Back in the High Life Again

This article is about the song. For the album, see Back in the High Life.

"Back in the High Life Again" is a song with music by English artist Steve Winwood and lyrics by American songwriter Will Jennings. It was performed by Winwood, and included backing vocals by James Taylor and a prominent mandolin played by Winwood. The song was released in January 1987 as the fifth single from his fourth studio album Back in the High Life. The song was Winwood's second number-one single on the US Adult Contemporary chart, where it stayed for three weeks. It also reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[3] It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1988.

"Back in the High Life Again"
Cover art for UK and non-US editions
Single by Steve Winwood
from the album Back in the High Life
B-side	"Night Train (instrumental)"
Released	5 January 1987[1]
Recorded	Unique Recording Studio New York, Autumn 1985
Genre	Soul[2]
Length	5:35 (Album Version) 4:20 (Single Version)
Label	Island – IS 303
Songwriter(s)	Steve Winwood Will Jennings
Producer(s)	Russ Titelman
Steve Winwood singles chronology
"Freedom Overspill" (1986) "Back in the High Life Again" (1987) "The Finer Things" (1987)
Audio
"Back in the High Life Again" on YouTube

The music video for the song was published in 1986 and features scenes from Manassas Virginia, particularly the train station. ^[4]

Track listing

7": Island / IS 303 United Kingdom

1. "Back in the High Life Again" - 4:20
2. "Help Me Angel" - 5:06

7": Island / 7-28472 United States

1. "Back in the High Life Again" - 4:09
2. "Night Train" (Instrumental) - 4:10

12": Island / 12 IS 303 United Kingdom

1. "Back in the High Life Again" - 4:20
2. "Night Train" (Instrumental) - 4:08
3. "Help Me Angel" - 5:06

12": Island / PRO-A-2620 United States

1. "Back in the High Life Again" - 4:20
2. "Back in the High Life Again" - 5:33

• Promo

Personnel

• Steve Winwood – lead vocals, synth piano, synthesizer, drum machine programming, mandolin, Moog bass
• Jimmy Bralower – additional drum machine programming^[5]
• Rob Mounsey – additional synthesizer
• John Robinson – drums
• James Taylor – harmony vocals

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 87 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 18 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 24 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 45 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[10] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 61 UK Singles (OCC)[12] 53 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 13 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[14] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 19 US Cash Box Top 100 13

Year-end charts Chart (1987) Rank US Billboard Adult Contemporary[16] 11 US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[17] 124

References

1. "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 3 January 1987. p. 24. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
2. Evans, Paul (2004). "Steve Winwood". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 882–883. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 262.
4. SteveWinwoodVEVO (2011-01-27). Steve Winwood - Back In The High Life Again (Official Video). Retrieved 2024-08-04 – via YouTube.
5. Jimmy Bralower: Web Exclusive | Modern Drummer Magazine
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Steve Winwood – Back in the High Life Again" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
8. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1987-08-01. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
9. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1987-08-22. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
10. "Tipparade-lijst van week 13, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
11. "Steve Winwood – Back in the High Life Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
13. "Steve Winwood Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
14. "Steve Winwood Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
15. "Steve Winwood Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
16. "1987 Year-end Charts - Top Adult Contemporary Singles". Billboard. December 31, 1987. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
17. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.

External links

• "Back In The High Life Again" at Discogs (list of releases)