Black on Black (song)#Heart version

{{Infobox song

| name = Black on Black

| cover = Dalbello Black on Black 1985 single cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Dalbello

| album = she

| B-side = Baby Doll

| released = 1985

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

• Alternative

| length = 4:00

| label = Capitol

| writer = Dalbello

| producer = * Dalbello

• Michael Beinhorn

| prev_title = Animal

| prev_year = 1984

| next_title = Tango

| next_year = 1987

}}

Dalbello wrote and demoed "Black on Black" in 1985, and it was first released as a non-album single in Europe in the late part of that year. The song was included on the soundtrack to the American erotic romantic drama film 9½ Weeks, which was released in February 1986. The director Adrian Lyne had heard Dalbello's 1984 album Whomanfoursays and contacted her with the request of writing the film's score. Due to touring commitments, she was unable to accept the offer, but instead provided the completed demo versions of "Black on Black" and "Baby Doll" for his consideration.{{cite news|last=Delean|first=Paul|date=March 9, 1989|title=Singer Lisa Dalbello gets serious and her career is back on track|newspaper=The Gazette|page=E4}}

Despite its release as a single and inclusion on the 9½ Weeks soundtrack, Dalbello always considered the 1985 recording of "Black on Black" to be an unfinished demo. She would release a completed version of the song on her 1987 album she.{{cite web|url=https://www.headbangerslifestyle.com/exclusive/2683/lilos-blog-exclusive-my-encounter-with-lisa-dalbello |last=Hegt |first=Liselotte |title=Lilo's Blog [Exclusive] - My Encounter with Lisa Dalbello |website=Headbangers Lifestyle |date=21 July 2020 |access-date=April 5, 2021}} The she version was also released as a single in some European countries in 1988.{{cite AV media notes|title=Black on Black|author=Dalbello|year=1988|type=Benelux single|publisher=Capitol Records|id=006-20 2421-7}}

"Black on Black" starts with a looped sample from Gregorio Allegri's work "Miserere mei, Deus".

In a review of the 1989 Canadian re-issue of she, Evelyn Erskine of The Ottawa Citizen described "Black on Black" as "an awesome piece of pop music". She added, "It deals with religious organizations and the power they have over their congregations, a theme that Dalbello unfolds in a way that grates on the edge of profanity while firing out the lyrics like a torrent of daggers."{{cite news|last=Erskine|first=Evelyn|date=January 27, 1989|title=Music: Reed sees New York that few could love|newspaper=The Ottawa Citizen|page=B6}} Gerry Krochak of The Leader-Post considered the song to be one of the "marvelous vehicles" on she for Dalbello's "powerful, clear voice" and "talents as [a] songwriter, instrumentalist and programmer".{{cite news|last=Krochak|first=Gerry|date=February 8, 1989|title=Records: European sojourn good for Dalbello's music|newspaper=The Leader-Post|page=C7}}

7-inch single

1. "Black on Black" – 4:00
2. "Baby Doll" – 3:34

12-inch single

1. "Black on Black" (Extended Version) – 6:15
2. "Baby Doll" – 3:34

7-inch single (1988 release)

1. "Black on Black" – 4:21
2. "Baby Doll" – 4:05

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-break}}

• Dalbello – vocals, synthesizers, DMX drum program
• Asher Horowitz – guitar
• Steve Webster – bass
• Rob Yale – fairlight programming

Production

• Dalbello – producer, mixing
• Michael Beinhorn – producer
• Lenny DeRose – engineer, mixing

Other

• Heather Brown – art direction, design
• Douglas Brown – photography

{{Col-break}}

• Dalbello – vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, Hammond B3, drums
• Asher Horowitz – guitar
• Steve Webster – bass
• Scott Humphrey – PPG/HDD, drums

Production

• Dalbello – producer, mixing
• Lenny DeRose – recording, mixing
• Earl Tomo – recording assistant
• Mike Ging, Kevin Whyte, Noel Rafferty – assistant mixers

