Rain Dances

Rain Dances
Rain Dances
Studio album by Camel
Released	September 1977
Recorded	February–August 1977
Studio	Basing Street Studios, London
Genre	Progressive rock; jazz rock;
Length	41:28
Label	Gama/Decca
Producer	Rhett Davies, Camel
Camel chronology
Singles from Rain Dances
	"Highways of the Sun"; Released: 30 September 1977;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
ProgroGraphy review	^[3]

Rain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977 on Gama Records/Decca Records, and brought a major change to the band's line-up, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan member Richard Sinclair, and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson. Guest musicians include Brian Eno on one song.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"First Light" (instrumental)	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – 6- and 12-string guitars, pan pipes Mel Collins – alto saxophone Pete Bardens – Minimoog, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass Andy Ward – drums, ocarina, teeth, cheek, Turkish ring	4:59
2.	"Metrognome"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar Mel Collins – tenor saxophone Pete Bardens – electric piano, organ, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass, lead vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion, money	4:07
3.	"Tell Me"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – fretless bass, backing vocals, flute Mel Collins – soprano and bass clarinets Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog Richard Sinclair – lead and harmony vocals Andy Ward – finger cymbals, glockenspiel	4:04
4.	"Highways of the Sun"	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – acoustic guitar, lead vocals Mel Collins – soprano and bass flutes Pete Bardens – acoustic and electric pianos, organ, Minimoog, string synthesizer Richard Sinclair – bass, wicket keeper Andy Ward – drums, percussion, liquid Boo Bams	4:25

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes	Length
1.	"Unevensong"	Bardens, Latimer, Andy Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar, second lead vocals Pete Bardens – electric piano, clavinet, Minimoog, string synthesizers, car horns Richard Sinclair – bass, first lead vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion, Rototoms	5:22
2.	"One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (instrumental)	Bardens, Mel Collins, Latimer, Richard Sinclair, Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – guitar Mel Collins – all saxophones Pete Bardens – electric piano Richard Sinclair – bass Andy Ward– drums, percussion, talking drum, smurd Martin Drover – trumpet Malcolm Griffiths – trombone	5:49
3.	"Elke" (instrumental)	Latimer	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – fuzz guitar, acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, string synthesizers, flute Brian Eno – acoustic and electric pianos, Minimoog, bells Fiona Hibbert – harp	4:20
4.	"Skylines" (instrumental)	Bardens, Latimer, Ward	Personnel: Andrew Latimer – feedback, 6- and 12-string, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, sore fingers Mel Collins – alto saxophone Pete Bardens – electric piano, Minimoog, string synthesizers Andy Ward – drums, Tunisian clay drum, swanee Martin Drover – flugelhorn Malcolm Griffiths – trombone	4:17
5.	"Rain Dances" (instrumental)		Personnel: Andrew Latimer – pizzicato guitar, treated piano, glockenspiel, umbrellas Mel Collins – soprano saxophone, umbrellas Pete Bardens – Minimoog, string synthesizer, umbrellas	2:47

CD bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
10.	"Highways of the Sun" (Single edit)	Bardens, Latimer	4:01

2009 expanded and remastered edition
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Highways of the Sun" (Single version)	4:00
11.	"First Light" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:01
12.	"Metrognome" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:55
13.	"Unevensong" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:47
14.	"Skylines" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	5:36
15.	"Highways to the Sun" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:59
16.	"One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (Live; taken from BBC "Sight and Sound" in Concert - Golders Green Hippodrome, 22 September 1977)	4:12

Personnel

Camel

Andrew Latimer – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, panpipes, flute, backing vocals; fretless bass on "Tell Me"; electric piano, Minimoog, synthesizer and fuzz guitar on "Elke"; piano on "Elke" and "Rain Dances"; rhythm guitar and bass on "Skylines"; glockenspiel on "Rain Dances"; lead vocals on "Highways of the Sun" and "Unevensong"
Peter Bardens – organ, piano, electric piano, Minimoog, synthesizer, Hohner Clavinet
Andy Ward – drums, percussion, ocarina, glockenspiel, talking drum
Richard Sinclair – bass; lead vocals on "Metrognome", "Tell Me" and "Unevensong"
Mel Collins – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass flute, brass arrangements

Additional personnel

Martin Drover – trumpet on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night", flugelhorn on "Skylines"
Malcolm Griffiths – trombone on "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" and "Skylines"
Brian Eno – Minimoog, electric piano, piano on "Elke"
Fiona Hibbert – harp on "Elke"

Production

Rhett Davies – producer
Dave Hutchins – engineer
Paul Henry – sleeve design
Bob Searles – illustration

Release details

1977, UK, Gama/Decca, Release date: September 1977, LP
1991, UK/GER, Deram, Release date: 26 August, CD (w. bonus track)
2004, UK, London 8207252, Release date: 2 February 2004, CD (remastered version)

Charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[4]	29
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[5]	49
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[6]	17
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)^[7]	18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[8]	30
UK Albums (OCC)^[9]	20
US Billboard 200^[10]	136

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Greek Albums (IFPI)^[11]	95

References

^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 102.
^ Plichta, Mathew (2011). "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
^ "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review & credits at ProgroGraphy/ConnollyCo.com". ConnollyCo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Camel – Rain Dances" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Albums Chart on 11/9/1977 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 39/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.

External links

[1] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 102.

[2] Plichta, Mathew (2011). "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.

[3] "Camel - Rain Dances (1977) album review & credits at ProgroGraphy/ConnollyCo.com". ConnollyCo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.

[FINI-4] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[ac_Germany_Camel-5] "Offiziellecharts.de – Camel – Rain Dances" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Norway_Camel-6] "Norwegiancharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[7] Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[ac_Sweden_Camel-8] "Swedishcharts.com – Camel – Rain Dances". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_UK2_-9] "Official Albums Chart on 11/9/1977 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Billboard200_Camel-10] "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[11] "Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 39/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.

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Camel
Andrew Latimer Colin Bass Denis Clement Pete Jones Andy Ward Peter Bardens Doug Ferguson Mel Collins Richard Sinclair Jan Schelhaas Dave Sinclair Kit Watkins Chris Rainbow David Paton Ton Scherpenzeel Paul Burgess Mickey Simmonds Guy LeBlanc Duncan McKay
Studio albums	Camel (1973) Mirage (1974) The Snow Goose (1975) Moonmadness (1976) Rain Dances (1977) Breathless (1978) I Can See Your House from Here (1979) Nude (1981) The Single Factor (1982) Stationary Traveller (1984) Dust and Dreams (1991) Harbour of Tears (1996) Rajaz (1999) A Nod and a Wink (2002) The Snow Goose (2013 version)
Live albums	Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall (1974) A Live Record (1978) Pressure Points: Live in Concert (1984) On the Road 1972 (1992) Never Let Go (1993) On the Road 1982 (1994) On the Road 1981 (1997) Coming of Age (1998) '73-'75 Gods of Light (2000) The Paris Collection (2001) Kosei Nenkin Hall, Tokyo, January 27, 1980 (2019) Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2020) The Live Recordings 1974-1977 (2023)
Singles	"Never Let Go"
Related articles	Discography Caravan King Crimson Kayak