Fate of Nations

Fate of Nations
Studio album by Robert Plant
Released	25 May 1993
Recorded	R A K Studios, Sawmills Studio Cornwall, Monmow Valley Studio Monmouth, 1992-1993
Genre	Rock, folk rock, alternative rock
Length	58:53
Label	Es Paranza
Producer	Chris Hughes, Robert Plant
Robert Plant chronology
Manic Nirvana (1990) Fate of Nations (1993) Dreamland (2002)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Music Box	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

Fate of Nations is Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant's sixth solo album. It was released in 1993 and re-released in a remastered edition on 20 March 2007. It features former Cutting Crew guitarist Kevin Scott MacMichael. The lead singer of Clannad, Máire Brennan is featured on the track "Come Into My Life". The song "I Believe" is a tribute to his late son, Karac.

Plant explained his album in the following terms:

“

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.[4]

”

The album was Plant's last completely solo album until his comeback with his seventh studio album Dreamland in 2002. The album was mixed at Westside Studios by Tim Palmer.

Track listing

1. "Calling to You" (Chris Blackwell, Robert Plant) – 5:48
2. "Down to the Sea" (Charlie Jones, Plant) – 4:00
3. "Come Into My Life" (Blackwell, Doug Boyle, Kevin MacMichael, Plant) – 6:32
4. "I Believe" (Phil Johnstone, Plant) – 4:32
5. "29 Palms" (Blackwell, Boyle, Johnstone, Jones, Plant) – 4:51
6. "Memory Song (Hello Hello)" (Boyle, Jonstone, Jones, Plant) – 5:22
7. "If I Were a Carpenter" (Tim Hardin) – 3:45
8. "Colours of a Shade" (Plant, Johnstone, Blackwell, Allcock) - 4:43 (UK edition. Also bonus track on some editions)
9. "Promised Land" (Johnstone, Plant) – 4:59
10. "The Greatest Gift" (Blackwell, Jonstone, Jones, MacMichael, Plant) – 6:51
11. "Great Spirit" (Johnstone, MacMichael, Plant) – 5:27
12. "Network News" (Blackwell, Plant) – 6:40

2007 remaster bonus tracks

• "Colours of a Shade" – 4:45
• "Great Spirit" (acoustic mix) - 3:54
• "Rollercoaster" (demo) - 4:01
• "8:05" - 1:49
• "Dark Moon" (acoustic) - 4:57

Musicians

• Robert Plant
• Kevin Scott MacMichael - guitar, backing vocals
• Oliver J. Woods - guitar
• Doug Boyle - guitar
• Charlie Jones - bass
• Chris Hughes - drums
• Pete Thompson - drums
• Nigel Kennedy - violin
• Richard Thompson - guitar
• Francis Dunnery - guitar
• Phil Johnstone - harmonium, organ, electric piano
• Nigel Eaton - hurdy-gurdy
• Máire Brennan - backing vocals
• Michael Lee - drums
• Maartin Allcock - all instruments except drums and vocals on "Colours of a Shade"

References

1. AllMusic review
2. Music Box review
3. Rolling Stone review
4. Led-Zeppelin.org. "Led Zeppelin Assorted Info".