Thirty years ago, Belinda Carlisle released her third LP. Runaway Horses came on the heels of two successful albums: her 1986 IRS Records debut, Belinda (featuring the hit "Mad About You"), and 1987's Heaven on Earth (boasting the smash "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" as well as "I Get Weak" and "Circle in the Sand"). Runaway Horses completed the hat trick for the Go-Go-gone-solo when it reached the top five in the United Kingdom. Now, the U.K.'s Demon Music Group has revisited the album in a deluxe 30th Anniversary box set presenting the album, single versions, remixes, dub and a cappella mixes, and even three new songs on 4 vinyl LPs (eight sides), while a bonus CD has the original album and the trio of new songs. This follows the 30th Anniversary vinyl box for Heaven on Earth released in 2017.

By the time of Runaway Horses, it was clear that fellow musicians were as enamored of the effervescent Carlisle as the record-buying public was. The album was graced by the presence of not just Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, but bona fide legend and Carlisle fan George Harrison. Despite its U.K. success, the album didn't score in America, likely due to the lack of a single with the commercial potential of "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" or "I Get Weak." Indeed, Runaway Horses indulged a more adventurous sound, helmed like Heaven by producer-arranger-songwriter Rick Nowels.  A conscious choice was made to give the album a flavor more European than American.  Some tracks were recorded in France, inspiration was taken from the Louvre, and Marseilles was even referenced in a lyric.  Belinda desired to express herself in an "authentic" rock style, rather than limiting herself to pop balladry.

Nowels and Ellen Shipley's "Leave a Light On," with an indelible and reassuring slide guitar solo from Harrison, was almost a big hit, peaking just outside the top ten (No. 11!) in America.  Harrison also contributed his distinctive tone to six-string bass and twelve-string guitar parts on the fierce "Deep, Deep Ocean."  Strings swelled on the second single, the evocative "Summer Rain," which showcased Carlisle's sensual side.  But the Robbie Seidman/Maria Vidal song got no higher than a U.S. No. 30 perch.  Both songs did better in the U.K., with "Leave a Light On" hitting No. 4 and "Summer Rain" No. 23.

The passionate title track of Runaway Horses composed by Nowels and Shipley seemed to reflect the personal trajectory the solo Carlisle was on: "Runaway horses/Ooo baby hold on tight/Racing through the darkness/Trying to find a light/You and I on runaway horses/Baby hold on tight."  Carlisle later revealed the demons she was fighting in her personal life, but her music was very much pointing her towards the light - almost always with an accessible melody. Carlisle's darker side was also explored on the post-breakup reflection of "Vision of You."  A harder edge could be heard on the anthemic "(We Want) The Same Thing," with its searing guitar contributed by the incendiary axe man of Toto (and lately of Ringo Starr's All-Star Band), Steve Lukather.

Spanish guitar, accordion and gypsy violin added new textures and cinematic flavor to "La Luna," like "Vision" and "Same Thing" written by the prolific Nowels/Shipley team.  Carlisle and her Go-Go's bandmate Charlotte Caffey co-wrote the equally intriguing closing cut "Shades of Michelangelo."  Its melancholy mood is evident in the florid, poetic lyrics ("A still life portrait/A view from my window/Touched by innocence/Now fading away/Into a quiet storm/Of the tears of the angels/Falling around me/As I'm watching the days...") that cede to a more optimistic tone and imagery of "a tomorrow so bright."  Not that brightness was entirely absent from Runaway Horses; "Whatever It Takes" was a sunny declaration of deep love.  Though it was intended as a duet with Bryan Adams, record company politics caused Adams' vocals to be mixed into the background on the final version.

Demon/Edsel's 2CD/DVD edition from 2013 reissue added seven single bonuses on CD 1, and another ten on the second disc from a variety of remixers including Peter Arata, Rick Nowels, Steve Beltran, Justin Strauss, Daniel Abraham, and Jason Corsaro. Happily, all seventeen of these essential bonus tracks have been retained on the 30th Anniversary vinyl edition plus three songs newly recorded with producer Gabe Lopez. {2017's Heaven on Earth box similarly featured three new recordings.) Belinda has reinterpreted three classic songs here: Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind," Elton John and Bernie Taupin's "I Need You to Turn To," and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." This trio is presented here on vinyl as well as on the set's CD, which is housed in a simple paper sleeve.  All are fine renditions, with Carlisle's supple, husky voice honoring all three familiar melodies and even the arrangements. Seeing as she has only released three albums in the past 23 years, one hopes these tantalizing cover versions will lead to another full recording project.

The 12-page LP-sized booklet reprints journalist Justin Kantor's fine liner notes from the 2013 release along with images of Carlisle memorabilia including some sensationalistic articles with headlines like "I Was a Teenage Guinea Pig!" and "Is Belinda Carlisle a Fruitcake?" and a clutch of reviews. For a Juke Box Jury-type review, Bjork, Elnar, and Siggi of The Sugarcubes offered their opinions on "Leave a Light On." Alas, they weren't terribly charitable ("She's starting to sound like ABBA!"), but time has been on Belinda's side, as Runaway Horses has aged well thanks to the stellar songwriting and her distinctive vocals. The four disks, nicely mastered by Phil Kinrade, are all on 180-gram white vinyl. They're handsomely packaged in the lift-off-lid box within individual jackets with inner protective sleeves featuring photographs of the artist.

