Description

Only Visiting This Planet: The Trilogy, Part One – THE PRESENT. Does man live or just survive – on this sleeping planet… five. (So Long Ago the Garden and In Another Land being the second and the third installments, respectively.)

Only Visiting This Planet is the second major label solo album by the American singer and songwriter Larry Norman, released on Verve in 1972, a subsidiary of MGM Records (a record company featuring other influential rock artists such as Frank Zappa and The Velvet Underground). Released in the UK by MGM the following year, marketed, manufactured, and distributed by Polydor Records. Larry Norman commenced the recording in Beatles sideman George Martin’s AIR Studios in London, England; September 1972, with Bill Price engineering and Jon Miller, Rod Edwards and Roger Hand producing. It was Martin who helped Norman assemble the production team, who were known as Triumvirate Productions. (During a break from working on The Beatles’ White Album, George Martin had produced Edwards Hand’s self-titled debut album – the band of Rod Edwards and Roger Hand. And Jon Miller actually did train with Martin when Martin produced Edwards Hand’s second album in 1970, this time assisted by Miller.) All songs written by Larry Norman.

On this album Norman was supported by a stellar cast of British session musicians including guitarist Mickey Keen of Hudson Ford and a rhythm section consisting of bassist John Wetton of King Crimson fame and drummer Keith Smart of Wizzard (the band Roy Wood formed after he left Electric Light Orchestra), as well as keyboardist Bob Brady, also of Wizzard fame. Acoustic guitar on “The Outlaw” provided by Gordon Giltrap.

A full-page sized advertisement promoting Larry Norman’s Only Visiting This Planet and his up-coming US tour was featured in the February 3, 1973 issue of Billboard Magazine. The December 29, 1973 issue of Cashbox, another large US music magazine, picked Bruce Springsteen, Elliott Murphy, and Larry Norman as Best New Male Artists of the year (The Editors Discuss Their Faves of ’73).

Trivia: Only Visiting This Planet was one of 25 sound recordings inducted for 2013 into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, that preserves as “cultural, artistic and/or historical treasures, representing the richness and diversity of the American soundscape.” A statement by the Library of Congress called the album “the key work in the early history of Christian rock,” describing Norman as one who “commented on the world as he saw it from his position as a passionate, idiosyncratic outsider to mainstream churches.” In 2020 the whole album was re-recorded by Kevin Max of dc Talk fame, and released as Revisiting This Planet.

In my opinion, Only Visiting This Planet is one of the most important recordings in contemporary Christian music history because Larry’s approach to subject matter, humor and of course communicating truth were foundational in defining contemporary Christian music. This recording was foundational for me personally as well, being a young Christian and a musician seeking a way to communicate my faith through my gifts. [Excerpt from a CCM-interview with Bob Hartman – founder and principal songwriter of Petra, July 1993]

ONLY VISITING THIS PLANET – Larry Norman – Verve-V6-5092

In sincerely hoping that he stays, Larry is a new perfomer worth keeping both eyes on. Judging from this LP, Larry seems just as concerned with his lyrics as he is with his music, and the end result is a solid blend of both entities. His ability to significantly make social statements in the context of his material makes him quite possibly the most important songwriter to appear since Paul Simon. In perfect explanation of that statement, listen closely to «Readers Digest», «Six O’Clock News», «The Great American Novel» and «I Wish We’d All Been Ready». All are poignant examples of this young performers talents and strong indications that his visit won’t be a fleeting one. [Cash Box Album Reviews/Newcomer Picks, CashBox, Vol. XXXIV – No. 49 / May 26, 1973]

Many would consider Only Visiting This Planet to be Larry’s crowning achievement. Returning to a mainstream label with big production values, Larry showed he could do everything from richly orchestrated pop ballads («I’ve Got To Learn To Live Without You») to rock and roll («Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music»). Larry gentler side is revealed on acoustic numbers like «The Outlaw» and «I Wish We’d All Been Ready» or the intensely fragile «Pardon Me». «Six O’Clock News» and «Why Don’t You Look into Jesus» opt for the heavier end of the musical spectrum with a hard-edged classic rock sound. The Christian themes presented here certainly don’t preclude Larry from delivering some of his most scathing political commentary as witnessed on «The Great American Novel» (“you say we beat the Russians to the moon and I say you starved your children to do it”). And Norman’s barbed wit is in full bloom on the gutsy «Reader’s Digest» (with its obvious nod to Dylan’s «Subterranean Homesick Blues») where even the Beatles receive a few light jabs (“I’ve been listening to some of Paul’s records – I think he really is dead!”). Recorded in London, England. The original Verve press comes in a handsome tri-fold cover with a short extra flap that extends the Stonehenge back photo. There’s also a brief unlisted acoustic track («Oh How I Love You») at the end that is not included on later pressings and re-issues. OVTP was later touted as part of the Trilogy, continued with So Long Ago The Garden and completed with In Another Land. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]

Only Visiting This Planet, Verve (V6-5092) / MGM (2315135), 1972

If one album alone has secured Larry’s legendary status then this is it. The track list reads like a greatest hits collection with the classics «Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music», «The Outlaw», «I Wish We’d All Been Ready», «The Great American Novel», «Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus» and «Reader’s Digest» all featuring on what must still rank as Christian rock’s most quotable album. ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ is articulate, intelligent and yet many of its boldest and best-remembered statements are framed in the form of questions. Again and again this album features in lists debating the best Christian album ever made. It topped CCM’s 1988 best 25 Christian albums survey and then came second in their 1998 poll and so was judged more influential than albums from the 90s of the calibre of DC Talk’s ‘Jesus Freaks‘ and Rich Mullins’ ‘A Liturgy, A Legacy, & A Ragamuffin Band‘, U2’s ‘The Joshua Tree‘ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Slow Train Coming‘.

