The View from the Hill is a solo album released in 1996 by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.
Background In a 1996 interview, Hayward discusses making the album and how it was his first time recording an album from start to finish as a single batch of songs. He explains, "My other albums were collections of random bits of recording that I would finally put out once I had an album's worth of material. This is the first time I've ever done this, made an album from start to finish. It means a lot to me, and I know that it's good. At the very least, [The View from the Hill] will make your hi-fi sound good... It's a trippy, dreamy, romantic kind of thing. I came to the Moody Blues as a singer-songwriter, and that's always what I felt I was and am. If I'm writing for the Moodies, then I'm speaking for the rest of the band as well as myself. But when I write for myself, I feel it's much freer. It's probably a lot more from my heart and more revealing, more honest. Being a solo artist is more of a priority than it used to be. But I love doing both and selfishly want to have it both ways."
Track listing All songs written by Justin Hayward unless noted.
"I Heard It" - 5:37 "Broken Dream" - 5:52 "The Promised Land" (Paul Bliss, Phil Palmer) - 7:26 "It's Not Too Late" - 5:02 "Something to Believe In" (Paul Bliss, Phil Palmer) - 4:22 "The Way of the World" - 5:08 "Sometimes Less Is More" (Dennis Lambert, Hayward) - 4:08 "Troubadour" - 6:34 "Shame" - 4:35 "Billy" - 7:00 "Children of Paradise" (Hayward, Mickey Féat) - 3:15
Personnel Justin Hayward - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals Elio Rivagli - Drums, Percussion Mickey Feat - Bass, Vocals Paul Bliss - Keyboards, Pre-Production Phil Palmer - Guitar, Vocals Geoffrey Richardson - Voila, Mandolin, Various Pipes Helen Liebmann - Cello Tessa Niles - Background Vocals Lynda Taylor - Background Vocals Billy Nichols - Background Vocals
References