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Refugee (Refugee album)

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Refugee
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1974[1]
RecordedFebruary 1974
StudioIsland, London
GenreProgressive rock
Length51:24
LabelCharisma
ProducerJohn Burns, Refugee
Refugee chronology
Refugee
(1974)
Live in Concert Newcastle City Hall 1974
(2007)
Song sample
30 seconds of "Ritt Mickley"
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
allmusic[2]

Refugee is the only studio album from the progressive rock band Refugee, released in March 1974 on Charisma Records. It was re-released under the TimeWave label on 27 June 2006,[3] and as an expanded three-disc boxed set from Esoteric Recordings in 2019.

Background and recording

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The opening song "Papillon" (French for "butterfly") had no title when it was written, or even when it was recorded. While listening to the finished mix, the band members decided that the opening Moog flurry sounded like butterfly wings, and named the song after the recently released film Papillon.[4]

"Someday" was written about the breakup of bassist/lead vocalist/guitarist Lee Jackson's marriage.[4]

Keyboardist Patrick Moraz came up with the idea of writing a song about the Grand Canyon and asked Jackson to write lyrics for it. Jackson took books and maps out of the library to research and get inspiration for the lyrics.[4]

The title of the track "Ritt Mickley" originated from Moraz's strong French Swiss accent, when he asked the other band members to play the song again but more "rhythmically".[4][5]

Track listing

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  1. "Papillion" (Moraz) – 5:10
  2. "Someday" – 5:03
  3. "Grand Canyon Suite" – 16:54
    • "The Source" – 2:23
    • "Theme for the Canyon" – 3:16
    • "The Journey" – 3:54
    • "The Rapids" – 2:53
    • "The Mighty Colorado" – 4:30
  4. "Gatecrasher" – 1:03
  5. "Ritt Mickley" (Moraz) - 5:57
  6. "Credo" - 18:08
    • "Prelude" - 3:41
    • "I Believe, Pt. 1" - 2:48
    • "Credo Theme" - 0:39
    • "Credo Toccata & Song (The Lost Cause)" (Jackson, Moraz, Jean Ristori) - 3:37
    • "Agitato" - 1:36
    • "I Believe, Pt. 2" - 1:10
    • "Variation" - 2:57
    • "Main Theme & Finale" - 1:36

Esoteric Recordings expanded edition

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Disc two - BBC Radio One in Concert
  1. Ritt Mickley (Moraz)
  2. Someday
  3. Grand Canyon Suite
Disc three - Live at Newcastle City Hall
  1. Ritt Mickley (outro) (Moraz)
  2. One Left Handed Peter Pan
  3. The Diamond Hard Blue Apples of the Moon (Keith Emerson, Jackson)
  4. Someday
  5. Papillon (Moraz)
  6. She Belongs to Me (Bob Dylan)
  7. The Grand Canyon Suite
  8. Refugee Jam (Moraz, Jackson, Brian Davison)

Personnel

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Refugee

Production

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  • Arranged: Refugee
  • Produced: John Burns and Refugee
  • Engineered and mixed: Patrick Moraz
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Notes

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  1. ^ The Famous Charisma Label
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ Prog-Rock/Art Rock - Refugee Refugee / CD / 1974
  4. ^ a b c d Hanson, Martyn (2019). Refugee Live in Concert - Newcastle City Hall (Booklet). Refugee. Esoteric Recordings. pp. 6–14.
  5. ^ Welch, C. (1999), Close To the Edge – The Story Of Yes, Omnibus Press.