Rain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977 on Gama Records/Decca Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan member Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson.

Rain Dances
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1977
RecordedFebruary–August 1977
StudioBasing Street Studios, London
Genre
Length41:28
LabelGama/Decca
ProducerRhett Davies, Camel
Camel chronology
Moonmadness
(1976)
Rain Dances
(1977)
Breathless
(1978)
Singles from Rain Dances
  1. "Highways of the Sun"
    Released: 30 September 1977[1]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
ProgroGraphy review[3]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer except where noted

Side one
No.TitleNotes[4]Length
1."First Light" (instrumental)
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – 6- and 12-string guitars, pan pipes
    • Mel Collins – alto saxophone
    • Pete BardensMinimoog, string synthesizer
    • Richard Sinclair – bass
    • Andy Ward – drums, ocarina, teeth, cheek, Turkish ring
4:59
2."Metrognome"
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – guitar
    • Mel Collins – tenor saxophone
    • Pete Bardens – electric piano, organ, string synthesizer
    • Richard Sinclair – bass, lead vocals
    • Andy Ward – drums, percussion, money
4:07
3."Tell Me"
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – fretless bass, backing vocals, flute
    • Mel Collins – soprano and bass clarinets
    • Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog
    • Richard Sinclair – lead and harmony vocals
    • Andy Ward – finger cymbals, glockenspiel
4:04
4."Highways of the Sun"
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – acoustic guitar, lead vocals
    • Mel Collins – soprano and bass flutes
    • Pete Bardens – acoustic and electric pianos, organ, Minimoog, string synthesizer
    • Richard Sinclair – bass, wicket keeper
    • Andy Ward – drums, percussion, liquid Boo Bams
4:25
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Notes[4]Length
1."Unevensong"Bardens, Latimer, Andy Ward
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – guitar, second lead vocals
    • Pete Bardens – electric piano, clavinet, Minimoog, string synthesizers, car horns
    • Richard Sinclair – bass, first lead vocals
    • Andy Ward – drums, percussion, Rototoms
5:22
2."One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (instrumental)Bardens, Mel Collins, Latimer, Richard Sinclair, Ward
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – guitar
    • Mel Collins – all saxophones
    • Pete Bardens – electric piano
    • Richard Sinclair – bass
    • Andy Ward – drums, percussion, talking drum, smurd
    • Martin Drover – trumpet
    • Malcolm Griffiths – trombone
5:49
3."Elke" (instrumental)Latimer
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – fuzz guitar, acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, string synthesizers, flute
    • Brian Eno – acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, bells
    • Fiona Hibbert – harp
4:20
4."Skylines" (instrumental)Bardens, Latimer, Ward
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – feedback, 6- and 12-string, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, sore fingers
    • Mel Collins – alto saxophone
    • Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog, string synthesizers
    • Andy Ward – drums, Tunisian clay drum, swanee
    • Martin Drover – flugelhorn
    • Malcolm Griffiths – trombone
4:17
5."Rain Dances" (instrumental) 
Personnel:
    • Andrew Latimer – pizzicato guitar, treated piano, glockenspiel, umbrellas
    • Mel Collins – soprano saxophone, umbrellas
    • Pete Bardens – Minimoog, string synthesizer, umbrellas
2:47
CD bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Highways of the Sun" (Single edit)Bardens, Latimer4:01
2009 Expanded & Remastered Edition
No.TitleLength
10."Highways of the Sun" (Single version)4:00
11."First Light" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)5:01
12."Metrognome" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)4:55
13."Unevensong" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)5:47
14."Skylines" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)5:36
15."Highways to the Sun" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)4:59
16."One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)4:12

Personnel

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Camel
Additional personnel
  • Martin Drover – trumpet on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night", flugelhorn on "Skylines"
  • Malcolm Griffiths – trombone on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" and "Skylines"
  • Brian EnoMinimoog, electric piano, piano on "Elke"
  • Fiona Hibbert – harp on "Elke"
Production
  • Rhett Davies – producer
  • Dave Hutchins – engineer
  • Paul Henry – sleeve design
  • Bob Searles – illustration

Release details

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  • 1977, UK, Gama/Decca, Release date: September 1977, LP
  • 1991, UK/GER, Deram, Release date: 26 August, CD (w. bonus track)
  • 2004, UK, London 8207252, Release date: 2 February 2004, CD (remastered version)

Charts

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Chart (1977) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[5] 29
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[6] 49
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[7] 17
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[8] 18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 30
UK Albums (OCC)[10] 20
US Billboard 200[11] 136

References

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  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 102.
  2. ^ Plichta, Mathew (2011). "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review & credits at ProgroGraphy/ConnollyCo.com". ConnollyCo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  4. ^ a b Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
  5. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  6. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Camel – Rain Dances" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  7. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  8. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  9. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  11. ^ "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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