Different Light

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Script error: No such module "other uses". Template:DMCA Script error: No such module "Unsubst-infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

Different Light is the second studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles, released on January 13, 1986, by Columbia Records.[1] The band recorded the album in 1985 with producer David Kahne.[2] Its Top 40 sound was a departure from the Bangles' earlier 1960s-style rock and roll sound. It is their most successful album, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 and producing five charting singles, including the Billboard Hot 100 top two hits "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like an Egyptian". It is also the first album in which bassist Michael Steele sings lead vocals on some tracks.

The 2008 CD reissue on the Wounded Bird Records label (WOU 4039) adds a bonus track: "Walk Like an Egyptian (Extended Dance Mix)".

Singles

Different Light produced five singles, the first three of which were written by someone other than the Bangles. Lead single "Manic Monday", written by Prince under the pseudonym "Christopher"[3] in 1984 as a duet for Apollonia 6's self-titled album, peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1986.[4][5] "If She Knew What She Wants", the second single from Different Light, was recorded by Jules Shear on his 1985 album The Eternal Return. The song was written in the first person, however the Bangles rewrote the lyrics in the third person as they considered it more appropriate; their version charted at number 29 in the United States[4] and number 31 in the United Kingdom.[5] "Walk Like an Egyptian" was written by Liam Sternberg after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance as figures do in ancient Egyptian reliefs; it became one of the most successful singles by the Bangles, hitting number one in the United States,[4] Denmark,[6] and the Netherlands,[7] as well as peaking at number three in the United Kingdom.[5] "Walking Down Your Street" hit number 11 in the United States[4] and number 16 in the United Kingdom,[5] and a fifth single, "Following", was released exclusively in the latter country, where it reached number 55.[5]

Album cover variations

The covers of most of the album's cassette pressings and the sheet music songbook only show 12 (out of 16) of the "different" snapshots, eliminating the third column to best fit the rectangular layout of cassette cases and book.

The back cover of European-made CDs replicates the back cover of the vinyl LP edition, with all 16 snapshots and the track index at the top. The back cover of the US version, however, only shows the first column of four snapshots, with the track index list occupying the rest of the space – a rare deviation for Columbia's CD issues during the 1980s.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[8]
The Baltimore SunStarStarStarStar[9]
Classic PopStarStarStarStar[10]
Los Angeles TimesStarStarStar[11]
Record Mirror3.5/5[12]
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarHalf star[13]
Slant MagazineStarStarStarStar[14]
Smash Hits7/10[15]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[16]
The Village VoiceB[17]

Billboard commented that "the Californian quartet's spare '60s-influenced pop/rock gets a facelift from producer Kahne, who shepherds the band's shift toward a more emphatic pop sensibility by focusing on a lusher, more layered vocal sound." "Old fans will be divided over whether the change represents new subtlety or simply a softer edge," the review continued, "but the polish should help broaden their radio profile."[18] Cashbox said that the band had "taken its ragged L.A. street image and polished it for what looks like a national campaign", noting that the album's "American sound, repleat with guitar-laden nascent psychedelia," makes it "right in line with current musical taste."[19]

Rolling Stone critic Laura Fissinger observed that Different Light uses "less hook-happy song structure and more modernized production" than the Bangles' 1984 debut All Over the Place, "covering their roots without burying them ten feet under." She disagreed with objections to its more "deliberate, sophisticated and airwaves ready" production and felt that the album "puts then and now in significantly better balance", while also finding that the band had advanced "past the fan-apes-idol phase" in their musicianship.[20]

In a retrospective review for Slant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani wrote that while Different Light was perceived as "a slicker, more commercial move for the Bangles at the time of its release", it "sounds surprisingly fresh in hindsight", adding that the band's "'60s-style pop melodies and classic rock references ... were deftly matched with the then-current new wave and rock rhythms of the early '80s."[14] Classic PopTemplate:'s Will Simpson said that with its mix of hit singles and other songs recalling the band's Paisley Underground origins, "the grit and gloss balance nicely."[10] Slant Magazine ranked Different Light at number 78 on its 2012 list of the best albums of the 1980s.[21] Slant also included it on their 2003 list of 50 Essential Pop Albums.[22]

Track listing

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Track listing/configuration' not found.