In addition to the Runaway Horses box, Demon has also released an entry for Belinda in its series of deluxe content, low price Gold compilations. Carlisle's Gold features 56 songs on 3 CDs, including all ten songs from Runaway Horses plus the new recording of "Both Sides Now." Gold spans the artist's entire solo career right up through her most recent studio albums, 2007's Voila and 2017's Wilder Shores. With a box set's worth of hits, album tracks, and fan favorites, it's a perfect (and incredibly affordable) entrée into Carlisle's catalogue.

Runaway Horses is a time capsule of contemporary pop in the 1980s that's refreshingly enjoyable today. It's looking and sounding better than ever on Demon's new box set. You'll find order links and the track listing below!

Belinda Carlisle, Runaway Horses: 30th Anniversary Edition (Demon DEMRECBOX38, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

LP 1: Original LP (released as Virgin V-2599 (U.K.)/MCA Records 6339 (U.S.), 1989)

Side One

1. Leave a Light On
2. Runaway Horses
3. Vision of You
4. Summer Rain
5. La Luna

Side Two

1. (We Want) The Same Thing
2. Deep Deep Ocean
3. Valentine
4. Whatever It Takes
5. Shades of Michelangelo

LP 2: The Single Versions

Side One

1. Leave a Light On (7″) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1210, 1989)
2. La Luna (7″) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1230, 1989)
3. Runaway Horses (Single Edit) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1244, 1990)
4. Vision of You (7″ Edit) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1264, 1990)

Side Two

1. (We Want) The Same Thing (Summer Remix) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1291, 1990)
2. Valentine (Remix Edit) *
3. Summer Rain (Single Remix) (single A-side - Virgin VS 1323, 1990)
4. Vision of You ('91 Remix) (12″ A-side - Virgin VSTX 1264, 1991)

LP 3: The Remixes

Side One

1. (We Want) The Same Thing (Extended Summer Remix) (12″ A-side - Virgin VST 1291, 1990)
2. Leave a Light On (Extended Version) (12″ A-side - Virgin VST 1210, 1989)
3. La Luna (Extended Dance Mix) (12″ A-side - Virgin VST 1230, 1989)

Side Two

1. (We Want) The Same Thing (All the Right Moves Mix) *
2. Leave a Light On (Kamikaze Mix) (B-side to "Summer Rain" - Virgin VS 1323, 1990)
3. Summer Rain (Justin Strauss Remix) (12″ B-side - Virgin VST 1323, 1990)

LP 4: Dub and A Cappella Mixes / New 2019 Recordings

Side One

1. La Luna (12″ Dub Mix) (CD single B-side - Virgin VSCD 1230, 1989)
2. Summer Rain (Dub) (CD single B-side - Virgin 663 166, 1990)
3. La Luna (A Cappella) *

Side Two

1. If You Could Read My Mind
2. I Need You to Turn To
3. Both Sides Now

CD: Runaway Horses plus New 2019 Recordings

1. Leave a Light On
2. Runaway Horses
3. Vision of You
4. Summer Rain
5. La Luna
6. (We Want) The Same Thing
7. Deep Deep Ocean
8. Valentine
9. Whatever It Takes
10. Shades of Michelangelo
11. If You Could Read My Mind **
12. I Need You to Turn To **
13. Both Sides Now **

(*) originally unreleased, first issued on Runaway Horses: Deluxe Edition, Edsel, 2013

(**) previously unreleased

Belinda Carlisle, Gold (Crimson CRIMCD639, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Heaven Is a Place on Earth
2. Leave a Light On
3. Mad About You
4. World Without You
5. Shades of Michelangelo
6. I Feel Free
7. Summer Rain
8. Shot in the Dark
9. Band of Gold (featuring Freda Payne)
10. Deep, Deep Ocean
11. Love Never Dies
12. Since You've Gone
13. La Luna
14. You're Nothing Without Me
15. Fool for Love
16. I Get Weak
17. Valentine
18. I Feel the Magic
19. Circle in the Sand

CD 2

1. (We Want) The Same Thing
2. Runaway Horses
3. Little Black Book
4. Vision of You
5. Love in the Key of C
6. Whatever It Takes
7. Light of My Soul
8. A Prayer for Everyone
9. We Can Change
10. Should I Let You In?
11. World of Love
12. Lay Down Your Arms
13. Love Revolution
14. I Still Love Him
15. Always Breaking My Heart
16. Adi Shakti
17. Nobody Owns Me
18. Do You Feel Like I Feel?

CD 3

1. Live Your Life Be Free
2. Half the World
3. In Too Deep
4. Where Love Hides
5. Goodbye Day
6. You Came Out of Nowhere
7. Bonnie et Clyde
8. Remember September
9. Too Much Water
10. Humee Hum Brahm Hum
11. Have You Ever Seen the Rain
12. Goodbye, Just Go
13. California
14. I Plead Insanity
15. Big Scary Animal
16. La Vie en Rose
17. All God's Children
18. Sun
19. Both Sides Now