| Released | 9 August 1988 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | Olympic Studios, Townhouse Studios, Swanyard, London, England March–June 1988 |
| Genre | Glam metal, hard rock,[1] heavy metal |
| Length | 47:50 |
| Label | Epic |
| Producer | Ron Nevison |
Out of This World is the fourth studio album by the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. Released on 9 August 1988 through Epic Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling over 1 million units in the United States alone, peaking at number 19 on the US Billboard 200 chart and reaching high positions in charts worldwide.[3] It was recorded at Olympic Studios, London, England.
Six singles were released from the album: “Superstitious“, “Open Your Heart“, “Let the Good Times Rock“, “More Than Meets the Eye“, “Sign of the Times” and “Tomorrow”. “Tomorrow” was only released in Brazil.
“Superstitious” was the first song on the album, written by Joey Tempest. It was the first single released from the album and is arguably one of Europe’s most recognizable and popular songs. The song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached number 35 on the Canadian Singles Chart. The song was released in Australia, Europe and New Zealand in July 1988. “Superstitious” reached the UK top forty at 34. “Superstitious” continued the trend of lower-charting singles when it charted. The song reached number one in Norway and their homeland Sweden.
“Open Your Heart” and “Let the Good Times Rock” would become minor hits in the UK with “Open Your Heart” charting at 86 and “Let the Good Times Rock” peaking at 85. Three more singles would be released, yet none of them charted. “Tomorrow” was the last of the six, and was only released in Brazil.
Out of This World was the band’s follow up album to the successful album The Final Countdown. Upon its release in August 1988, Out of This World peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[3] The album did not match its predecessor. The album is Europe’s best-selling album in Switzerland. Out of This World achieved Platinum status in the United States, gold platinum status in Canada, and Switzerland.[4][5][6]
Allmusic gave Out of This World three out of five stars. Reviewer Andy Hinds said, “Europe produces made-to-order lite metal with admirable craftsmanship and occasionally memorable hooks. “Superstitious” even has a disarming gospel quality. This is hard rock with all the edges sanded off. Capable lead singer Joey Tempest carries the tunes with nonthreatening panache, while Kee Marcello (who proved his virtuosity on Europe’s previous by performing “Flight of the Bumblebee”) provides plenty of nice guitar solos.”[1]
Out of This World included the hit singles “Superstitious“, “Open Your Heart” and “Let the Good Times Rock”, all of which had accompanying music videos. Only “Superstitious” charted in America. “Open Your Heart” and “Let the Good Times Rock” charted in the UK. The other singles, “More Than Meets the Eye“, “Sign of the Times” and “Tomorrow”, didn’t chart. “Tomorrow” was released in Brazil only. “Superstitious” was the most successful song from Out of This World on the rock charts, reaching number thirty one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.[7] “Superstitious” was released in the fall of 1988 and became arguably the band’s most recognizable song from the album. Its music video received heavy airplay on music television.
Prior to the release of the album, in the summer of 1988, the band travelled the U.S. together with Def Leppard. However, the band’s management considered a promotional tour of Europe (the continent) more important and made the band withdraw from the highly successful American tour. After the promotional tour was over, the band set on rehearsing for the upcoming Out Of This World Tour, which began with a bombastic show (60,000 visitors) in Mumbai, India in November 1988. Then the band flew to Japan (where they filmed the video to “Let The Good Times Rock”). The scheduled tour of Australia was, however, unexpectedly cancelled. From January to April 1989, the band toured all over Europe. In some places, in Germany particularly, the band did not manage to fill up the arenas and concert halls like they had done during the Final Countdown Tour, despite more and more good reviews from the musical press. In May 1989 the band was supposed to go over to the USA again. But the album sales were not as high as had been expected. So in the end, there was no U.S. tour and the only concert the band played in the summer of 1989 was the legendary festival in Milton Keynes (UK). After that, the band decided to move to Los Angeles and compose new songs for the next album.
Track listing
All Songs Copyright Coconut Music Ltd. & Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc., except “Open Your Heart” (Copyright EMI Music Publishing Holland and Seven Doors Music).
