Heads or Tales

Heads or Tales is the fifth studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga, released in 1983. The album was the second of the band's to be produced by Rupert Hine. Although it did not attain the same commercial success and status of the previous collaboration between the band and Hine, Worlds Apart (1981), both "The Flyer" and "Cat Walk" became respectable radio hits for the band with the album eventually securing gold status in Canada (50,000) and Germany (250,000). A third single from the album, "Scratching the Surface", became a live staple and fan favourite in the band's concert line-up during the late-1990s and 2000s as a piano solo played by Jim Gilmour during a break by the other band members. The song reached #45 in the Canadian Singles charts, April 1984.

Not to be confused with heads or tails, the practice of throwing a coin in the air.
Heads or Tales
Studio album by
Saga
ReleasedSeptember 1983
RecordedThe Farmyard, Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, England
GenreProgressive rock, new wave
Length40:23 (vinyl) / 47:47 (CD)
LabelPortrait, Maze
ProducerRupert Hine
Saga chronology
In Transit
(1982)		 Heads or Tales
(1983)		 Behaviour
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Track listing
Side One
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."The Flyer"Jim CrichtonJ. Crichton, Michael Sadler3:47
2."Cat Walk"J. CrichtonJ. Crichton, Jim Gilmour, Ian Crichton4:24
3."The Sound of Strangers"SadlerSadler, J. Crichton, Gilmour, I. Crichton, Steve Negus4:09
4."The Writing"J. CrichtonJ. Crichton, Sadler4:14
5."Intermission"SadlerSadler, J. Crichton, I. Crichton5:28
Side Two
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
6."Social Orphan"SadlerSadler, J. Crichton3:24
7."The Vendetta (Still Helpless)"SadlerSadler, J. Crichton, Gilmour, I. Crichton3:55
8."Scratching the Surface"GilmourGilmour, J. Crichton5:26
9."The Pitchman"J. CrichtonJ. Crichton, Sadler, I. Crichton, Gilmour, Negus5:46
Bonus track (CD only)
No.TitleLength
1."Cat Walk" (Unabridged)7:44

Personnel

Saga:[2]

Production:[2]

  • Judith Salavetz, Spencer Drate – art direction, design
  • Stephen Durke – front and back illustrations artwork
  • Andrew Scarth – assistant engineer
  • Stephen W Tayler – recording and mixing engineer
  • Larry Williams – inner sleeve photography
  • Producer – Rupert Hine

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[10] Gold 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Hinds, Andy. Heads or Tales Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  2. "Saga – Heads Or Tales (Vinyl, LP, Album)" at Discogs. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  3. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4383a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  4. "Offiziellecharts.de – Saga – Heads or Tales" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  5. "Norwegiancharts.com – Saga – Heads or Tales". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  6. "Swedishcharts.com – Saga – Heads or Tales". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  7. "Swisscharts.com – Saga – Heads or Tales". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  8. "Saga Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  9. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1983. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  10. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Saga; 'Heads or Tales')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
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