Platinum

Platinum is the title of the fifth studio album by British musician and recording artist Mike Oldfield. The album is a marked departure from previous albums in that it is Oldfield's first to feature more conventional songs, rather than the two or more part complex long compositions for which he was well known (Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge, Ommadawn, Incantations). It is also the first to have been recorded outside the UK and to feature a wide range of collaborating musicians and vocalists.

Although side one is one long piece, it is split into four distinct parts, each with its own style. The final part 'Platinum Finale' is an arrangement of North Star by American composer Philip Glass.

Platinum features Oldfield's first cover version with a lead vocal, a slower arrangement of the Gershwin song I Got Rhythm, sung by Wendy Roberts.

The album originally featured a song called Sally which was removed at the behest of Virgin records shortly after the initial release, replaced by another new track Into Wonderland.

Chart performance
Released towards the end of 1979, the album made slow progress in the UK album charts although eventually reached no.24 in January 1980, helped somewhat by the release of the single Blue Peter (a new arrangement of the theme tune for the eponymous children's TV series) just before Christmas. The single does not feature of the album.

Tracklisting
Side One Side Two
 * 1) Part One: Airborne
 * 2) Part Two: Platinum
 * 3) Part Three: Charleston
 * 4) Part Four: North Star/Platinum Finale
 * 1) Woodhenge
 * 2) Into Wonderland (originally Sally)
 * 3) Punkadiddle
 * 4) I Got Rhythm

Re-releases
1993 CD 2000 HDCD 2012 CD & Deluxe (remaster), released 23 July 2012 2012 blue vinyl 180g vinyl
 * back cover gives 5 tracks with track 1 as "Platinum (Part 1-4) (with extract from North Star)" which is actually split into 4 tracks
 * lists Sally as track 7 although the track is Into Wonderland
 * as above
 * Single contains 8 tracks as per original album (with Into Wonderland) plus bonus tracks 9-12:
 * 1) Platinum (live studio session)
 * 2) North Star (2012 Mike Oldfield remix)
 * 3) Blue Peter (single A side)
 * Double CD deluxe edition contains Disc One as above plus Disc Two Recorded live at Wembley Arena, London, on 28th May 1980:
 * 1) Platinum
 * 2) Punkadiddle
 * 3) I've Got Rhythm
 * 4) Polka
 * 5) Incantations
 * 6) Tubular Bells {Part Two}
 * 7) Guilty / Tubular Bells {Part One} Finale
 * 8) Blue Peter / Portsmouth
 * 9) William Tell
 * tracks as per original LP, remastered sound with new sleeve notes

Other versions

 * The 1980 US & Canada version of the album was re-titled Airborn and features a version of the single Guilty instead of Woodhenge (as well as featuring Into Wonderland). It was released as a double album with a second disc featuring a live Tubular Bells Part 1, recorded on the European Tour in March/April 1979 on side one and a version of Incantations "Studio and Live" recorded at Througham December 1977-September 1978 and on the European Tour March/April 1979.
 * The compilation album Impressions (1980) features all four parts of Platinum, Punkadiddle and a unique version of Ii Got Rhythm.
 * A live performance of Platinum (including North Star/Platinum Finale) was released on The Complete Mike Oldfield (1985).
 * The 2-CD deluxe version of Oldfield's next album QE2 features a live version of Punkadiddle recorded in Germany in 1981.