Sarah McLachlan "Touch"

Touch is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in 1988 and then re-released in 1989.

The album was originally released in 1988 by Nettwerk. McLachlan later signed to Arista Records internationally (although remaining on Nettwerk in Canada), and a revamped version of Touch, with several remixed songs and a new track, was released in 1989 on both labels. The original 1988 release was discontinued by Nettwerk, and is now considered a collector's item. It is distinguished by its black and sepia cover. The first released single from the album was "Vox" in 1988, followed by "Steaming" in 1989.

The album was popular in alternative rock circles, but McLachlan would not achieve commercial stardom until 1991 in Canada, with Solace, and 1994 (1995 in some countries) internationally, with her 1993 album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. None of Touch’s songs would permanently remain part of Sarah McLachlan’s concerts: except for “Vox”, she has never performed any of her debut album’s songs live since the tours supporting Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, and even “Vox” has not been played since 2004.

In 1993, McLachlan and Nettwerk were sued by Darryl Neudorf, a Vancouver musician and former member of 54-40, who alleged that he had made a significant and uncredited contribution to the songwriting on Touch. Although both McLachlan and Nettwerk acknowledged that Neudorf was involved in the album's production, both took the position that his contribution had not been primarily in songwriting. The judge in that suit ultimately ruled in McLachlan's favor.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sarah McLachlan, except where noted.

1988 release (Nettwerk/Capitol)

1. "Out of the Shadows" 4:57
2. "Steaming" 4:45
3. "Strange World" 4:05
4. "Touch" 3:11
5. "Vox" 4:50
6. "Sad Clown" 4:28
7. "Uphill Battle" McLachlanPhillips 4:37
8. "Ben's Song" 4:55
9. "Vox (Extended remix)" 6:59 *
10. "Ben's Song (78 Version)" 5:07 *

*Not all versions of the original 1988 release contained these two tracks.

1989 release (Nettwerk/Arista)

1. "Out of the Shadows" 4:57
2. "Vox" 4:48
3. "Strange World" 4:05
4. "Trust" Stephen Nikleva/Jeff Sawatzky/Sherri Iwaschuk/McLachlan/Phillips 4:45
5. "Touch" 3:11
6. "Steaming" McLachlan/Phillips 4:46
7. "Sad Clown" 4:28
8. "Uphill Battle" McLachlan/Phillips  4:37
9. "Ben's Song" 4:55
10. "Vox (Extended version)" 6:59

Two 12" singles were released from the original 1988 album, each containing one of the alternate mixes that were on some, but not all, versions of the album release. The remix of "Vox" here is not the same remix that was on the 1989 album release.