2 November 1987 | UK album releases | George Harrison
On 2 November 1987, George Harrison released Cloud Nine in the United Kingdom. His first studio album since Gone Troppo in 1982, it paired him with co-producer Jeff Lynne and brought his music back to a large pop audience. ‘Got My Mind Set on You’ had already introduced the project as a single; ‘When We Was Fab’ and ‘This Is Love’ would follow.
The album combined Harrison’s slide guitar, concise songwriting and familiar collaborators with Lynne’s carefully layered production. Its eleven songs ranged from the blues-inflected opening track to ballads, a pointed response to gossip and an affectionate look back at the Beatles years. The American release followed on 3 November.
| Album | Cloud Nine |
|---|---|
| Artist | George Harrison |
| UK release | 2 November 1987 |
| US release | 3 November 1987 |
| Label | Dark Horse Records |
| Producers | George Harrison and Jeff Lynne |
| Recording | FPSHOT, January–August 1987 |
| Original album | 11 tracks |
| Chart peaks | UK: 10; US: 8 |
George Harrison’s return after Gone Troppo
The five-year interval between Gone Troppo and Cloud Nine was a substantial break between studio albums, but it was not a complete disappearance from music or public life. Harrison remained involved in film through HandMade Films and made occasional musical appearances. The soundtrack work associated with Shanghai Surprise also preceded the new album.
For listeners following his solo catalogue, Cloud Nine represented a fresh, focused studio project rather than a compilation of earlier hits. It would be the final solo studio album released during Harrison’s lifetime; Brainwashed appeared posthumously in 2002. The intervening years included the Traveling Wilburys and live work, so the distinction is specifically about solo studio albums.
Follow the full sequence in our George Harrison solo discography, or explore his Beatles years and subsequent projects in our George Harrison career guide.
Making Cloud Nine with Jeff Lynne
Harrison and Lynne recorded the album at FPSHOT, Harrison’s home studio at Friar Park, during 1987. Lynne was already widely known for Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Their partnership brought together a shared interest in melodic songwriting, guitars and the possibilities of multitrack recording.
Lynne’s role went beyond production. He played instruments, supplied backing vocals and shared writing credits on ‘This Is Love’ and ‘When We Was Fab’. ‘That’s What It Takes’ was written by Harrison, Lynne and Gary Wright. Harrison remained the album’s principal songwriter and lead performer, with his guitar sound central to the recordings.
The collaboration established a working relationship that continued into the Traveling Wilburys. That later group should not be projected backwards onto the album: Cloud Nine was a Harrison solo record, co-produced with Lynne, rather than a Wilburys release.
The musicians on the album
Alongside Harrison and Lynne, the contributors included Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Gary Wright, Elton John, Ray Cooper, Jim Horn and cellist Bobby Kok. The combination allowed the arrangements to move between guitar-led rock, piano, saxophone, percussion and more delicate textures.
Ringo’s participation also maintained a direct connection with Harrison’s Beatles past. It was not the only such connection on the record: ‘When We Was Fab’ addressed that history explicitly, while the broader album remained rooted in Harrison’s current songwriting and performances.
The Dark Horse label is a relevant part of this release’s identity. For Harrison-specific merchandise, explore the George Harrison Dark Horse hoodie.
‘Got My Mind Set on You’: the advance single
Released as a single on 12 October 1987, ‘Got My Mind Set on You’ was the album’s one cover version. Rudy Clark wrote the song, which James Ray had recorded in the early 1960s. Harrison’s recording placed it in a contemporary pop arrangement with an emphatic rhythm and a repeated, immediately recognisable refrain.
It reached number two in Britain and number one in the United States. That American success made it Harrison’s final US number-one single and the last US number one by a former Beatle. The single’s chart achievement belongs to the months after its release, rather than to the album’s first day in shops.
‘When We Was Fab’ and ‘This Is Love’
‘When We Was Fab’ looks back at Harrison’s experience as a Beatle without trying to recreate an entire Beatles album. Its title, arrangement and humour make the reference unmistakable. Written with Lynne, it became the second single in January 1988.
‘This Is Love’, another Harrison–Lynne composition, followed as a single in June 1988. Within the album it provides an upbeat counterpart to more reflective songs such as ‘Just for Today’. The three singles together introduced different aspects of the record: a revived older song, a glance at the Beatles past and a contemporary original.
Beyond the singles: songs across Cloud Nine
The opening song, titled ‘Cloud 9’ in the track listing, puts Harrison’s guitar prominently into the album’s first minutes. ‘Fish on the Sand’ and ‘That’s What It Takes’ continue the melodic pop approach, while ‘Just for Today’ slows the pace.
On the second side, ‘Devil’s Radio’ takes aim at gossip. ‘Someplace Else’ and ‘Breath Away from Heaven’ connect the album with Harrison’s recent film-related music, while ‘Wreck of the Hesperus’ brings a more humorous perspective on age and endurance. The familiar hit ‘Got My Mind Set on You’ closes the original sequence.
Original Cloud Nine track listing
Side one
- Cloud 9
- That’s What It Takes
- Fish on the Sand
- Just for Today
- This Is Love
- When We Was Fab
Side two
- Devil’s Radio
- Someplace Else
- Wreck of the Hesperus
- Breath Away from Heaven
- Got My Mind Set on You
Later editions added bonus material, including ‘Shanghai Surprise’ and ‘Zig Zag’. These should be distinguished from the eleven tracks on the original 1987 album.
The cover and the album’s reception
The cover shows Harrison smiling in sunglasses and holding a black Gretsch guitar against a cloudy sky. It presents the artist and his instrument directly, with the album title placed beside him.
Cloud Nine reached number ten in Britain and number eight in America. Together with the singles, those results made the release a major commercial return. It also began a particularly productive period of collaboration with Lynne, leading into the formation of the Traveling Wilburys the following year.
Frequently asked questions
When was Cloud Nine released in Britain?
Cloud Nine was released in the UK on 2 November 1987, followed by the US release on 3 November.
Who produced Cloud Nine?
George Harrison and Jeff Lynne co-produced the album.
Did Ringo Starr play on Cloud Nine?
Yes. Ringo was among the musicians who contributed to the album.
Did Harrison write ‘Got My Mind Set on You’?
No. Rudy Clark wrote it, and James Ray recorded it before Harrison’s hit version.
Was Cloud Nine Harrison’s last album?
It was his last solo studio album released during his lifetime. Brainwashed followed posthumously in 2002.
How many tracks were on the original album?
The original Cloud Nine contained eleven tracks.
Explore all 24 stories in our 2 November in Beatles history timeline, from Hamburg performances to Now And Then and the solo years.
Follow the next release date in Cloud Nine’s US release on 3 November 1987, including the album’s American chart reception.
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