Foreigner – 4

Four musicians, a fresh start

In 1981, the simple title 4 meant more than a place in Foreigner’s discography. The band had reduced its six-member line-up to Lou Gramm, Mick Jones, Rick Wills and Dennis Elliott. With Robert John “Mutt” Lange co-producing alongside Jones, the quartet brought big choruses, guitars and painstaking arrangements together. The album spent ten weeks at the top of the American album chart.

Recording began in 1980 and continued into spring 1981. After an initial spell at Atlantic Studios, the sessions moved to Electric Lady in New York. Behind the familiar singles lay sustained work on small details: sketches developed into songs, arrangements were reconsidered and vocals were layered. That combination of immediate appeal and patient craft is central to the record’s story.

A synthesizer, a saxophone and two distinctive guests

Thomas Dolby created the floating introduction to “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, working with sustained synthesizer notes and multiple tape tracks. A late-night studio session produced a passage that establishes its own atmosphere before the song begins. Dolby was still approaching his breakthrough as a solo artist; his contribution brought an unexpected colour into Foreigner’s rock vocabulary.

“Urgent” drew on a different tradition. Junior Walker brought his Motown experience to the saxophone solo, while Mark Rivera played the saxophone riff. Together, these contributions reveal the individual personalities behind the finished record. The quartet supplies the identity; carefully chosen guests extend its range.

Beyond the three famous singles

“Juke Box Hero”, “Urgent” and “Waiting For A Girl Like You” have enjoyed long lives on the radio. Here they sit alongside “Night Life”, “Break It Up” and “Girl On The Moon”. Playing the complete album allows those familiar songs to return to their original surroundings, with the Jones and Gramm partnership moving between assertive rock and more restrained writing.

A record this familiar also rewards attention to secondary parts: a keyboard texture entering a chorus, bass and drums working together, or the point at which a guest instrument takes the lead. It offers a reason to revisit an old favourite with fresh attention and give the entire sequence its time.

The Atlantic 75 edition on two LPs

This Analogue Productions edition of 4, AAPA 069-45, presents the ten original tracks across two 180-gram LPs at 45 RPM. Ryan K. Smith handled mastering at Sterling Sound. The label identifies the original master tape as its source; this edition presents the original mix. Stoughton Printing supplies the tip-on gatefold jacket with two pockets.

Under the Atlantic 75 series policy, the first 2,000 numbered copies are pressed at Quality Record Pressings; later unnumbered copies may come from QRP or RTI. This edition gives a considered physical presentation to an album built from countless small decisions. Returning to the music is the pleasure at the centre of it.

You order from Michael 45 in Germany. We arrange the US import and dispatch from Hilden.

Also on SACD: 4

More by Foreigner: Double Vision · “Foreigner”

Customer questions: Atlantic 75: which titles are worth buying? · Buying Analogue Productions records in Europe

Series: Atlantic 75 Series – all 75 albums, time journey and the people behind Atlantic

Musicians

Participants and documented credit status. Track references correspond to the tracklist.

• Lou Grammlead vocals, percussionParticipation: Album personnel
• Mick Joneslead guitar, keyboards, piano, backing vocalsParticipation: Track assignments unconfirmed
• Rick Willsbass, backing vocalsParticipation: Track assignments unconfirmed
• Dennis Elliottdrums, backing vocalsParticipation: Track assignments unconfirmed
• Thomas Dolbymain synthesizer, MinimoogParticipation: Track assignment unconfirmed
• Larry Fastsequencer synthesizerParticipation: A2, A3, D3
• Bob Mayokeyboards (additional textures)Participation: A3, B1
• Michael Fonfarakeyboards (textures)Participation: C1, D2
• Hugh McCrackenslide guitarParticipation: D2
• Mark Riverasaxophone, backing vocalsParticipation: A3, C1
• Junior Walkertenor saxophone soloParticipation: C1
• Ian Lloydbacking vocalsParticipation: Track assignments unconfirmed
• Robert John „Mutt“ Langebacking vocalsParticipation: Track assignments unconfirmed

Lou Gramm (lead vocals, percussion) · Mick Jones (lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) · Rick Wills (bass, backing vocals) · Dennis Elliott (drums, backing vocals). Guests: Thomas Dolby (synthesizers) · Larry Fast (sequential synthesizer; A2, A3, D3) · Bob Mayo (keyboards; A3, B1) · Michael Fonfara (keyboards; C1, D2) · Hugh McCracken (slide guitar; D2) · Mark Rivera (saxophone; A3, C1; backing vocals) · Junior Walker (saxophone solo; C1) · Ian Lloyd, Robert John “Mutt” Lange (backing vocals). Personnel as credited on the original sleeve; no track-by-track assignment is documented for the band members, Dolby, Lloyd and Lange. Recorded 1980–81 at Electric Lady Studios, New York. Produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange and Mick Jones · Engineers: Dave Wittman, Tony Platt (basic tracks), Brad Samuelsohn; assistants Edwin Hobgood, Michel Sauvage · Cover: Bob Defrin · Mastering and lacquer cutting for this edition: Ryan K. Smith, Sterling Sound · Pressing: first 2,000 numbered copies QRP; later unnumbered copies QRP or RTI.