Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth explained

Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
Cover:	Sparks - Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Sparks
Album:	Propaganda
B-Side:	Alabamy Right
Released:	1974
Recorded:	1974
Genre:	Glam rock art rock baroque pop
Length:	2:28 2:35 (re-recording)
Label:	Island
Producer:	Muff Winwood Tony Visconti (re-recording)
Prev Title:	Amateur Hour
Prev Year:	1974
Next Title:	Something for the Girl with Everything
Next Year:	1975

"Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" is a song by the American rock group Sparks. The song was recorded by the group's mid-1970s glam line-up. It was released in late 1974 as the first single from the group's fourth album, Propaganda.

Plagiarism re-recording

In 1997, Sparks recorded a new version of the song with the producer Tony Visconti. This introduced strings and a choir. The song concludes their Plagiarism album where it segues from out of the previous track, "The Number One Song in Heaven".

Cover versions

Depeche Mode recorded a cover version on a single-sided flexi-disc which was sent to members of their official fan club for Christmas 1987. Martin Gore also recorded a cover version for his first solo EP, Counterfeit, in 1989.^[1]

Nicola Sirkis covered the song as the B-side to his 1992 single "Alice dans la Lune", from the album Dans La Lune.^[2]

Johan Johansson created a Swedish version titled "Kärlek & Respekt Till Moder Jord" for his 1994 EP 10.^[3]

Karen J. Walsha recorded a version for the Dutch tribute album Amateur Hour (A Global Tribute to Sparks) released in 1999.^[4] Haloed Ghost recorded a version for their 2004 EP, Saw Versions.^[5]

Billy Mackenzie recorded a version which appeared on his 2005 album Transmission Impossible.^[6]

Paul Roland recorded a version which appeared on his 2005 album Strychnine... And Other Potent Poisons.^[7]

Geezerbird have recorded a version for their 2006 album One in the Hand.^[8]

Mary Hopkin recorded a version which appeared on her 2007 album Valentine.^[9]

Neko Case has a version on her 2009 album Middle Cyclone.^[10]

Louis Guidone made a version in 2011 on the self released album Meet Your Maker.^[11]

Satie's Faction recorded an instrumental version in 2012 for his album Déjà Vu.

Track listing

1. "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" – 2:28
2. "Alabamy Right" – 2:11

Personnel

• Ron Mael – keyboards
• Russell Mael – vocals
• Trevor White – guitar
• Ian Hampton – bass guitar
• Norman "Dinky" Diamond – drums
• Adrian Fisher – guitar

Chart positions

Chart	Peak position
UK Singles chart	13
German Singles chart	40

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gore . Martin . Martin L.Gore Counterfeit. Martin L. Gore Counterfeit . March 12, 2020.
2. Web site: Nicola Sirkis . Dans la lune: Nicolas Sirkis: Amazon.fr: Musique . Amazon.fr . 2016-10-09.
3. Web site: johan johansson - kärlek och respekt till moder jord . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/_jfJfUxdmxo . 2021-12-21 . live. . 2010-07-03 . 2016-10-09.
4. Web site: Karen J. Walsha - Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Fz8yJU0AXzo . 2021-12-21 . live. . 2011-01-27 . 2016-10-09.
5. Web site: Haloed Ghost | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos . Myspace.com . 2016-10-09.
6. Web site: Billy Mackenzie . Transmission Impossible by Billy Mackenzie: Amazon.co.uk: Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2016-10-09.
7. Web site: Paul Roland Website . Paulroland.it . 2016-10-09.
8. Web site: Geezerbird . Geezerbird.com\accessdate=2016-10-09.
9. Web site: Mary Hopkin . Valentine . Amazon.co.uk . 2016-10-09.
10. Web site: Middle Cyclone: Neko Case: MP3 Downloads . Amazon.com . 2016-10-09.
11. Web site: Meet Your Maker | Louis Guidone . Louisguidone.bandcamp.com . 2016-10-09.