A Few Favourite Albums: Different Light - Bangles (January 1986)

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Different Light - Bangles

Columbia/CBS

Produced by David Kahne

Released 2nd January 1986

US Chart #2

UK Chart #3

Released as LP, CD and Cassette

Listen to Different Light in Full Here:

Side 1

Side 2

Personnel

Bangles
    Susanna Hoffs – lead and backing vocals, guitars
    Vicki Peterson – lead and backing vocals, guitars
    Michael Steele – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass
    Debbi Peterson – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion

Additional musicians
    Prince - all other instruments on "Manic Monday" (uncredited)
    Brenda Bennett – backing vocals on "Manic Monday" (uncredited)
    Rusty Anderson – additional guitars
    Barbara Chapman – harp, additional guitars
    Mitchell Froom, David Kahne – keyboards
    Carlos Vega – additional drums

There are lots of links below to watch Promo Videos and listen to B-Sides etc

Singles Taken From Different Light

Manic Monday / Different Light

Released in USA 23rd December 1985

US Chart #2

Released in the UK 3rd February 1986

UK Chart #2

was also released on 12" in the UK and included Going Down To Liverpool and Dover Beach on Side 2.

If She Knew What She Wants / Not Like You

US Single 

US Chart #29

If She Knew What She Wants / Angels Don't Fall In Love

Released in the UK April 1986

UK Chart #31

Was released as a Limited Edition Double Pack which included Hero Takes A Fall (Remix) and James on the second 7".

 It was also released as a Picture Disc.

Walk Like An Egyptian / Not Like You

Released September 1986

UK Chart #3

Was also released as a 12"

Tracklist

A1 Walk Like An Egyptian (Extended Dance Mix) 5:48
A2 Not Like You 3:05
B1 Walk Like An Egyptian (Dub Mix) 5:17
B2 Walk Like An Egyptian (Acappella Mix) 2:47

In the USA it was released as 7" with Angels Don't Fall In Love on the B-Side and also on 12" which inlcuded the same tracklist as the UK 12" except for the absence of Not Like You.

Released in US September 1986

US Chart #1

Walking Down Your Street (Remix) / Return Post

UK 7" 

Released December 1986

UK Chart #16

Also released on 12" that included an Extended Remix of Walking Down Your Street.

US 7" was released in February 1987 and peaked at #11 on the charts the B-Side was Let It Go (which was taken from the Different Light album).

Following / Dover Beach

UK 7"

Released April 1987

Uk Chart #55

Was also released as a 12" that included a Mix of Bangles hits on the B-Side:

B Bangles Hits Mix 14:30
B1.1 Manic Monday    
B1.2 If She Knew What She Wants    
B1.3 Walking Down Your Street    
B1.4 Going Down To Liverpool    
B1.5 Walk Like An Egyptian

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Different Light is the second studio album from the Bangles. Whilst seen as a bit of a departure from their early sixties influenced sound one of the things I see and hear in the album is progression. 

All the girls in the band this time around get to sing and also contribute songs to the album, which is brilliant because we get to hear Michael Steele belting out an excellent cover of Big Star's September Gurls, a verse in Walk Like An Egyptian and her own song Following. Drummer Debbi Peterson takes lead on Standing In The Hallway and Not Like You; sister Vicki takes the lead on the title track Different Light, Return Post and Angels Don't Fall In Love; Susanna Hoffs has the lead vocal on the song Prince originally wrote for Apollonia 6 (but eventually left off that debut and only album) Manic Monday, Walking Down Your Street,  and the Jules Shear cover (that Shear had released in 1985 as a single and also on his album The Eternal Return) If She Knew What She Wants. Let It Go is a group vocal and Walk Like An Egyptian is a shared vocal between Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson and as mentioned already Michael Steele.

I still love listening to this album and it's another quality record from women who were determined to show that they were not just pretty faces but could actually play, as this show in Pittsbugh in 1986 clearly testifies - Click Here.

Enjoy.