On the Way to the Sky

On the Way to the Sky is the fourteenth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in 1981. It contains the hit "Yesterday's Songs", which reached number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 (and number one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart), title track which peaked at number 27 in the US and a third single, "Be Mine Tonight", which also reached the Top 40, peaking at number 35.

On the Way to the Sky
Studio album by Neil Diamond
Released	October 9, 1981
Recorded	1981
Genre	Rock
Length	42:09
Label	Columbia
Producer	Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond chronology
The Jazz Singer (1980) On the Way to the Sky (1981) Heartlight (1982)
Singles from On My Way to the Sky
"Yesterday's Songs" Released: November 1981 "On The Way To The Sky" Released: February 1982 "Be Mine Tonight" Released: May 1982

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[2]

Cash Box said of "Be Mine Tonight" that "from the full production to the singer's unique charisma and delivery, everything works here."^[3] Billboard said that it's a "bristling midtempo rocker with much of the energy and sass of 'America' or 'Longfellow Serenade.'"^[4]

For shipments of a million copies, the album was certified Platinum by the RIAA,^[5] but underperformed the previous year's 5× Platinum Jazz Singer, which reached number three on the albums chart and spawned three Billboard Top 10 hits.

Track listing

All songs written by Neil Diamond, except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Yesterday's Songs"		2:51
2.	"On the Way to the Sky"	Diamond, Carole Bayer Sager	3:47
3.	"Right By You"	Diamond, Richard Bennett, Doug Rhone	3:37
4.	"Only You"	Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren	4:39
5.	"Save Me"		3:23
6.	"Be Mine Tonight"		2:39

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Drifter"		4:55
2.	"Fear of the Marketplace"		4:18
3.	"Rainy Day Song"	Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud	4:31
4.	"Guitar Heaven"		3:37
5.	"Love Burns"	Hensley, Lindgren	3:45

Personnel

• Neil Diamond – lead vocals, arrangements (5)
• Alan Lindgren – keyboards, synthesizers, acoustic piano, orchestra arrangements and conductor (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10)
• Tom Hensley – keyboards, acoustic piano, backing vocals, orchestra arrangements and conductor (4, 6, 8, 10)
• Richard Bennett – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Doug Rhone – guitar, backing vocals
• Reinie Press – bass
• Dennis St. John – drums
• King Errisson – percussion
• Vince Charles – percussion
• Patricia Henderson – backing vocals
• Linda Press – backing vocals
• H.L. Voelker – backing vocals
• Julia Waters – backing vocals
• Luther Waters – backing vocals
• Maxine Waters – backing vocals
• Oren Waters – backing vocals

Production

• Producer – Neil Diamond
• Co-Producer – Dennis St. John
• Associate Producers – Andy Bloch, Ron Hitchcock and Alan Lindgren.
• Engineered and Mixed by Andy Bloch and Ron Hitchcock
• Assistant Engineers – Bill Benton, David Bianco, Jack Crymes, Mark Eshelman, Brad Gilderman, John Markland, Karen Segal and Gary Singleman.
• Recorded at Arch Angel Studios, Record Plant and The Village Recorder (Los Angeles, CA); Sunset Sound Recorders and Cherokee Studios (Hollywood, CA).
• Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
• Art Direction and Design – David Kirschner
• Artwork – Jan Weinberg
• Photography – Kenneth McGowan

Charts

Chart (1981-1982)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6]	12
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7]	36
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8]	14
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9]	56
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10]	11
UK Albums (OCC)[11]	39
US Billboard 200[12]	17

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[13]	Gold	7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[14]	Silver	60,000^
United States (RIAA)[15]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.