Personnel

The Bangles

Additional musicians

Production

  • Producer – David Kahne
  • Engineers – Tchad Blake and Peggy McLeonard
  • Assistant engineers – David Glover and Mike Kloster
  • Mixing – David Leonard
  • Art direction – Nancy Donald and Tony Lane
  • Photography – Raul Vega
  • Wardrobe – Genny Schorr and Tony Riviera

Charts

Page Template:Col-begin/styles.css has no content.

Certifications

Certifications for Different Light
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[38] 2× Platinum 140,000 
Canada (Music Canada)[39] 2× Platinum 200,000 
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] Platinum 15,000 
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Platinum 300,000 
United States (RIAA)[42] 3× Platinum 3,000,000 

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.

  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Grein, Paul (December 28, 1985). "Richie Heads List of January Releases". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. pp. 6, 90. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Different Light (liner notes). The Bangles. Columbia Records. 1986. BFC 40039.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.George, Nelson (January 25, 1986). "The Rhythm & the Blues". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 4. p. 41. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Bangles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bangles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Infinity charts German Top 20 - The Chart Of December 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006
  7. ^ Top4000.nl Chart week 49, 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Deming, Mark. "A Different Light – The Bangles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2007.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gilbert, Kelly (January 22, 1986). "Bangles, Different Light (Columbia)". The Evening Sun. p. 16.
  10. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Simpson, Will (November 1, 2022). "The Bangles: Different Light". Classic Pop. No. 78. p. 92.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pond, Steve; Strauss, Duncan; Hochman, Steve (December 21, 1986). "Stars Twinkle on Top 40 Shopping List". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cross, Di (March 8, 1986). "Bangles: Different Light". Record Mirror. p. 16.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Evans, Paul; Lechner, Ernesto (2004). Brackett, Nathan (ed.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 43–44. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  14. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cinquemani, Sal (September 23, 2003). "Review: The Bangles, Different Light". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hibbert, Tom (February 26, 1986). "The Bangles: In a Different Light". Smash Hits. Vol. 8, no. 5. p. 59.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sheffield, Rob (1995). Weisbard, Eric (ed.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 29. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Christgau, Robert (June 3, 1986). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 3. January 18, 1986. p. 58. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Album Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 49, no. 30. January 18, 1986. p. 8. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Fissinger, Laura (March 13, 1986). "The Bangles: Different Light". Rolling Stone. No. 469. Archived from the original on February 8, 2008. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s". Slant Magazine. March 5, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Vital Pop: 50 Essential Pop Albums". Slant Magazine. June 30, 2003. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 18. June 27, 1987. p. 71. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 10. March 14, 1987. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in suomi) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in italiano). Retrieved June 8, 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Different Light" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Bangles Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cash Box Top 200 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. February 14, 1987. p. 18. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top 100 Albums of '86". RPM. Vol. 45, no. 14. December 27, 1986. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. December 27, 1986. p. 35. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986)" (PDF). Music Week. January 24, 1987. p. 25. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. 1986. Retrieved August 24, 2021.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. December 26, 1987. p. 9. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."European Charts of the Year 1987 – Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. December 26, 1987. p. 35. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top Selling Albums of 1987". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Gallup Year End Charts 1987 – Albums" (PDF). Record Mirror. January 23, 1988. p. 37. ISSN 0144-5804 – via World Radio History.
  37. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top Pop Albums of 1987". Billboard. December 31, 1987. Retrieved August 24, 2021.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Bangles ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on February 11, 2019". Retrieved February 11, 2020 – via Imgur. Note: This contains chart data only from the era where the chart was produced by ARIA (June 13, 1988, onward). The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column indicates the release's peak position on the national chart.
  39. ^ Script error: No such module "cite".
  40. ^ Script error: No such module "cite".
  41. ^ Script error: No such module "cite". Select albums in the Formats field. Type Different Light Bangles in the "Search:" field.
  42. ^ Script error: No such module "cite".

Bibliography

Page Template:Refbegin/styles.css has no content.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Navbox/configuration' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Authority control/config' not found.

Retrieved from "https://cosmopedia.co/index.php?title=Different_Light&oldid=1280435"