Solar Fire



Solar Fire is the fourth studio album by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, released in 1973. It spent 15 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts, peaking at number 96 on May 11, 1974.

Track listing

 * Side one
 * 1) "Father of Day, Father of Night" (Bob Dylan) – 9:55
 * 2) "In the Beginning, Darkness" (Manfred Mann, Mick Rogers, Chris Slade) – 5:22
 * 3) "Pluto the Dog" (Mann, Rogers, Slade, Colin Pattenden) – 2:48
 * Side two
 * 1) "Solar Fire" (Mann, Rogers, Slade, Pattenden) – 5:15
 * 2) "Saturn, Lord of the Ring/Mercury, The Winged Messenger" (Mann/Mann, Rogers) – 6:31
 * 3) "Earth, The Circle Part 2" (Mann) – 3:23
 * 4) "Earth, The Circle Part 1" (Mann) – 3:56


 * Bonus Tracks (1998 re-issue)
 * 1) "Joybringer" (Gustav Holst, Mann, Rogers, Slade) – 3:25
 * 2) "Father of Day, Father of Night" (Edited version) (Dylan) – 3:03

As mentioned in the Manfred Mann's Earth Band article the track listing varied from area to area. For Denmark, as an example, this album did not include "Joybringer" and the edited version of "Father of day, Father of Night". "Joybringer" was released as a non-album single in 1973.

The Earth Band

 * Manfred Mann – organ, mellotron, synthesiser, vocals
 * Mick Rogers – guitar, vocals
 * Chris Slade – drums
 * Colin Pattenden – bass guitar

Additional musicians

 * Irene Chanter – backing vocals
 * Doreen Chanter – backing vocals
 * Grove Singers – backing vocals
 * Paul Rutherford – trombone
 * Peter Miles – additional percussion on "In the Beginning, Darkness"

Technical

 * Manfred Mann's Earth Band – producer
 * John Pantry – engineer
 * Dave Stephens, John Edwards – assistant engineers
 * Laurence Latham – tape operator
 * Fin Costello – design, photography