3ShipsFrontIntroduction

Jon Anderson and Vangelis go back a long way! According to Jon he met Vangelis in 1974, when Jon decided to go and visit Vangelis at his apartment in Paris. Jon was impressed with Vangelis' music for "L'Apocalypse Des Animaux" (1973) and was looking for a new keyboard player for his band "Yes". Although Vangelis never did join the band, the two became friends and remained in touch. In 1975 Jon and Vangelis first recorded a song together, the beautiful ‘So Long Ago, So Clear’ which ended up on Vangelis’ album "Heaven And Hell" (1975).

Their friendship would last well into the 1990s and produced popular albums as “Jon and Vangelis”, such as "Short Stories" (1980), "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" (1981), "Private Collection" (1983) and "Page Of Life" (1991).

Inbetween recording and touring with Yes, Jon also appeared on stage in concert with Vangelis in 1980 (London), 1986 (Los Angeles) and 1991 (Rotterdam). Throughout his career Jon released several solo-albums, his 4th titled ‘3 Ships’ which was released on the 18th of November 1985. The album is essentially a Christmas-album, combining traditional Christmas carols with new songs, one of which is 'Easier Said Than Done', a catchy pop song with an optimistic sound composed by Vangelis. To promote the album a videoclip was made and the song was released on both a 7” single and 12” maxi single. 

On initial release in 1985 the album was available as a vinyl record, only in Japan the album saw a release on CD at the time. This changed in 2007 with the release of the remastered 22nd Anniversary Edition in Europe, making the album widely available on CD for the first time outside of Japan. This remastered CD contains a couple of bonus tracks, including ‘Candle Song’ by Vangelis.

 

3ShipsBackTracklist and credits

  1. Easier Said Than Done
  • Composed by Vangelis.
  • Lyrics by Jon Anderson.

Note that Vangelis does not play on this song.

 

Discography

CD

  • 1985 Elektra – 32XD-886 Japan
  • 1992 Elektra WMC5-568 Japan
  • 2007 Opio Media OPIOVP03CD Europe (22nd Anniversary Edition)
  • 2015 Elektra WPCR-16321 Japan (Progressive Rock 1300 Collection) SHM-CD 

LP

EasierSaidThanDoneFront7” single

  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Three Ships (Elektra 969 576-7) Germany and Italy.
  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Three Ships (Elektra EKR 31) UK and Ireland.
  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Day Of Days (Elektra S 969 580-7) Spain
  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Day Of Days (Elektra 7-69580) US (promotional)
  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Day Of Days (Elektra 96 95807) Canada
  • 1985 Easier Said Than Done / Save All Your Love (Reprise) (Elektra 7-69580) US (in black vinyl and Limited Edition Green vinyl) 

12” single

 

Recording studio

The album 3 Ships was recorded at Crystal Studios in Hollywood (US).

 

EasierSaidThanDoneMaxiFrontMore

  • Although denied by both artists, some people believe to hear Vangelis' hand in a recording by Jon Anderson known as "The Sky And His Shadow" (1975) and Jon's first solo album "Olias Of Sunhillow" (1976). 
  • As a duo Jon Anderson and Vangelis are better known as "Jon and Vangelis". Their collaboration produced a series of albums, "Short Stories" (1980), "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" (1981), "Private Collection" (1983) and "Page Of Life" (1991), as well as several hit-singles, such as "I Hear You Now" (1980) and "I'll Find My Way Home" (1981).
  • In 1994 Jon included re-recorded versions of four of his songs with Vangelis on his solo album "Change We Must".
  • It is rumoured that Jon's effort in re-issuing the "Page Of Life" album in 1998 did not have Vangelis' approval, and caused a break-up of the duo.

 

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