Clouds Across the Moon - The RAH Band's SF Shortie

[luisam]

 

 

Clouds Across the Moon is kind of a science-fiction soul ballad written by Richard Anthony Hewson, featuring a typical and distinct '80s sound. It was released as a single in March 1985 on his studio group The RAH Band's album Mystery. It was the second big hit single for The RAH Band, the single reached number 6 of the singles charts in the UK, The Netherlands and Sweden. The vocals were performed by Hewson's wife Lizzie.

In 2007 RAH released a remixed version of the 1985 single of the same name. The vocals were re-recorded by vocalist Emma Charles. Hewson states that the single was remixed and released in response to "the phenomenal demand by fans and DJs, for a modern mix of the 1985 'classic'". As well as new vocals, the new version has a more jazz-funk feel than the original.

 

The SF story behind the song is rather simple:

Operator: "Good evening. This is the intergalactic operator. Can I help you?"
Mrs. Johnson: "Yes. I'm trying to reach flight commander P.R. Johnson, on Mars, flight 2-4-7"
Operator: "Very well, hold on please [beeping] you're through!"
Mrs. Johnson: "Thank you operator!"

Hi darlin'! How are you doing?
Hey baby, were you sleeping?
Oh, I'm sorry, but I've been really missing you!

Hi darlin'! How's the weather?
Say baby, is that cold better now?
Oh I'm sorry, is there someone there with you??

Ooooh...since you went away, there's nothing goin' right!
I just can't sleep alone at night... I'm not ashamed to say
I badly need a friend...or it's the end.

CHORUS:

Now, when I look at the cloud's across the moon.
Here in the night I just hope and pray that soon.
Oh baby, you'll hurry home to me.

Mrs. Johnson:

Hi darlin', the kids say they love you.
Hey baby, is everything fine with you?
Please forgive me, but I'm trying not to cry...

Ooooh...I've had a million different offers on the phone.
But I just stayed right here at home.
I don't think that I can take it anymore, this crazy war.

CHORUS:

Now, when I look at the cloud's across the moon.
Here in the night I just hope and pray that soon.
Oh darling, you'll hurry home to me.

Operator: "I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but we are experiencing violent storm conditions in the asteroid belt at this time. We may lose this valuable deep space communication link. Please, be as brief as possible. Thank you."

Mrs. Johnson:

Ooooh...since you went away, there's nothing goin' right !
I just can't sleep alone at night... I'm not ashamed to say
I badly need a friend...or it's the end.

or it's...or it's...

"Hello?" "Hello operator?"

"Yes, we've lost the connection! Could you try again please?"

Operator: "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we've lost contact with Mars 2-4-7 at this time."

CHORUS repeat 3 times WHILE Mrs Johnson SAYING:

"Ok. Thank you very much...
I'll...I'll try again next year...next year...next year...next year..."

CHORUS INTERMEZZO

SOLO BASS-GUITAR

BRIDGE INTERMEZZO
This is the intergalactic operator.
This is the intergalactic operator.
This is the intergalactic operator.

CHORUS repeat 3 times WHILE FADING OUT
 

 

RAH goes for Richard Anthony Hewson, an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who created the studio group The RAH Band.

After graduating from The Guildhall School of Music in late '60s he met Peter Asher whose sister Jane was going out with Paul McCartney and through that contact was hired as an orchestral arranger; his first gig was for Paul's protege Mary Hopkin’s "Those were the days". This job opened the door to him as an arranger and spent the next 9 years doing that for many artists worldwide.

He has worked with musicians such as The Beatles ("Across the Universe", "I Me Mine" and "The Long and Winding Road"), The Bee Gees (Melody), James Taylor ("Carolina in My Mind"), Herbie Hancock, Clifford T. Ward, Supertramp, Pilot (Pilot), Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Paul McCartney (Thrillington), Al Stewart, Chris de Burgh, Fleetwood Mac and Chris Rea. He also arranged strings on several Cliff Richard albums, I'm Nearly Famous (1976), Every Face Tells a Story (1977) and Green Light (1978). Hewson also worked with the British band Jigsaw, including arrangements for their hit single, "Sky High".

Eventually he woke up to realize that while all the people he worked for were making "loadsa dosh" (his own wxpression) and he was getting just one fee each time so out of frustration at always being a backroom boy for other people's songs, thought it was time started writing & producing his own music and, as he was lucky enough to have the initials R.A.H. (thanks Mum!) he named his "bedroom band" The RAH Band.

Apart from his own RAH Band project, he was a producer in the 1980s for Toyah Willcox, Five Star, and Shakin' Stevens. He was conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and co-producer on Cliff Richard's 1983 live album Dressed for the Occasion (including the hit "True Love Ways"). In recent years, he has written music for television shows and advertising spots.

In 1977 he released an instrumental called "The Crunch". Hewson played all the musical instruments himself. It was his first home recording for which he hired a 4 track tape recorder and played the basic tracks of guitars, bass, keyboards etc... himself then took it to a professional studio to add drums & brass and mix it.  The arrangement involved the use of no synthesisers, only conventional guitar and keyboards with pedal effects. The piece climbed to number 6 in the UK Singles Chart.

He was later featured on Top of the Pops. A number of jazz funk releases followed.

During the early eighties he was working for Supertramp and the film Xanadu which involved going over to spend time in Hollywood. While there he used to call home and back in those days you had to place international calls via the "International Operator"(no mobiles back then!) This stuck in his mind and when he came up with the tune for "Clouds across the Moon" he simply changed it to the "Intergalactic Operator" which led to the whole song being set in the future in Space.