The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)

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The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Six Wives of Henry VIII cover
Studio album by Rick Wakeman
Released 1973
Recorded Feb 1972 - Oct 1972
Genre Progressive Rock
Length 36:36
Label A&M
Producer Rick Wakeman
Professional reviews
Rick Wakeman chronology
Piano Vibrations
(1971)		 The Six Wives of Henry VIII
(1973)		 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
(1974)

The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the title of a 1973 concept album by progressive rock keyboard player Rick Wakeman. It was his first solo album released in the US, though several other members of the band Yes, to which Wakeman belonged at the time, appeared on various tracks.

While the music has little to do with Henry VIII's six wives, the album performed respectably on the charts, and is viewed as one of Wakeman's strongest solo works. Wakeman explains the title and visual themes in the liner notes:

"This album is based around my interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives of Henry VIII. Although the style may not always be in keeping with their individual history, it is my personal conception of their characters in relation to keyboard instruments".

During live performances, each member of Yes was given time for solo works, and Wakeman frequently performed sections from this album live. Excerpts from the album (mostly "Catherine of Aragon") appear on a single track of Yes' triple live album Yessongs, interspersed with pieces of other works, including the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. In the Yessongs video, he instead added a jazzy version of "Jingle Bells". As he does with Yes, Wakeman plays a variety of keyboard instruments on the album.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All tracks were composed by Rick Wakeman, except for the hymn at the end of track 5, which the album sleeve credits to E.J. Hopkins[1] with arrangement by Wakeman. On "Anne Of Cleves" there are several musical references to other songs by different artists and origins, most notably The Hollies "Bus Stop" and traditional Latin American song "Cumbanchero" (starting at 3:30 on the track).

[edit] Side one

  1. "Catherine of Aragon" – 3:44
  2. "Anne of Cleves" – 7:53
  3. "Catherine Howard" – 6:35

[edit] Side two

  1. "Jane Seymour" – 4:46
  2. "Anne Boleyn (The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended)" – 6:32
  3. "Catherine Parr" – 7:06

[edit] Musicians

  • Rick Wakeman: Grand Piano, Organs, Electric Piano, Harpsichords, Synthesisers & Mellotron (Melloton tapes sets include Sound Effects, Vibes, Brass, Strings, Flutes, Choir)

Bass Guitar:

Guitar:

Drums:

Percussion:

  • Ray Cooper (tracks 1 & 5)
  • Frank Riccotti (tracks 2-4)

Electric Banjo:

Vocals:

  • Liza Strike (tracks 1 & 5)
  • Laura Lee (track 5)
  • Barry St. John (track 1)
  • Sylvia McNeill (track 5)
  • Judy Powell (track 1)

[edit] Sleeve design

The inner sleeve of the vinyl issue features Wakeman surrounded by his equipment: 2 Mini-Moog Synthesizers, 2 400-D Mellotrons (one for vocals, sound effects, vibes, the other for brass, strings and flutes), a frequency counter, a custom mixer, a Steinway 9' Grand Piano, a custom built Hammond C-3 Organ and an RMI Electric Piano. Featured, but not photographed, were also an A.R.P. Synthesiser and a Thomas Goff Harpsichord.

[edit] Footnote

  1. ^  The tune incorporated into the end of track five is "St. Clement", which is the traditional tune to which the hymn "The Day Thou Gavest, Lord is Ended", by John Ellerton, is sung. Contrary to the acknowledgement on the album sleeve, this tune was composed by Clement Cotterill Scholefield.