Blue Virgin Isles

Infobox Album
Name = Blue Virgin Isles
Type = studio
Artist = Ted Gärdestad


Released = 1978/1979
Recorded = 1978/1979
Genre = Pop Music
Length =
Label = Epic Records/Polar
Producer = Eirik W. Wangberg
Reviews = Allmusic [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dcfexq95ldte]
Last album = "Franska Kort"
(1976)
This album = "Blue Virgin Isles"
(1978)
Next album = "I'd Rather Write a Symphony"
(1980)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = Swedish edition, re-release with "Satellit".

"Blue Virgin Isles" was the fifth album and the international debut from Swedish singer/songwriter Ted Gärdestad, released in late 1978 on the label Epic Records/Polar Music. The album was mainly recorded with American and English musicians in Hollywood, California and produced by Norwegian-American Eirik W. Wangberg, with some additional overdubs made in Stockholm.
After having won the 1979 Melodifestivalen, the Swedish pre-selections for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Satellit"/"Satellite" the album was re-released both internationally and domestically to include this track. The second Polar Music edition of the album includes both the Swedish and English language versions of "Satellit".
"Blue Virgin Isles" in its entirety remains un-released on CD, although nine of the tracks were included in the 2001 4 CD box set "Solregn".

Track listing

"All lyrics written by Kenneth Gärdestad, music by Ted Gärdestad"

Side A:
#"505 To Casablanca" - 3:49
#* Arranged by Larry Muhoberac
#* Solo: Abe Most, clarinet
#"Blue Virgin Isles" - 4:57
#* Arranged by James Newton Howard
#* Strings arranged By Gene Page
#* Solo: Jay Graydon, electric guitar
#"Love, You're Makin' All The Fools" - 3:26
#* Arranged by Jai Winding*
#"Baby Blue Eyes" - 2:36
#* Arranged by George Tipton
#* Solo: Abe Most, clarinet
# "Wanna Live - Got To Give" - 4:18
#* Arranged by Gene Page*
#* Solo: Stella Castellucci, harp

Side B:
#"Take Me Back To Hollywood" - 4:18
#* Original title: "Chapeau-Clacque", from 1976 album "Franska Kort"
#* Arranged by George Tipton
#"Back In The Business" - 3:48
#* Arranged by Jai Winding*
#* Solo: Jay Graydon, electric guitar
#"Puddle Of Pain" - 3:18
#* Arranged by Larry Muhoberac
#* Solo: Jim Horn, flute
#"Love Lies Free" - 4:11
#* Arranged by Jai Winding
#* Solo: Steve Lukather, electric guitar
#"Just For The Money" - 3:59
#* Arranged by Gene Page*
#* Solos: John Mayall, harmonica and Abe Most, clarinet

Additional tracks, 1979 re-release

* International version: "Satellite", track A1.
* Swedish version: "Satellite", track A1 + "Satellit" (Swedish version), track B6.

