Unusual Heat cover art

  Studio Album · No. 7

Unusual Heat Songwriting Credits by Foreigner

1991 Atlantic Records 11 tracks 51 min

Produced by Mick Jones, Terry Thomas  ·  Engineered by Rafe McKenna, Andrew Scarth

Atlantic Records Hard RockPop Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Foreigner carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
11 trackswritten by Foreigner 0 tracksoutside writers
Foreigner's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
4
Lyricists
2
Producers
1991
Released
Data Insight

Unusual Heat is Foreigner's outlier album, the one record made without Lou Gramm's voice. After Gramm exited, Mick Jones chose not to assemble an all-star replacement and instead recruited Johnny Edwards, formerly of Montrose and Wild Horses, as sole lead singer. The writing narrows to a tight core: Jones, Edwards, and co-producer Terry Thomas share credit on nine of the eleven tracks, 'Ready for the Rain' adds Jeff Northrup, and 'Safe in My Heart' is a solo Mick Jones composition. Jones and Thomas produced and mixed the whole album. It was also the last stand for bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott before Gramm rejoined and the classic lineup fractured.

Unusual Heat is the seventh studio album by Foreigner, released on June 24, 1991 on Atlantic Records. It is the only album to feature Johnny Edwards on lead vocals, brought in after founding frontman Lou Gramm left the band following the 1987 album Inside Information. Guitarist and founder Mick Jones steered the record with English songwriter, guitarist, and co-producer Terry Thomas, and the three men wrote the bulk of the material together. Edwards, previously of Montrose and Wild Horses, handled all lead vocals and even played the lead guitar on 'Mountain of Love,' while the rhythm section of bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott made their final Foreigner appearance here. Without Gramm's signature voice and with the band's arena-rock era fading, the album peaked at only number 117 on the Billboard 200, the group's worst-selling record to that point, and Gramm returned to Foreigner soon after. It remains a distinct one-off chapter defined by a new singer and a leaner, harder writing partnership.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Only Heaven Knows
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
2
Lowdown and Dirty #4
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
3
I'll Fight for You
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
4
Moment of Truth
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
5
Mountain of Love
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
6
Ready for the Rain
Johnny EdwardsJeff NorthrupMick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny EdwardsJeff NorthrupMichael Leslie JonesTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
7
When the Night Comes Down
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
8
Safe in My Heart
Mick Jones Michael Leslie Jones Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
9
No Hiding Place
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
10
Flesh Wound
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)
11
Unusual Heat
Mick JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Michael Leslie JonesJohnny EdwardsTerry Thomas Mick JonesTerry Thomas Johnny Edwards (Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals)Mick Jones (Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals)Rick Wills (Bass, Backing Vocals)Dennis Elliott (Drums)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 7 contributors

MJ
Mick Jones
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album11 written
ML
Michael Leslie Jones
Writer
On this album11 written
TT
Terry Thomas
Writer · Producer
On this album10 written
JE
Johnny Edwards
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
JN
Jeff Northrup
Writer
On this album1 written
DE
Dennis Elliott
Drums
On this albumGuest
RW
Rick Wills
Vocals
On this albumGuest

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Frequently Asked Questions Unusual Heat

Who sang lead vocals on Unusual Heat?
Johnny Edwards sang all lead vocals. It is the only Foreigner album he appears on, recorded after original frontman Lou Gramm left the band.
Why isn't Lou Gramm on Unusual Heat?
Gramm departed Foreigner after 1987's Inside Information amid tensions with Mick Jones. Rather than build an all-star band, Jones brought in Johnny Edwards as the new singer for this one album, and Gramm later rejoined.
Who wrote the songs on Unusual Heat?
Most tracks were written by Mick Jones, Johnny Edwards, and Terry Thomas together. 'Ready for the Rain' adds Jeff Northrup as a co-writer, and 'Safe in My Heart' was written by Mick Jones alone.
Who produced Unusual Heat?
It was produced by Mick Jones and Terry Thomas, who also mixed the album together.
Who is Johnny Edwards?
Johnny Edwards is an American rock singer who had performed with Montrose and fronted Wild Horses before joining Foreigner. He also played the lead guitar on the track 'Mountain of Love.'
How did Unusual Heat perform commercially?
It was a commercial failure, reaching only No. 117 on the Billboard 200, the band's worst album sales to that point, after a run of Top 20 platinum records.
Was this the classic Foreigner lineup?
No. While founder Mick Jones, bassist Rick Wills, and drummer Dennis Elliott remained, the album replaced Lou Gramm with Johnny Edwards. It was also the final Foreigner album for Wills and Elliott.

Sources

Wikipedia: Unusual Heat MusicBrainz: Unusual Heat (release group) Cover Art Archive: Unusual Heat Cover Art Archive: Unusual Heat by Foreigner