''The Unknown Soldier'' is the tenth studio album by English Folk music, folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper (singer), Roy Harper. It was first released in 1980 by Harvest Records and was his last release on the label. Half of the tracks were co-written with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, who also plays guitar on the album. Kate Bush duets with Harper on one of those tracks.

History

The album was originally released on EMI's Harvest Records label (SHVL820) in 1980 (also Harvest Records, Harvest ST6474 (CAN) and Electrola 1C06407259 (FRG)). In 1998 the album was reissued on Harper's Science Friction (record label), Science Friction label (HUCD031). Whilst duets are not commonplace on Roy Harper (singer), Roy Harper albums, Kate Bush accompanies Harper on the song "You". The song "Short and Sweet" features David Gilmour on guitar and is also found on Gilmour's first solo album, ''David Gilmour (album), David Gilmour'', released two years earlier. Harper also sang the song as a guest at one of Gilmour's 1984 concerts in London. In fact, Gilmour plays guitar on most of the album's ten songs and co-wrote five of them. Harper providing the lyrics and Gilmour the music. Originally, the songs "I'm in Love with You", "Ten Years Ago" and "The Flycatcher", were to be released on the proposed earlier (1978–79) Harper album, ''Commercial Breaks (album), Commercial Breaks''. However, a dispute between Harper and EMI meant ''Commercial Breaks'' was not released until 1994. These three songs were re-recorded for ''The Unknown Soldier'', and vary slightly from their original demo composition.

Track listing

''All tracks credited to Roy Harper except where indicated''

Side one

#"Playing Games" (Harper, David Gilmour) – 3:12 #"I'm In Love With You" – 3:45 #"The Flycatcher" – 4:10 #"You" (The Game Part II) (Harper, Gilmour) – 4:37 #"Old Faces" (Harper, Gilmour) – 4:09

Side two

#"Short and Sweet" (Harper, Gilmour) – 6:28 #"First Thing in the Morning" – 3:40 #"The Unknown Soldier" – 3:33 #"Ten Years Ago" – 3:35 #"True Story" (Harper, Gilmour) – 4:50

Personnel

*Roy Harper (singer), Roy Harper – vocals Additional performers *Kate Bush – vocals *David Gilmour – guitar *Andy Roberts (musician), Andy Roberts – guitar *Steve Broughton (musician), Steve Broughton – guitar *Hugh Burns – guitar *Sal DiTroia – guitar *B. J. Cole – steel guitar *Tony Levin (misspelled Toni Levin) – bass *Jimmy Bain – bass *Will Lee – bass *David Lawson – keyboards *Pete Wingfield – keyboards *Don Grolnick – keyboards *David Bedford : orchestrations *Jimmy Maelen – percussion *Andy Newmark – percussion *George Constantino *Jim Cuomo *Timmy Donald *Neil Jason *Joe Partridge *Sara Pozzo *Dave Scance Technical personnel *Peter Jenner – executive producer, producer *Chris Briggs – assistant executive producer *Roy Harper – producer, Record sleeve, sleeve design and photography *Haydn Bendall – sound engineer, assistant producer *John Tropea – assistant producer *Stephan Galfas, Stephen Galfas – assistant producer *Cliff Hodson – sound engineer *Danny Dawson – sound engineer *John Barrett – sound engineer *Phil Ault – sound engineer *Adrian Boot – sleeve design and photography *Peter Shepherd – additional sleeve design (German and Canadian release) *Gered Mankowitz – additional photography (German and Canadian release)

References

External links

Roy Harper Official SiteVerdun Memorial Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Unknown Soldier, The Roy Harper (singer) albums 1980 albums Harvest Records albums Albums produced by Peter Jenner Albums recorded at Rockfield Studios