Secrets of the Beehive

Secrets of the Beehive
Studio album by David Sylvian
Released	7 November 1987
Recorded	1987, London and Bath, England; Chateau Miraval, Le Val, France; Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, The Netherlands
Genre	Art rock, experimental, avant-garde
Length	34:30 original LP 40:31 CD reissue 43:59 Japanese CD
Label	Virgin
Producer	Steve Nye
David Sylvian chronology
Gone to Earth (1986) Secrets of the Beehive (1987) Plight & Premonition (1988)
Singles from Secrets of the Beehive
"Let the Happiness In" Released: September 1987 "Orpheus" Released: May 1988

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth solo album by British singer-songwriter David Sylvian and was released in 1987. Produced by Steve Nye and David Sylvian, the album features Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Torn, Mark Isham and Steve Jansen among others. The album peaked at no.37 in the UK album chart.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by David Sylvian except where noted.

1. "September" – 1:17
2. "The Boy With the Gun" – 5:19
3. "Maria" – 2:49
4. "Orpheus" – 4:51
5. "The Devil's Own" – 3:12
6. "When Poets Dreamed of Angels" – 4:47
7. "Mother and Child" – 3:15
8. "Let the Happiness In" – 5:37
9. "Waterfront" – 3:23

CD bonus tracks

10. "Forbidden Colours" (music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, lyrics by Sylvian) - 6:01 (1984 b-side version from the "Red Guitar" single. Does not appear on 2003 Remaster.)
11. "Promise (The Cult of Eurydice)" - 3:28 (Japanese and 2003 Remaster bonus track)

Personnel

• David Sylvian – vocals, piano (1), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6), organ (2, 8), synths (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10), tapes (3, 5), treated piano (5)
• Ryuichi Sakamoto – string arrangement (1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10), organ (2, 3, 5, 7, 8), synths (2, 4, 8), piano (4, 5, 7, 9, 10), treated piano (3), woodwind arrangement (5), brass arrangement (8)
• Steve Jansen – drums (4, 8, 10)
• David Torn - electric guitar (2, 7), guitar loop (3)
• Danny Thompson - double bass (2, 4, 7)
• Danny Cummings - percussion (2, 6, 7, 8)
• Phil Palmer - slide guitar (4), acoustic guitars (6)
• Mark Isham - flugelhorn (4,8), trumpet (6, 8)
• Brian Gascoigne - orchestral arrangement (4), string arrangement (8)
• Ann O'Dell - string arrangement (10)

Technical personnel

• Steve Nye - producer, mixing, engineer
• David Sylvian - assistant producer, assistant mixing
• Peter Williams - co-engineer (10)
• Richard Moakes - second engineer
• Steve Parker - second engineer
• John Timperley - second engineer
• Jean-Jacques Lemoine - assistant engineer
• Roland Prent - assistant engineer
• Steve Williams - assistant engineer
• Richard Chadwick - recording co-ordinating
• Catherine Wilson - assistant in recording
• Vaughan Oliver (23 Envelope) - design, typography
• Nigel Grierson (23 Envelope) - still life photography
• Yuka Fujii - portrait photography

References

1. Ankeny, Jason. Secrets of the Beehive at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
2. David Sylvian the official charts