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Saltwater (Julian Lennon song)

{{Short description|1991 single by Julian Lennon}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Saltwater

| cover = Julian Lennon Saltwater single cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Julian Lennon

| album = Help Yourself

| B-side =

  • "Rebel King"
  • "Cre que voy a llorar"
  • "Mother Mary"

| released = {{start date|df=yes|1991|08|12}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:46

| label = Virgin

| writer =

  • Julian Lennon
  • Mark Spiro
  • Leslie Spiro

| producer = Bob Ezrin

| prev_title = You're the One

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Help Yourself

| next_year = 1991

| misc = {{External music video|{{ubl|{{YouTube|ql1EnjVYrZM|"Saltwater" (1991)}}|{{YouTube|F4AXdRtr_UQ|"Saltwater 25"}}}}}}

}}

"Saltwater" is a song by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon. It was written by Lennon, Mark Spiro, and Leslie Spiro. Originally released on Lennon's fourth album, Help Yourself (1991), the single was released in August 1991 by Virgin Records. It peaked at number six in the United Kingdom in October 1991 and topped the Australian ARIA Singles Chart for four weeks in March 1992. "Saltwater" was the 14th-highest-selling single of 1992 in Australia, where it is certified platinum.

In 2016, Lennon rerecorded the song as "Saltwater 25" on 14 December 2016 saying that a proportion of the proceeds would go to The White Feather Foundation.{{cite web|url=http://www.julianlennon.com/saltwater-25-released/|title=Saltwater 25 Released|website=Julian Lennon|date=14 December 2016 |access-date=4 April 2018}}

Background

{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2019}}

Unlike most of Lennon's previous songs, "Saltwater" combines subtle melodies with gentle vocals to bring forward the issues of environmental conservation and world poverty. The lyrics juxtapose the many marvels and feats of human civilisation with the death of the natural world, constantly emphasising the passing of time — "Time is not a friend, 'cos friends we're out of time".

The recording features a lead guitar solo in the style of George Harrison. Lennon originally wrote a guitar solo for the song. At the suggestion of his producer Bob Ezrin, he then contacted Harrison to play the solo instead. Harrison was busy at the time consoling Eric Clapton whose son had recently died. He recorded a couple of riffs and sent them back to Lennon. Guitar player Steve Hunter then played the actual solo on the song, combining elements of both Lennon's and Harrison's solos. In the liner notes for the Help Yourself album, Harrison is given special thanks.

Track listings

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  • CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=UK CD single disc notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VSCDT 1361, 664 639}}
  1. "Saltwater" – 3:46
  2. "Rebel King" – 4:30
  3. "Cre que voy a llorar" – 4:07
  4. "Mother Mary" – 4:53
  • 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=UK & European 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VST 1361, 614 639}}

:A1. "Saltwater" – 4:07

:B1. "Rebel King" (edit) – 4:30

:B2. "Creo que voy a llorar" – 4:07

  • 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=UK & European 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VS 1361, 114 639}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VSC 1361}}

:A. "Saltwater" – 3:46

:B. "Rebel King" (edit) – 4:30

{{col-2}}

  • Australian CD and cassette EP{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=Australian CD EP liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VOZCD 130}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=Australian cassette EP sleeve|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VOZC 130}}
  1. "Saltwater"
  2. "Now You're in Heaven"
  3. "Too Late for Goodbyes"
  4. "Say You're Wrong"
  5. "Rebel King" (edit)
  • Japanese mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Saltwater|others=Julian Lennon|year=1991|type=Japanese mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VJDP-10176}}
  1. "Saltwater"
  2. "Mother Mary"

{{col-end}}

Charts

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=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1991–1992)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|1|artist=Julian Lennon|song=Saltwater|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|Flanders|18|artist=Julian Lennon|song=Saltwater|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|98|chartid=1690|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-10-26.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=43|page=33|date=26 October 1991|access-date=11 June 2020}}

|9

{{single chart|Germany|58|artist=Julian Lennon|song=Saltwater|songid=7107|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|5|song=Saltwater|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|15|year=1991|week=42|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|15|artist=Julian Lennon|song=Saltwater|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}
{{single chart|UK|6|date=19911012|rowheader=true|access-date=21 October 2019}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1991)

!Position

scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-12-21.pdf|title=EHR Year-End Top 100|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=51–52|page=20|date=21 December 1991|access-date=22 February 2024}}

|40

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=1991 Top 100 Singles|magazine=Music Week|location=London, England|page=20|date=11 January 1992}}

|41

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992)

!Position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/1992/singles-chart|title=1992 ARIA Singles Chart|publisher=ARIA|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|14

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=1992|certref=|access-date=21 October 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|12 August 1991

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD}}

|rowspan="2"|Virgin

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-08-10.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=19|date=10 August 1991|access-date=30 July 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan

|21 September 1991

|Mini-CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/86864/products/298521/1/|title=ソルト・ウォーター {{!}} ジュリアン・レノン|trans-title=Saltwater {{!}} Julian Lennon|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=17 October 2023}}

Covers

An instrumental version of this song was recorded by Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel on their album The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World. Anni-Frid Lyngstad from ABBA performed the song at the open-air gala concert "Artister för Miljö"Oldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", p. 217. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995 and included her cover as a B-side on her single "Änglamark".

In 2023 Lennon's White Feather Foundation teamed up with Future Youth Records to record a cover version of 'Saltwater' featuring youth artists Sereena, Jenna Marie, Tausha and Hadron Sounds. The proceeds were split equally, with The White Feather Foundation's share going directly to the Save the Mirning Sea Country Campaign to help preserve critical biodiversity and protect a sacred Aboriginal culture and Future Youth Records' proceeds being used to support Gen Z artists to inspire environmental change and social justice through music.

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Julian Lennon}}

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Category:1991 singles

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Environmental songs

Category:Julian Lennon songs

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Ezrin

Category:Songs written by Julian Lennon

Category:Songs written by Mark Spiro

Category:Virgin Records singles