Personnel

* Ted Gärdestad - lead vocals, piano, guitar
* Jeff Porcaro - drums, percussion
* Jim Keltner - drums
* David Hungate - bass guitar
* Ray Brown - bass
* Bob Glaub - bass
* Jai Winding - bass, keyboards, synthesizers
* Jay Graydon - guitars
* Lee Ritenour - guitars
* Steve Lukather - guitars
* Fred Tackett - guitars
* John Collins - guitars
* Larry Muhoberac - keyboards
* Mike Melwoin - keyboards
* James Newton Howard - keyboards
* Dr. John - keyboards
* Victor Feldman - percussion
* Jerry Williams - percussion
* Hal Blaine - percussion
* Jim Keltner - percusscion
* Gary Coleman - percussion
* Al Hendrickson - ukulele, banjo
* Steve Porcaro - synthesizers
* Emil Richards - cymbalum
* John Mayall - harmonica
* Jim Keltner - heartbeat and bicycle bell
* Steve Madaio - trumpet
* Bob Fowler - trumpet
* Gene Goe - trumpet
* Jerry Hey - trumpet
* Cappy Lewis - trumpet
* Dick Hyde - trombone
* Tommy Shephard - trombone
* Abe Most - woodwinds
* John Lowe - woodwinds
* Jim Horn - woodwinds
* Buddy Collette - woodwinds
* David Luell - woodwinds
* Ted Nash - woodwinds
* Willie Schwartz - woodwinds
* Gary Herbig - woodwinds
* Dave Duke - french horns
* Bob Henderson - French horns
* Harry Bluestone - concert master, strings
* Israel Baker - violin
* Arnold Belnick - violin
* Isabelle Daskoff - violin
* Ron Folsom - violin
* Bill Hymanson - violin
* Anatol Kaminksy - violin
* Jake Krachmalnik - violin
* Bernie Kundell - violin
* Betty La Magna - violin
* Erno Neufeld - violin
* Don Palmer - violin
* Stan Plummer - violin
* Nat Ross - violin
* Henry Roth - violin
* Jack Shulman - violin
* Marshall Sosson - violin
* Joe Stepansky - violin
* Pam Goldsmith - viola
* Allan Harshman - viola
* Garry Nuttycombe - viola
* Dave Schwartz - viola
* Julianna Buffum - cello
* Jesse Ehrlich - cello
* Armand Kaproff - cello
* Dennis Karmazyn - cello
* Ray Kramer - cello
* Chuck Domanico - bass
* Arni Egilsson - bass
* Stella Castellucci - harp
* Jon Joyce - background vocals and clapping
* David Cassidy - background vocals and clapping
* Venetta Fields - background vocals and clapping
* Sherlie Matthews - background vocals and clapping
* Stan Farber - background vocals and clapping
* Jackie Ward - background vocals and clapping
* Mitch Gordon - background vocals and clapping
* Jim Haas - background vocals and clapping
* Jai Winding - background vocals and clapping
* Alix Wangberg - background vocals and clapping
* Tere Mansfield - background vocals and clapping
* John Baylor - background vocals and clapping
* Sally Stevens - background vocals and clapping
* Jean King - background vocals and clapping
* Anita James - background vocals and clapping
* Bili Thedford - background vocals and clapping
* Jim Keitner - background vocals and clapping
* John Mayall - background vocals and clapping
* Dr. John - background vocals and clapping

Production

* Produced by Eirik W. Wangberg
* Recorded at: Sounds Labs Inc., Hollywood, Bastun Studios AB, Stockholm, Marcus Music AB, Stockholm, Capitol Studios, Hollywood; KMH Studio AB, Stockholm; Whitney Studios, Glendale, Western Recorders, Hollywood; Hollywood Sound Recorders, Hollywood
* Sound engineers: Eirik W. Wangberg, Ron Hitchcock, Val Garay, Armin Steiner
* Assistant engineers: Linda Tyler, Olle Ramm, Christer Berg, Dennis Cook, Lennart Karlsmyr, Åke Grahn, Cecil Jones, Don Henderson, Bob Mocler, Ed Perry.
* Mastering: Wally Traugott at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
* Musician contractor: Frank DeCaro
* Art direction: David Larkham
* Cover design: David Larkham and Eirik W. Wangberg
* Front & back cover photographs: Yoshi Ohara for Barry Levine Studios
* Inner sleeve photography: Barry Levine & Torbjörn Calvero
* Thank You: Janne Schaffer, Randy Edelman, Thom Rotelia, Ben Benay, Scotty Edwards, Ralph Grierson, Howard Weiss, Peggy Steiner, Annie Street, Virginia Berger, John Sands, Ned Forsythe, Robert Lamoureux, Jon Joyce, Steve Kelman, Mikke Tretow and to Stig Anderson, ABBA, and the Polar family. Special thanks to Alix Wangberg whose cheerful spirit and lyrical talent helped when times were rough and no words were in the air. /TED & KEN

Personnel and production "Satellit"/"Satellite"

* Producers: Janne Schaffer & Ted Gärdestad
* Musicians: Stefan Nilsson, Janne Schaffer, Mike Watson, Roger Palm, Malando Gassama & Lars Samuelsson
* String arrangement: Lars Samuelsson
* Backing vocals: Rose-Marie Gröning, Liza Öhman, Diana Nunez, Lennart Sjöholm & Peter Lundblad
* Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm

External links and sources

* Eirik Wangberg's official site. [http://www.eirikwangberg.com/]
* Detailed Ted Gärdestad discography [http://www.bluedesert.dk/gardestad.html]
* Artist Direct biography [http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,173397,00.html]
* MSN Music biography [http://music.msn.com/album/?album=10047566]
* Allmusic biography and discography [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jbftxqu5ldfe~T0]