"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is a single by American singer Belinda Carlisle from her second studio album, Heaven on Earth (1987). Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, the song was released as the lead single from the album on September 14, 1987, and it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 1987, becoming Carlisle's only US chart-topper to date. A month later it peaked at number one in the United Kingdom, where it held the top spot of the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. In Australia it peaked at number 2. It is considered to be Carlisle's signature song.
In 2015, Carlisle re-recorded the song as an acoustic ballad. This version appeared on her album Wilder Shores (2017), which combines acoustic tracks with world beats and traditional Sikh chants.
Sheet music for "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" sets the key of C♯ minor (B minor for the pre-chorus), with a tempo of 123 beats per minute in common time (sheet music originally published in the key of A major). Carlisle's vocals span from E3 to D♯5. During the final chorus of the song, the key modulates to D♯ minor.[5][6]
A review in Pan-European magazine Music & Media described "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" as being "a truly uplifting song, sporting an enjoyable and irresistible chorus".[7] Jerry Smith of British magazine Music Week deemed the song a "glossy, and ultimately very commercial, number", and a potential hit.[8]
"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also a number-one hit in the United Kingdom, topping the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. The single also reached number one in many other countries, among them Switzerland, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Sweden, South Africa and Norway. It also reached number three in Germany and Canada, number two in Australia, and number six in Italy. It reached gold status in Canada and platinum status in the United Kingdom.
The promotional music video for the song was directed by actress Diane Keaton and includes an appearance by Carlisle's husband Morgan Mason.[9] It features children wearing black masks and capes, and holding illuminated plastic globes. Carlisle appears wearing a strapless dress and later changes to a black off-the-shoulder blouse. The video was partially filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California (now Santa Clarita, California), on the now-defunct Spin Out ride.
^Smith, Jerry (December 12, 1987). "Singles"(PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Archived(PDF) from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023 – via World Radio History.
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). MCA Records. 1987. MCA-53181. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (US cassette single sleeve). MCA Records. 1987. MCAC-53181. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (US & Canadian 12-inch single vinyl disc). MCA Records. 1987. MCA-23808. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (UK & Australian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Virgin Records. 1987. VST 1036. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Virgin Records. 1987. 609 643. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (Japanese 12-inch single vinyl disc). Virgin Records. 1987. VJS-12007. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (UK CD single liner notes). Virgin Records. 1987. VSCD 1036. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Heaven Is a Place on Earth (Australian cassette single sleeve). Virgin Records. 1987. VSC 1036. ((cite AV media notes)): Unknown parameter |people= ignored (help)
^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 55. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
^"European Hot 100 Singles"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 7. February 13, 1988. p. 16. OCLC29800226. Archived(PDF) from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021 – via World Radio History.
^"Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Belinda Carlisle" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
^"Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. December 26, 1987. p. 5. ISSN0033-7064. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^"Top 100 Singles of '88"(PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. ISSN0033-7064. Archived(PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022 – via World Radio History.