Avalon (Roxy Music song)
| "Avalon" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Roxy Music | ||||
| from the album Avalon | ||||
| B-side | "Always Unknowing" | |||
| Released | June 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1981–1982 | |||
| Length | 4:16 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros./Reprise/E.G. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bryan Ferry | |||
| Producer(s) | Rhett Davies and Roxy Music | |||
| Roxy Music singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Avalon" is a 1982 song by the English rock band Roxy Music. It was released as the second single from their album Avalon. The single, with its B-side, "Always Unknowing", charted at No. 13 in the UK.[1]
Recording
The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Haitian singer Yanick Étienne, whom Bryan Ferry encountered during the recording of the album. He heard her in the adjacent studio and invited her to contribute backing vocals to the recording.[2][3]
Promotional video
The song's music video was directed by Ridley Scott[4] and features the English actress Sophie Ward, daughter of actor Simon Ward. It was filmed in Mentmore Towers country house.[3]
M People cover
In 1997 British House dance group M People covered the song and released it as the twelfth and closing track on their final and latest to date studio album, Fresco.
Personnel
- Bryan Ferry – lead vocals, keyboards
- Andy Mackay – saxophone
- Phil Manzanera – guitar
- Neil Hubbard – guitar
- Alan Spenner – bass guitar
- Andy Newmark – drums
- Jimmy Maelen – percussion
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
- Yanick Étienne – backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] | 5 |
| Germany (GfK)[6] | 45 |
| Ireland (Singles Chart)[7] | 9 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] | 8 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] | 37 |
| Swedish Singles Chart[11] | 19 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[12] | 13 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] | 59 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[14] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ EveryHit - Roxy Music - Avalon Archived October 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ Mix Magazine - Roxy Music's "Avalon" Archived 2014-07-22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Roxy Music - Singles - on". Vivaroxymusic.com. 1982-06-15. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
- ^ "Ridley Scott's Commercial & Music Video Work (1982-1984)". 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Roxy Music – Avalon" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Roxy Music – Avalon" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "irishcharts.ie search results". Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 31, 1982" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Roxy Music – Avalon" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 12 September 1982. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com - Roxy Music - Avalon". Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Roxy Music Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Roxy Music – Avalon". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
External links
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