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Superstitious” | Tempest | 4:35 | |
| 2. | “Let the Good Times Rock” | Tempest | 4:04 | |
| 3. | “Open Your Heart” | Tempest | 4:04 | |
| 4. | “More Than Meets the Eye” | Tempest (music/lyrics), Marcello and Michaeli (music) | 3:20 | |
| 5. | “Coast to Coast” | Tempest (music/lyrics), Marcello and Michaeli (music) | 4:00 | |
| 6. | “Ready or Not” | Tempest | 4:05 | |
| 7. | “Sign of the Times” | Tempest | 4:15 | |
| 8. | “Just the Beginning” | Marcello (music/lyrics), Tempest (lyrics) | 4:32 | |
| 9. | “Never Say Die” | Tempest | 4:00 | |
| 10. | “Lights and Shadows” | Tempest | 4:04 | |
| 11. | “Tower’s Callin'” | Tempest | 3:48 | |
| 12. | “Tomorrow” | Tempest | 3:04 |
Lyrics
1. Superstitious
(Joey Tempest)
Keep on walkin’ that road and I’ll follow
Keep on callin’ my name I’ll be there
And if a mirror should break it’s easy to take
Cause deep down I know that you care
I’m not superstitious
I’m not superstitious, I have no doubt
That there’s a reason, how things turn out
While things are changin’ from day to day
I’ll keep this feelin’ with me all the way
And I want you to know
That you’re on my mind
Every day, all of the time
So keep on walkin’ that road and I’ll follow
Keep on callin’ my name I’ll be there
And if a mirror should break it’s easy to take
Cause deep down I know that you care
I’m not superstitious
There might be times of wonder
When I’m on my own
Tryin’ to find out if love has gone
It might make a difference
It might bring me down
But no superstition is gonna turn things around
And I want you to know
That you’re on my mind
Every day, all of the time
So keep on walkin’ that road and I’ll follow
Keep on callin’ my name I’ll be there
And if a mirror should break it’s easy to take
Cause deep down I know that you care
I’m not superstitious
So keep on walkin’ and we’ll make things right
Yeah, keep on dreamin’ each and every night
We’re gonna make it, that’s what we’ll do
Right to the end girl, we’re gonna walk on through
So keep on walkin’ that road and I’ll follow
Keep on callin’ my name I’ll be there
And if a mirror should break it’s easy to take
Cause deep down I know that you care
I’m not superstitious
2. Let The Good Times Rock
(Joey Tempest)
You say that you want me
I hope that you do
Cause tell me just where I would be in this world
Without someone like you
When you say that you need me
Like only you can
Oh baby you don’t really know what you’ve done
To the heart of this man
So baby tonight we will celebrate
And talk of the times til it gets real late
Yes baby tonight we’ll appreciate
Just what we’ve got
So let the good times rock
Oh when you squeeze me
And say that you care
There’s nothin’ I know that could drag me away
When that feelin’ is there
Oh the way that you move me
And makin’ me feel
Well I could have sworn that I lived in a dream
If it wasn’t for real
Oh baby tonight we will celebrate…
3. Open Your Heart
(Joey Tempest, Mic Michaeli)
Days filled with joy and days filled with sorrow
I don’t know just what to do
Am I happy today, am I lonely tomorrow
Everything depends on you
I’ve been waiting for the angels to knock on my door
I’ve been hopin’ that everything could be like before
Open your heart and tell me what’s wrong
Why can’t you talk like you used to do before
I don’t know if I’m weak, I don’t know if I’m strong
Hey girl, I can’t cope anymore
I’ve been waiting…
Open your heart, let me hear you
Make up your mind, I want to hear you call
Open your heart, want to come near you
Make up your mind, oh girl, before I fall
Maybe the sun will continue to shine
Maybe the rain will continue to fall
Maybe you want to leave me behind
Maybe you’ll change and give me a call
4. More Than Meets The Eye
(Joey Tempest, Mic Michaeli, Kee Marcello)
Now he walks in shadows
He’s tryin’ to pretend she never walked away
But it’s not deceivin’
He’s closer to an end he never could foresee
Where love goes
When love dies, heaven knows
But it’s more than meets the eye
So much more than just a last goodbye
It’s a cold and lonely heart
So sad and torn apart
Yes it’s more than meets the eye
Now he’s in for trouble
His luck has turned away, nobody seems to care
Well there’s a cold moon risin’
And another lonely day has passed and she’s not there
Where love goes…
But it’s more than meets the eye…
5. Coast To Coast
(Joey Tempest, Mic Michaeli, Kee Marcello)
You look out that window
For someone you know
But it all looks the same and time and again
It hurts you so
You wonder if always
You’ll stand on your own
But hear in your mind, you’ll get through this time
You’re not alone
When time seems so lonely
And your day seems too long
You wonder if you will ever get through
And still be strong
With eyes full of sadness
You stand on you’r own
It tears you apart, but you know in your heart
You’re not alone
Coast to coast and land to land
We’re together hand in hand