Larry’s comments: ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ really came out the way I wanted it. I was trying to create a message that seemed to be about that era but was really more a comment on Western society and our delusions that war will bring peace; sex and love are inseparable journeys; American supremacy in space is conformation of God’s ordinate seal of favour; that kind of culturally smug jingoism that America carried with them. The album was about political errancy, racist theology, musical idolatry and corrupted values. I felt like I was on top of my game and could figure out a compelling way to say anything I thought about. I recorded the album at George Martin’s studio and used players from King Crimson and The Average White Band and other English groups. There were no problems making this album.

In addition to the subjects which Larry lists above, Planet also discusses different views about Christ’s identity on «The Outlaw» and is also characterised by bold evangelistic statements on songs like «Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus». Produced by Rod Edwards, Jon Miller and Roger Hand of Triumvirate Productions and Larry Norman for Street Level Productions. Recorded in AIR Studios, London. George Martin also received special thanks for his personal assistance in organising this album. On the original Verve version of the album «Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus» swaps places with «I’ve Got To Learn To Live Without You» to become the opening track. Elsewhere someone somewhere was having difficulty agreeing upon a title for the song which later became known as «Righteous Rocker # 1». On the original Verve pressing it is titled «Without Love You Are Nothing» (as it had been on ‘Bootleg‘), while the various MGM singles from this time go under two other titles; «Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller» and «Without Love». Three of the songs were copyrighted as early as 1969 showing that Larry has always recorded older songs even at his creative peak. Some of the songs were taken from another of Norman’s musicals Lion’s Breath. Upon its release there were two distinct reactions to the release. Billboard listed the album among its special merit picks and said “there’s one song on this LP which puts it firmly on the map as an album to be reckoned with – «Reader’s Digest». The song is sort of a dissertation discussing everything from Alice Cooper and Bowie to the Rolling Stones and warrants heavy Top 40 airplay”. They added “Larry Norman is probably the most important songwriter since Paul Simon”. The New York Times called him, “Christian Rock Music’s most intelligent writer and greatest asset”. The other initial response to ‘Planet’ came from the American Christian bookstores who banned the album. As Philip Mangano (once an employee of the Street Level Artists Agency) explains, “It ‘Planet’ seemed openly rebellious. It criticised the [Vietnam] war, questioned the space programme, explored human love and sex, spoke questioningly and bluntly about religious tradition and seemed abrasive on many other levels. It talked bluntly of drug habits and it mentioned gonorrhoea”. Reissued on CD in 1992 and 1999 with the 11 songs from the original Verve version and some cracking bonus tracks in the shape of «Peace Pollution Revolution» (a B-side from 1972) and a rough mix version of «Righteous Rocker» plus newer rock versions of «The Outlaw» and «Reader’s Digest». CD is still available from Solid Rock [Dougie Adam, Cross Rhythms, May 2001]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/only-visiting-this-planet-remastered-bonus-track-version/280300208)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus” – 4:03
A2. “The Outlaw” – 3:55
A3. “I’ve Got To Learn To Live Without You” – 3:36
A4. “Without Love You Are Nothing” – 3:33
A5. “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” – 5:21

Side Two
B1. “Six O’Clock News” – 6:06
B2. “Great American Novel” – 4:31
B3. “Pardon Me” – 3:38
B4. “Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music” – 2:40
B5. “Readers Digest” – 2:42

Note: Released on 8-track tape and 12-inch vinyl LP by Verve Records. There is a hidden “Track B6” with no name or title and appears unlisted (it’s actually a snippet of “Oh, How I Love You”). The Verve vinyl LP originally came in a tri-fold cover, later re-issued with an ordinary gatefold sleeve. Available at Bandcamp: https://larrynorman.bandcamp.com/album/only-visiting-this-planet

Gatefold Cover Artwork

A full-page sized Album and Tour advertisement was featured in the February 3, 1973 issue of Billboard Magazine.

Album Liner notes by Larry Norman:

September 8, 1972

The first day we recorded there was a bomb scare and we all had to leave the building. For the next three weeks the worst thing that happened was occasionally the tea was too strong.

There is a painting of a guitar and a schematic circuit diagram on the wall of the studio entrance that suggests music is a science as well as an art.

The world is really a beautiful place. I very much enjoyed England with its red-cheeked people. It seems to me that England is best rendered in paint, but to capture America one should use a camera. Especially New York, what a place. Desperate and dying, but with more life than most cities. I’ve tried to see as much as possible, and to write it down, because I’ll only be here for a short time.

Bass was always John Wetton. Drums by Keith Smart. Lead guitar by Mickey Keen who also did slide guitar, but we erased it. Piano was sometimes me, mostly Rod Edwards. Vocal backup from Edwards and Hand. Gordon Giltrap played his silver stringed acoustical on “The Outlaw”, and offered to overdub tuba. 1958 piano by Bob Brady. Photographs and stewardess voice by Pam Norman. Gareth and Roger played acoustical guitar. Did I leave anybody out. Drew Croon dropped by. The string arrangements were done by Chris Gunning. Album engineered by Bill Price. Songs were by me. Some of them from “Lion’s Breath”.

Produced by Rod Edwards, Jon Miller, and Roger Hand of TRIUMVIRATE PRODUCTIONS in conjunction with STREET LEVEL PRODUCTION, INC.

Recorded at AIR STUDIOS, London. Special thanks to George Martin for his personal assistance in organizing this album. And thanks to Randy Stonehill, Gary Anderson, Ed Walker, David Payne, Bill Colben, Leo Leichter, and Elizabeth Montei for their commitments.