Fate of Nations
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Fate of Nations
| type = studio
| artist = Robert Plant
| cover = FateOfNations.jpg
| alt =
| released = 24 May 1993{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Albums|magazine=Music Week|page=12|date=22 May 1993}}
| recorded = 1992–1993
| studio = RAK Studios (London)
Sawmills Studio (Fowey)
Monnow Valley Studio (Monmouth)
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|folk rock|alternative rock}}
| length = 63:34
| label = Es Paranza (North America)
Fontana (rest of the world)
| producer = {{hlist|Chris Hughes|Robert Plant}}
| prev_title = Manic Nirvana
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded
| next_year = 1994
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Robert Plant studio
| type = studio
| prev_title = Manic Nirvana
| prev_year = 1990
| title = Fate of Nations
| year = 1993
| next_title = Dreamland
| next_year = 2002
}}
{{Singles
| name = Fate of Nations
| type = studio
| single1 = 29 Palms
| single1date = April 1993
| single2 = I Believe
| single2date = June 1993
| single3 = Calling To You
| single3date = August 1993
| single4 = If I Were a Carpenter
| single4date = December 1993{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/477/mode/2up|page=477|title=The Great Rock Discography}}
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r170165|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]
|rev2 = Music Box
|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}[http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2007/robertplant-fateofnations.html Music Box review]
|rev3 = Rolling Stone
|rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/fate-of-nations-19930708 Rolling Stone review]
}}
Fate of Nations is the sixth studio album by English singer Robert Plant, released 24 May 1993 on Es Paranza Records in North America and Fontana Records internationally. It features former Cutting Crew guitarist Kevin MacMichael on all songs and as well as being a backing vocalist. In addition, the album also features violinist Nigel Kennedy on one song. The song "I Believe" is a tribute to Plant's late son, Karac.
Background
Plant explained his album in the following terms:
{{cquote|From the very beginning of this project, around January 1991, right after the Manic Nirvana tour, I knew what I was going to do: go back into my past, listening to [Moby] Grape, the [Jefferson] Airplane, Tim Hardin, Quicksilver, Traffic, and other turning-point artists in rock. These people were trying to tell the listener something, joining various traditions, with the sense of a quest being insinuated and bandied in their acoustic and electronic themes. I'm also proud of what I've attempted to do lyrically [on the album], trying to tell vivid tales that come from a hearty tradition of prose.{{cite web|url=http://www.led-zeppelin.org/reference/index.php?m=assorted3 |title=Led Zeppelin Assorted Info |author=Led-Zeppelin.org |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514052629/http://www.led-zeppelin.org/reference/index.php?m=assorted3 |archive-date=14 May 2012 }}}}
Reissues
Fate of Nations was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records on 20 March 2007, with five additional bonus tracks. In April 2019, the album was reissued on vinyl for Record Store Day 2019.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| title1 = Calling to You
| length1 = 5:48
| title2 = Down to the Sea
| length2 = 4:00
| title3 = Come into My Life
| length3 = 6:32
| title4 = I Believe
| length4 = 4:32
| title5 = 29 Palms
| length5 = 4:51
| title6 = Memory Song (Hello Hello)
| length6 = 5:22
| title7 = If I Were a Carpenter
| length7 = 3:45
| title8 = Colours of a Shade
| length8 = 4:43
| title9 = Promised Land
| length9 = 4:59
| title10 = The Greatest Gift
| length10 = 6:51
| title11 = Great Spirit
| length11 = 5:27
| title12 = Network News
| length12 = 6:40
| total_length =
| writer1 = Robert Plant, Chris Blackwell
| writer2 = Plant, Charlie Jones
| writer3 = Plant, Blackwell, Doug Boyle, Kevin Scott MacMichael
| writer4 = Plant, Phil Johnstone
| writer5 = Plant, Blackwell, Jones, Boyle, Johnstone
