Meaning of “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” by Belinda Carlisle

“Heaven Is a Place on Earth” is a power ballad by American singer Belinda Carlisle who first burst into the limelight as the lead singer of the all female band the Go-Go’s. According to Carlisle, the song is one that centers on hope. She added that she thought the song’s lyrics tell the listener that they have the ability to make their own heaven right on their “own patch”. She further stated that the tune, which is “partly a love song”,  is about “peace of mind”.

Below are the exact words Carlisle used in describing the meaning of “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”.  The excerpt below is taken from the In the 2005 book 1000 UK Number One Hits written by Spencer Leigh and Jon Kutner:

Facts about “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”

• Belinda Carlisle didn’t write this song. It was written by American songwriters/producers Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley. Nowels, who is considered one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, has throughout his career written and produced numerous hits for some of the biggest names in the music industry. Some of the big names he has written songs for include Adele, Stevie Nicks, Madonna, Celine Dion, Dido and Dua Lipa. For example, he co-wrote Dido’s 2003 worldwide hit song “White Flag” from the album Life For Rent.
• According to Nowels, Ellen Shipley was the one who suggested the song’s iconic title “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”.
• In addition to writing the song, Nowels and Shipley sang the backing vocals on this track.
• Nowels solely produced “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”.
• Singer Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & The Papas fame also provided the song’s background vocals. Noted American songwriter Diane Warren also sang backing vocals on this track.
• “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” was released on September 18, 1987. It was the first single from Carlisle’s second solo studio album titled Heaven on Earth.
• English musician Thomas Dolby played keyboard on this track.
• The promotional music video for “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” was directed by the noted American actress and director Diane Keaton. It stars Carlisle’s husband Morgan Mason. Carlisle and Mason had then recently just  gotten married.
• The track topped the charts in Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway. It also peaked at number 1 on two of the most important charts in the world: the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.
• Not only is “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” Carlisle’s signature tune but its also her most successful song to date.
• “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” was featured prominently in the Primetime Emmy Award winning episode “San Junipero” of the TV series Black Mirror. The Smiths’ “Girlfriend in a Coma” was also one of the famous songs featured in that episode.

Is “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” a gospel song?

Some people often mistake this song for a gospel song mainly because of its title. This tune isn’t a gospel song. It is purely a love song.

What musical genre does this tune belong to?

The tune fits perfectly into the following musical genres: pop rock and power rock.

Did “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” win a Grammy Award?

Despite becoming one of the most successful songs of the 1980s, it didn’t win a Grammy. However, at the at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, it received a nomination in the category of Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The award eventually went to the song “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston.