Clarence Clemons - Hero (1985)

"Hero" is a studio album by Clarence Clemons. Known for his saxophone work with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Clemons released this pop album at the height of Springsteen's popularity following the success of "Born in the U.S.A." It spawned two hit singles, 1985's "You're A Friend Of Mine", a duet with Jackson Browne also featuring Browne's then-girlfriend Daryl Hannah on background vocals, and 1986's "I Wanna Be Your Hero".

Narada Michael Walden produces most of this album by Mokshagun Clarence Clemons, known to the world as the "Big Man." His unmistakable saxophone that lifted many a Bruce Springsteen tune sounds like it was lifted right out of a Phil Spector session on "Hero". The same songwriting duo comes up with "Temptation," a hooky, smart, mid-'80s thick-pop sound with Booker T. Jones again on keyboards. For "It's Alright With Me Girl" it's the very hip Jonzun Crew backing up Clemons: Michael Jonzun, Gordon Worthy, guitarist Tony "Rocks" Cowan, Maurice Starr on bass, and Princess Loria on vocals, with stunning dynamic switches from Narada Michael Walden to Michael Jonzun in a flash. Clemons and Jonzun put "It's Alright With Me Girl" together, and it's a shame there aren't four or five more of these collaborations. One oddity on the album is the closing to side one, the Arthur Baker-produced remake of the Walker Brothers' hit "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," with Stu Kimball from Face to Face and Phil Spector singer Darlene Love. The title track, which kicks off side two, is a tremendous song about being a lover and a friend. "Crossin' the Line" works, as does "Kissin' on You," where Clemons' nickname, the Big Man, is one of the hooks. The leadoff track with Jackson Browne went Top 20 in 1985, four years before his first go-round with the E-Street Band was concluding. It's great to see a musician step from the shadows of a legend and make a mark on his own, and Clarence Clemons does that remarkably well here. This is a record where dropping names means something, because the names are allowed to do what is expected of them. It's a beautiful work that will appeal to those who never found the Boss all that exciting. Of course, it might appeal to Springsteen fans as well.

 

01.  "You're A Friend Of Mine"   (Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen)  - 4:49

02.  "Temptation"   (Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen)  - 4:53

03.  "It's Alright With Me Girl"  (Clarence Clemons, Michael Jonzun)  - 4:08

04.  "Liberation Fire (Mokshagun)"   (Narada Michael Walden)  - 3:59

05.  "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"   (Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio)  - 4:26

06.  "I Wanna Be Your Hero"  (C.Clemons, J.Cohen, P.Glass, Narada Michael Walden)  - 4:49

07.  "Cross The Line"   (M.Brown, C.Clemons, J.Johnstone, L.Landesman)  - 3:59

08.  "Kissin' On U"   (Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen)  - 5:13

09.  "Christina"   (Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen)  - 5:51

Released:  November, 1985

Recorded at:  Tarpan Recording Studios, San Rafael, CA; Shore Fire Studios, Long Branch, NJ; The Plant, Sausalito, CA; Carnegie Hill Studios, New York City, NY; Mediasound, New York City, NY; Shakedown Sound, New York City, NY; Mission Control Studios, Boston, MA. 1985.

Genre:  Rock, Pop

Length:  41:56

Label:  Columbia

Producer:  Narada Michael Walden

Personnel

Clarence Clemons - lead vocals, background vocals, saxophone, percussion

Daryl Hannah - vocals, background vocals

Kitty Beethoven - vocals, background vocals

Princess Loria - vocals, background vocals

Jennifer Hall - vocals, background vocals

Liz Jackson - vocals, background vocals

Brenda Joy Nelson - vocals, background vocals

Sundari - vocals, background vocals

Tina B. - vocals, background vocals

Richard Walsh - vocals, background vocals

Craig Thomas - vocals, background vocals, saxophone

Jackson Browne - vocals, producer on "You're A Friend Of Mine"

Lotti Golden - vocals

Darlene Love - vocals

Norman Mershon - vocals

Tony "Rocks" Cowans - guitar, rhythm guitar

Carlos Pepper - guitar, rhythm guitar

Lewis West - guitar, rhythm guitar

Billy Loosigian - guitar, acoustic guitar

Corrado Rustici - guitar, acoustic guitar

Vernon "Ice" Black - guitar

Stuart Kimball - guitar

Bob Messano - guitar

Maurice Starr - bass guitar

John Siegler - bass guitar

Doug Wimbish - bass guitar, drums

Preston Glass - acoustic guitar, keyboards, vibraphone

Booker T. Jones - keyboards, organ

Walter Afanasieff - keyboards, sound effects

Frank Martin - keyboards

David Sancious - keyboards

Richard Scher - keyboards

William Beard - drums

Anton Fig - drums

Premik McFly - baritone saxophone, saxophone

Greg "Gigi" Gonaway - glockenspiel, percussion

Bill Sebastian - glockenspiel, percussion

Randy Jackson - bass guitar, drums, percussion, sequencing

Michael Rado - harp

Hangsa - choir, chorus

Charles Robin - choir, chorus, vocals, background vocals

Venu - choir, chorus

Yogaloy - choir, chorus

Gordon Worthy - associate producer, organ, Hammond organ

Narada Michael Walden – producer, arrangements, reduction, keyboards, drums, percussion, bells