UK album release: Gone Troppo by George Harrison – 5 November 1982

Friday 5 November 1982 · George Harrison · UK album release · Dark Horse Records

Gone Troppo, George Harrison’s tenth solo studio album, was released in the United Kingdom on 5 November 1982. Issued on his Dark Horse label and distributed by Warner Bros., it brought together ten tracks, including “Wake Up My Love”, “That’s the Way It Goes”, “Dream Away” and “Circles”. The American release followed on 8 November.

Harrison co-produced the album with percussionist Ray Cooper and recording engineer Phil McDonald. Much of it was recorded at his home studio at Friar Park during 1982, with musicians including Mike Moran, Billy Preston, Herbie Flowers, Henry Spinetti and Jim Keltner.

Gone Troppo: release facts

Recording at Friar Park

The main sessions took place between May and August 1982 at FPSHOT, Harrison’s studio at Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames. “Dream Away” had already been recorded for the 1981 film Time Bandits, a HandMade Films production.

The three producers brought different musical and technical roles to the project. Harrison sang and played guitars and other instruments; Cooper supplied percussion, marimba and additional instrumental colours; McDonald had worked with The Beatles as an engineer before continuing his association with Harrison’s solo recordings.

Keyboards were a substantial part of the arrangements. Mike Moran contributed keyboards, piano and synthesizer, while Billy Preston also played on the album. Other contributors included Neil Larsen, Gary Brooker and Jon Lord. Harrison’s own credits extended beyond guitar to synthesizer, bass, mandolin, marimba and jal tarang.

Henry Spinetti, Dave Mattacks and Jim Keltner contributed drums or percussion across the record. The bass players included Herbie Flowers, Alan Jones and Willie Weeks, while Joe Brown contributed mandolin and vocals.

The original Gone Troppo track listing

All songs were written by George Harrison except “I Really Love You”, written by Leroy Swearingen.

Side one

1. Wake Up My Love
2. That’s the Way It Goes
3. I Really Love You
4. Greece
5. Gone Troppo

Side two

1. Mystical One
2. Unknown Delight
3. Baby Don’t Run Away
4. Dream Away
5. Circles

Wake Up My Love, I Really Love You and Dream Away

“Wake Up My Love” opened the album and became its principal single. Its arrangement included Harrison’s vocals, guitars and bass, Mike Moran’s keyboards and synthesizer, Henry Spinetti’s drums and Ray Cooper’s percussion.

“I Really Love You” was the album’s cover version. The song was written by Leroy Swearingen and had originally been recorded by the Stereos. It subsequently became another single from the album in the United States.

“Dream Away” linked Harrison’s recording work with his involvement in film production. The song served as the theme for Time Bandits, which had appeared the previous year. It was later issued as a single in Japan.

Circles: a song reaching back to 1968

The closing song, “Circles”, had a much earlier origin than the 1982 sessions. Harrison first demoed it in 1968, during The Beatles period, but it did not appear on a Beatles album. He returned to it for Gone Troppo, placing the new recording at the end of the original LP.

The official Harrison catalogue notes this connection in its account of the album’s 2004 remaster. That reissue also added a demo of “Mystical One” as a bonus track; the original 1982 album contained ten songs.

The tropical sleeve

The artwork was credited to “Legs” Larry Smith. Its bright yellow and blue design combines tropical illustrations, decorative borders and a portrait of Harrison in a hat and sunglasses. The lettering spreads the album title across the sleeve as separate visual elements.

The title uses Australian slang for going crazy. The phrase and artwork gave the release a playful identity, distinct from the more restrained portrait sleeves of several earlier Harrison albums.

A release without a promotional campaign

Gone Troppo completed Harrison’s contractual obligations to Warner Bros., the distributor of his Dark Horse releases. Harrison did not undertake a promotional campaign for the album, and Warner Bros. provided little promotional support.

Looking back in an August 1987 Rolling Stone interview, Harrison acknowledged that he had not spent time promoting the record and had given the company little help. He also described his dissatisfaction with developments in the record business.

The album did not enter the UK chart. It reached number 108 on the US Billboard album chart, number 98 in Canada and number 31 in Norway.

The five-year gap before Cloud Nine

Harrison did not release another new studio album until Cloud Nine in 1987. That gap did not mean he stopped making music altogether: occasional recordings and soundtrack work continued between the two albums.

The next studio release arrived in Britain on 2 November 1987, followed by the US release on 3 November. Gone Troppo remained the final studio album of Harrison’s early-1980s period, preceding that return by five years.

Dark Horse in the collection

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Frequently asked questions

When was Gone Troppo released in the UK?

Gone Troppo was released in the United Kingdom on 5 November 1982. Its US release followed on 8 November.

Who produced Gone Troppo?

George Harrison co-produced the album with Ray Cooper and Phil McDonald.

Where was Gone Troppo recorded?

Most of the album was recorded at FPSHOT, Harrison’s studio at Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames, during 1982. Dream Away dated from 1981.

Which film featured Dream Away?

Dream Away was the theme song for the 1981 HandMade Films production Time Bandits.

Did Circles originate during The Beatles years?

Yes. Harrison first demoed Circles in 1968 and later recorded it for Gone Troppo.

What album followed Gone Troppo?

Harrison’s next studio album was Cloud Nine, released in November 1987.