Heaven Is a Place on Earth

"Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
Single by Belinda Carlisle
from the album Heaven on Earth
B-side "We Can Change"
Released September 18, 1987[1]
Format
Recorded 1987
Genre
Length 4:07
Label MCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Rick Nowels
Belinda Carlisle singles chronology
"Since You've Gone"
(1986)		 "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
(1987)		 "I Get Weak"
(1988)

"Since You've Gone"
(1986)		 "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
(1987)		 "I Get Weak"
(1988)
Audio sample
  • file
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"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is a song recorded by American singer Belinda Carlisle for her second studio album Heaven on Earth (1987). Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, the power ballad[2] was released as the album's lead single in September 1987, and it hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 1987, becoming Carlisle's only US chart-topper. A month later it hit number one in the United Kingdom, where it held the top spot of the UK Singles Chart for two weeks.

"Heaven is a Place on Earth" reached number one in many other countries, among them Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa and Norway. The single also reached number three in Germany and Canada, number two in Australia, and number six in Italy. It is widely considered to be Carlisle's signature song because of its success on the charts and its continued relevance today. "Heaven is a Place on Earth" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It lost to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". In 2017, ShortList's Dave Fawbert listed the song as containing "one of the greatest key changes in music history".[3]

Composition

The song is performed in the key of E major with a tempo of 123 beats per minute in common time. Carlisle's vocals span from E3 to D♯5. In the final chorus of the song, the key is transposed to F♯ major.[4][5]

Music video

The promotional video was directed by Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton and features an appearance by Carlisle's husband Morgan Mason. It also features children wearing black masks and a cape while each of them holds an illuminated plastic globe. Carlisle appears wearing a strapless dress and later changes to a black off-the-shoulder blouse. The video was partially filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California (now Santa Clarita, California), on the now defunct Spin Out ride.

Production

Carlisle's backup vocalists on the track include songwriters Nowels and Shipley as well as Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas and songwriter Diane Warren. It also features Thomas Dolby on keyboards.

Track listing

  1. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" - 4:06
  2. "We Can Change" - 3:45
  3. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (Heavenly version) - 6:00
  4. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (A cappella version) - 3:49

Charts and certifications

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 329. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  2. ↑ "The 21 best power ballads".
  3. ↑ "The 19 greatest key changes in music history". ShortList. October 1, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  4. ↑ Shipley, Ellen. "Belinda Carlisle "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" Sheet Music in A Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Heaven Is a Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle - Spot On Track". www.spotontrack.com. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  9. ↑ "Adult Contemporary - Volume 47, No. 12, December 26, 1987". RPM. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 47, No. 11, December 19, 1987". RPM. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Belinda Carlisle – Chart history" European Hot 100 for Belinda Carlisle.
  12. ↑ "Musicline.de – Carlisle,Belinda Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  13. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 10 (12. febrúar 1988)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Italian Singles Chart – Top Singles of 1988". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  17. ↑ "Charts.nz – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth". VG-lista.
  19. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  20. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  21. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth". Singles Top 100.
  22. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is a Place on Earth". Swiss Singles Chart.
  23. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ↑ "Belinda Carlisle Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  25. ↑ "Belinda Carlisle Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  26. ↑ "1988 Australian Singles Chart". aria. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  27. ↑ "1988 Dutch Singles Chart" (in Dutch). dutchcharts. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  28. ↑ "INFINITY CHARTS: German Top 20". ki.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de.
  29. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1988". www.hitparadeitalia.it.
  30. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1988 - The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988". Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  32. ↑ "1988 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). swisscharts. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  33. ↑ "End Of Year Chart - Top 50 Singles of 1988". mostynhouseschool.com. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  34. ↑ "End Of Year Chart - Top 100 Singles of 1988". Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is A Place on Earth". Music Canada.
  36. ↑ "British single certifications – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is A Place on Earth". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Heaven Is A Place on Earth in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  37. ↑ "Official Charts Flashback: Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
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