| writer6 = Plant, Johnstone, Jones, Blackwell, Oliver J. Woods
| writer7 = Tim Hardin
| writer8 = Plant, Johnstone, Blackwell, Maartin Allcock
| note8 = UK edition
| writer9 = Plant, Johnstone
| writer10 = Plant, Blackwell, Jones, MacMichael, Johnstone
| writer11 = Plant, Johnstone, MacMichael
| writer12 = Plant, Blackwell
| headline = Original release
}}
{{Track listing
| title13 = Colours of a Shade
| length13 = 4:45
| title14 = Great Spirit
| length14 = 3:54
| title15 = Rollercoaster
| length15 = 4:01
| title16 = 8:05
| length16 = 1:49
| title17 = Dark Moon
| length17 = 4:57
| total_length =
| note14 = acoustic mix
| note15 = demo
| note17 = acoustic
| writer13 = Plant, Johnstone, Blackwell, Allcock
| writer14 = Plant, Johnstone, MacMichael
| writer15 = Plant, Jones, Blackwell, Boyle, Johnstone
| writer16 = Don Stevenson, Jerry Miller
| writer17 = Plant, Rainer Ptacek
| headline = 2007 bonus tracks
}}
Personnel
- Robert Plant – vocals, guitars (9), backing vocals (11)
- Phil Johnstone – harmonium (3), acoustic piano (4), organ (9), electric piano (10, 11), backing vocals (11), electric orchestra (12)
- Phillip Andrews – keyboards (6)
- Kevin MacMichael – guitars (1–7, 9–12), backing vocals (4)
- Oliver J. Woods – guitars (2, 6)
- Francis Dunnery – guitars (3, 9)
- Richard Thompson – guitars (3)
- Doug Boyle – guitars (4, 12)
- Maartin Allcock – mandolin (7, 8), guitars (8), bass (8), Aeoleon pipes (8)
- Gurdev Singh – dilruba (12), sarod (12)
- Surge Singh – sarangi (12)
- Rainer Ptacek – resonator guitar (14)
- Charlie Jones – bass (1–7, 9–12), all instruments [except guitar and drums] (2)
- Pete Thompson – drums (1, 3, 9, 10, 11)
- Chris Hughes – drums (2–5, 7–10, 12)
- Michael Lee – drums (6, 12)
- Chris Blackwell – drums (9)
- Nigel Kennedy – violin (1)
- Navazish Ali Khan – violin (12)
- Nigel Eaton – hurdy-gurdy (3, 4)
- Lynton Naiff – string arrangements (7, 10)
- Máire Brennan – backing vocals (3)
- Steve French – backing vocals (4)
- Julian Taylor – backing vocals (4)
- John Flynn – backing vocals (10)
=== Production ===
- David Bates – A&R
- Chris Hughes – producer
- Robert Plant – producer
- Michael Gregovich – engineer, mixing (9, 10, 12)
- Tim Palmer – mixing (1–8, 11)
- Henry Binns – second engineer
- John Cornfield – second engineer
- Ross Cullum – second engineer
- Pete Lewis – second engineer
- Mark O'Donoughue – second engineer
- Danton Supple – second engineer
- Jacquie Turner – second engineer
- Martin "Cally" Callomon – sleeve design
- Julian Broad – photography
- Andy Earl – photography
- Bill Curbishley – management
Charts
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Fate of Nations !Chart (1993) !Peak |
{{album chart|Australia|37|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}} |
{{album chart|Netherlands|38|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}} |
{{album chart|Germany4|56|id=1634|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}} |
{{album chart|New Zealand|10|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}} |
{{album chart|Sweden|19|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}} |
{{album chart|Switzerland|32|artist=Robert Plant|album=Fate of Nations|rowheader=true|access-date=6 September 2022}}\ |
scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC){{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/fate-of-nations/|title=fate of nations {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|publisher=Official Charts Company|language=en|access-date=2019-05-08}}
|align="center"|6 |
---|
scope="row"|US Billboard 200{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/robert-plant|title=Robert Plant Chart History|website=Billboard|access-date=2019-05-08}}
|align="center"|34 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Russia|type=album|artist=Robert Plant|title=Fate of Nations|award=Gold|relyear=2008|certyear=2008|note=reissue|access-date=28 August 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Fate of Nations|artist=Robert Plant|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1990}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Robert Plant}}
{{Authority control}}