Coast to coast and land to land…
6. Ready Or Not
(Joey Tempest)
Ready or not but I waste no time
I’m headin’ out with some friends of mine
Holdin’ on to what we’ve got
Oh even if we’re ready or not
Ready or not but they’re back in town
The word is out that this time around
They’ll be lettin’ go with all they’ve got
Oh even if we’re ready or not
Rock me til I hit that floor
Rock me til I take no more
Roch this hungry heart of mine
Rock me down right to the ground
Rock me like you never done before
Then rock me just a little more
Ready or not but for all I know
We’ll be hangin’ on til it’s time to go
We’re always there with all we’ve got
Oh even if we’re ready or not
Ready or not but i waste no time…
Rock me til I hit that floor…
7. Sign Of The Times
(Joey Tempest)
When the word is out from the other side
She turns around
Cause day and night she’s waited patiently
Now a different kind of world out there
Is to be found
It’s over not for everyone to see
This is the way it’s meant to be
It’s the way that we make things right
It’s the way that we hold on tight
I know, it’s the sigh of the times
It’s the way that we make things turn
It’s the way that we live and learn
I know, it’s the sigh of the times
It wakes him up, he turns around
And now he’s gone
He’s been waitin’ for this moment desperately
Now the time is right, he’s turnin’ back
He’s going home
Yeah it’s over now for everyone to see
This is the way it’s meant to be
It’s the way that we make things right…
And everytime it’s on my mind
I fell so insecure
It worries me to end up here alone
But everytime I realize I need her more and more
I’d never make it on my own
It’s the way that we make things right…
8. Just The Beginning
(Joey Tempest, Kee Marcello)
I can walk on fire, it ain’t stopin’ me
It’s just showin’ me the way
Come thunder, lighting all over me
I’d still be on my way
You can put me through loads of trouble
But in anyway
It’s just the beginnin’ and not the end
No use in pretendin’ cause you can’t win
It’s just a beginnin’, the beginnin’
Not the end
It’s not a strange behavior, it’s the way I am
Nothin’ puts me down
And if a situation would get out of hand
I’d still be back around
You can put me through loads of trouble
But never bring me down
It’s just the beginnin’ and not the end…
I can walk on fire, it ain’t stoppin’ me…
You can put me through loads of trouble
But in any way
It’s just the beginnin’
It’s just the beginnin’
It’s just the beginnin’
It’s just the beginnin’
It’s just the beginnin’, and not the end…
9. Never Say Die
(Joey Tempest)
Oh who took that shot
Well I couldn’t say, I was already down
Oh who set me up
Well I couldn’t say cause I saw no one around
Now I’m lyin’ here in desperation
I had it all worked out
Everything I hear is consolation
I’ve got this feelin’ you should never say die
In my fantasy
There were days to come that I wanted so bad
Someone sold me out then it all was done
That dream was all that I had
Now I’m lyin’ here in desperation…
Oh who took that shot…
Now I’m lyin’ here in desperation…
10. Lights And Shadows
(Joey Tempest)
One night she came, in from the cold
Like a long lost friend, someone to hold
She said, don’t ask me now
Cause what’s in a name
But when I’m gone you’ll neverbe the same
So won’t you hold me now
Can’t you see what I came here for
Save me now, cause I now
We’ll keep on headin’ through
Lights and shadows
We’re talkin’ lights and shadows
She came from far, with so much to tell
Cause when you’re lookin’ for love
You can walk through hell
Just like a ricohet, she might come and go
And one look can say more than you’ll ever know
So won’t you hold me now…
Oh lights and shadows
We’re talkin’ lights and shadows
So won’t you hold me now…
Oh lights and shadows…
We keep on headin’ through
Lights and shadows
11. Tower’s Callin’
(Joey Tempest)
All set ready to go, but little does he know
He ain’t comin’ back no more
All set ready to fly, into that deep blue sky
Like so many times before
Now the tower’s callin’, there’s no reply
And there’s nothin’ they can do
Now the night is fallin’ before their eyes
Still no one’s comin’ through, callin’
Somewhere out in time, God knows what’s on his mind
Is there a reason for his doubt
Somehow unaware just like he didn’t care
There must be ways of gettin’ out
Now the tower’s callin’, there’s no reply…
12. Tomorrow
(Joey Tempest)
Will you be there beside me
If the world falls apart
And will all of out moments
Remain in your heart
Will you be there to guide me
All the way through, I wonder will you
Walk by my side, and follow my dreams
And bear with my pride, as strong as it seems
Will ou be there tomorrow
Will you be there beside me
As time goes on by
And be there to hold me
Whenever I cry
Will you be there to guide me
All the way through, I wonder will you
Walk by my side, and follow my dreams…
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