website=Song Facts}}</ref> developed by [[Electronic Music Studios]] (EMS), to distort vocals. It is also one of the few songs by the band featuring vocals by Alan Parsons, who sings the first verse through the EMI vocoder. Actor [[Leonard Whiting]] performs the lead vocals for the remainder of the song, with Eric Woolfson and the [[Westminster City School]] Boys Choir providing backing vocals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tales-of-mystery-and-imagination-edgar-allan-poe-mw0000116700|last=DeGagne|first=Mike|title=Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe Review|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>


The single appeared on the US ''[[Billboard Hot 100]]'' chart, peaking at #80 in October 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1976-10-30/|title=Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)]]|date=October 30, 1976}}</ref>
The single appeared on the US ''[[Billboard Hot 100]]'' chart, peaking at #80 in October 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1976-10-30/|title=Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)]]|date=October 30, 1976}}</ref>


==B-side==
⚫
The 1987 [[reissue]]d version of the song contains a [[guitar solo]] by [[Ian Bairnson]] near the end, before the "Quoth the Raven"/"Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore, never!" refrains and a few licks between the lyrics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13375963-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-Tales-Of-Mystery-And-Imagination|title=The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination|website=Discogs|date=1987}}</ref>
The B-side of "The Raven" is "The Fall of the House of Usher" prelude. "The Fall of the House of Usher" is an instrumental suite that runs more than fifteen minutes and takes up most of Side two of ''Tales Of Mystery And Imagination'', however, the prelude is trimmed down to 5:59. Although uncredited, the prelude is taken from the opera fragment "[[La chute de la maison Usher (opera)|La chute de la maison Usher]]" by [[Claude Debussy]], which was composed between 1908 and 1917.<ref>''[[Cambridge Companions to Music|The Cambridge companion to Debussy]]'', p. 297 n. 100 / edited by Simon Trezise, Cambridge University Press, 2003.</ref>


==Other versions==
⚫
In 2004, the choral band [[Gregorian (band)|Gregorian]] made a cover of the song for their album ''[[The Dark Side (Gregorian album)|The Dark Side]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dark-side-mw0000471703|title=The Dark Side - Gregorian|website=AllMusic}}</ref>
⚫
On the 1987 [[reissue]]d version of ''Tales Of Mystery And Imagination'', the song contains a [[guitar solo]] by [[Ian Bairnson]] near the end, before the "Quoth the Raven"/"Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore, never!" refrains and a few licks between the lyrics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13375963-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-Tales-Of-Mystery-And-Imagination|title=The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination|website=Discogs|date=1987}}</ref>

⚫
The choral band [[Gregorian (band)|Gregorian]] covered "The Raven" on their 2004 release, ''[[The Dark Side (Gregorian album)|The Dark Side]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dark-side-mw0000471703|title=The Dark Side - Gregorian|website=AllMusic}}</ref>


American rapper [[Danny Brown]] sampled the song for "Clean Up" on his 2013 album ''[[Old (Danny Brown album)|Old]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/Danny-Brown/Clean-Up/|title=Clean Up by Danny Brown|website=Who Sampled}}</ref>
American rapper [[Danny Brown]] sampled the song for "Clean Up" on his 2013 album ''[[Old (Danny Brown album)|Old]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/Danny-Brown/Clean-Up/|title=Clean Up by Danny Brown|website=Who Sampled}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:54, 7 April 2024

For The Stranglers song, see The Raven (The Stranglers album).

"The Raven"
Single by The Alan Parsons Project
from the album Tales of Mystery and Imagination
B-sideThe Fall of the House of Usher (Prelude)[2]
ReleasedSeptember 1976[1]
GenreProgressive rock, funk rock
Length3:43
Label20th Century
Songwriter(s)Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson
Producer(s)Alan Parsons
The Alan Parsons Project singles chronology
"The Raven"
(1976) 		"(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether"
(1976)

"The Raven" is the first song by the Alan Parsons Project, recorded in April 1976 at Mama Jo's Studio, North Hollywood, Los Angeles.[3] It is the second track on their debut album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, which is a tribute to author and poet Edgar Allan Poe.[4] Though the song is based on Poe's poem of the same name, and is almost a verbatim recital of the lyrics of the poem, Poe is not given song writing credit. It is credited to Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.[5]

According to the liner notes of the album, "The Raven" is the first rock songs to use a vocoder,[6] developed by Electronic Music Studios (EMS), to distort vocals. It is also one of the few songs by the band featuring vocals by Alan Parsons, who sings the first verse through the EMI vocoder. Actor Leonard Whiting performs the lead vocals for the remainder of the song, with Eric Woolfson and the Westminster City School Boys Choir providing backing vocals.[7]

The single appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #80 in October 1976.[8]

B-side

The B-side of "The Raven" is "The Fall of the House of Usher" prelude. "The Fall of the House of Usher" is an instrumental suite that runs more than fifteen minutes and takes up most of Side two of Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, however, the prelude is trimmed down to 5:59. Although uncredited, the prelude is taken from the opera fragment "La chute de la maison Usher" by Claude Debussy, which was composed between 1908 and 1917.[9]

Other versions

On the 1987 reissued version of Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, the song contains a guitar solo by Ian Bairnson near the end, before the "Quoth the Raven"/"Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore, never!" refrains and a few licks between the lyrics.[10]

The choral band Gregorian covered "The Raven" on their 2004 release, The Dark Side.[11]

American rapper Danny Brown sampled the song for "Clean Up" on his 2013 album Old.[12]

Personnel

Original (1976)
Reissue (1987)

References

  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (22 October 1995). Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 616. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. ^ "The Alan Parsons Project – The Raven". Discogs. 1976.
  3. ^ "The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe". Discogs. 1976.
  4. ^ "Tales of Mystery and Imagination". The Alan Parsons Project Official Website.
  5. ^ "The Raven". ML Genius Holdings, LLC. Woolfsongs Ltd/ Careers Music Inc.
  6. ^ "The Raven by The Alan Parsons Project". Song Facts.
  7. ^ DeGagne, Mike. "Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe Review". AllMusic.
  8. ^ "Hot 100". Billboard (magazine). 30 October 1976.
  9. ^ The Cambridge companion to Debussy, p. 297 n. 100 / edited by Simon Trezise, Cambridge University Press, 2003.
  10. ^ "The Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination". Discogs. 1987.
  11. ^ "The Dark Side - Gregorian". AllMusic.
  12. ^ "Clean Up by Danny Brown". Who Sampled.


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