The Raven (song)

"The Raven" is a 1975 song by the Alan Parsons Project from their album Tales of Mystery and Imagination, and first song of the band. The song is based on the Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name; the song was written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, and was originally recorded in April 1975, at Mama Jo's Studio, North Hollywood, Los Angeles and Abbey Road Studios, London.[1]

For The Stranglers song, see The Raven (The Stranglers album).

"The Raven"
Single by The Alan Parsons Project
from the album Tales of Mystery and Imagination
B-side"The Fall of the House of Usher (Prelude)"
ReleasedNovember 1975
Format7"
Recorded2 July 1975
GenreProgressive rock, funk rock
Length3:43
Label20th Century
Songwriter(s)Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson
Producer(s)Alan Parsons
The Alan Parsons Project singles chronology
"The Raven"
(1975)		 "(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether"
(1976)

It was one of the first rock songs to use a vocoder, developed by EMS, to distort vocals. It is also one of the few songs by the band featuring the vocals of Alan Parsons, who sings the first verse through the EMI vocoder. Actor Leonard Whiting performs the lead vocals for the remainder of the song, with Eric Woolfson and a choir as backing vocals.

The single appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at #80 in October 1976.

The 1987 reissued version of the song contains a guitar solo near the end, before the "Quoth the Raven"/"Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore, never!" refrains and a few licks between the lyrics.

In 2004, the choral band Gregorian made a cover of the song for their album The Dark Side.

American rapper Danny Brown sampled the song for "Clean Up" on his 2013 album Old.

Personnel
Original (1976)
Reissue (1987)

References
  1. Liner notes of 1987 CD reissue version
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