Ammonia Avenue

Album: Ammonia Avenue (1984)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was inspired when Eric Woolfson of The Alan Parsons Project toured Imperial Chemical Industries in Billingham, England. He saw a street that was lined with miles of pipes and some machinery, but looked to be devoid of any organic life, including people. By the street was a sign reading "Ammonia Avenue" - this was where they made ammonia. Not only did it inspire this song, but it influenced the entire LP. The song itself is beautiful, with lyrics that are profound and moving, even though they don't make a lot of sense. It's one of those occasions where people love a song without knowing what it's about. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
  • Woolfson visited the ICI plant at the invitation of the company's chairman, John Harvey-Jones, who thought Eric might find some inspiration on the unusual campus. Woolfson made sure Harvey-Jones got a gold record in appreciation of his contributions.
  • Woolfson sang lead on this track and also played the piano and Fairlight synthesizer. Alan Parsons, who wrote the song with Woolfson and produced the track, didn't play on it. The rest of the instrumentation is:

    Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Powell
    Guitars: Ian Bairnson
    Bass: David Paton
    Drums, Percussion: Stuart Elliott
    Backing Vocals: Chris Rainbow

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Boy Bands

Boy BandsFact or Fiction

From NKOTB to 1D, how well do you know your boy bands?

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.