Other

• Stylorouge – design, art direction
• Richard Haughton – photography

{{Col-end}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Black on Black II

| cover = Heart Black on Black II 1993 single cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Heart

| album = Desire Walks On

| B-side =

| released = 1993

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

• Hard rock
• Heavy metal

| length = 3:51

| label = Capitol

| writer = * Ann Wilson

• Nancy Wilson
• Dalbello

| producer = * John Purdell

• Duane Baron

| prev_title = You're the Voice

| prev_year = 1991

| next_title = Will You Be There (In the Morning)

| next_year = 1993

}}

In 1993, American rock band Heart recorded a version of the song, titled "Black on Black II", for their eleventh studio album Desire Walks On. Heart's version was produced by John Purdell and Duane Baron, and featured additional writing credits to Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson. "Black On Black II" was released as a promotional single in North America and a single in Australasia. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in November 1993.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/heart/chart-history/rtt/ |title=Heart - Black on Black II |magazine=Billboard |access-date=April 5, 2021}}

In a review of Desire Walks On, Anita M. Seline of the Hartford Courant described the song as having "the familiar Heart riff and Ann Wilson's strong singing".{{cite news|last=Seline|first=Anita M.|date=November 18, 1993|title=Recordings - Bolton basics; solo Collins; an Evans elegy|newspaper=The Hartford Courant}} Wallace Baine of the Santa Cruz Sentinel wrote, "Desire Walks On opens with a hurricane-force rocker called 'Black on Black II', propelled by a galloping guitar riff borrowed from the '70s hit 'Barracuda'."{{cite news|last=Baine|first=Wallace|date=December 3, 1993|title=O'Fiddler - Mark O'Connor is taking the bluegrass fiddle to places it doesn't usually go|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel}} Michael Dunn of The Tampa Tribune wrote, "With 'Desire' and 'Black on Black II' as dual openers, the band pushes the pedal to the metal with a 'Barracuda'-like riff that shatters the speed limit in most states."{{cite news|last=Dunn|first=Michael|date=January 7, 1994|title=Records - Critics' closet|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune}}

Chuck Campbell of the Scripps Howard News Service felt the song "may as well be 'Barracuda II' thanks to its familiar chops".{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Chuck|date=January 8, 1994|title=Record Reviews|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|page=C3}} Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel noted, "The chunky, thundering bass of 'Black on Black II' sounds like Ann and Nancy are sampling from 'Barracuda' - although on that song, Ann's voice didn't quite reach the level of strident histrionics attained here."{{cite news|last=Abbott|first=Jim|date=December 17, 1993|title=Music - Heart|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel}}

Dale Martin of The Victoria Advocate considered the song's "hard-rock drive" to be "reminiscent of the group's 'Barracuda' days" and therefore "reassures fans that the band hasn't strayed far from its early sound".{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Dale|date=January 30, 1994|title=Seattle pumps life into Heart|newspaper=The Victoria Advocate|page=2E}} Tony Norman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted Wilson's "lethal-weapon voice" which "kicks more tail than on any tune since 'Barracuda'."{{cite news|last=Norman|first=Tony|date=December 10, 1993|title=Recordings - Heart still beating|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}

CD single

1. "Black on Black II" – 3:51
2. "Anything Is Possible" – 5:05
3. "Crazy on You" (Acoustic Version) – 4:44
4. The Lovemongers – "Battle of Evermore" – 5:37

CD single (promo)

1. "Black on Black II" – 3:51

Heart

• Ann Wilson – lead vocals
• Nancy Wilson – electric guitar, backing vocals
• Howard Leese – electric guitar
• Denny Carmassi – drums

Additional musicians

• Schuyler Deale – bass
• John Purdell – keyboards
• Dalbello – additional backing vocals

Production

• John Purdell – producer
• Duane Baron – producer, engineer
• Mick Guzauski – mixing
• George Marino – mastering

{{Reflist}}

{{Dalbello}}

{{Heart (band)}}

Category:1985 songs

Category:1985 singles

Category:1988 singles

Category:1993 singles

Category:Heart (band) songs

Category:Capitol Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Beinhorn

Category:Songs written by Ann Wilson

Category:Songs written by Nancy Wilson (rock musician)