"Heaven" | ||||
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Single by Chris Rea | ||||
from the album Auberge | ||||
B-side | "Theme from the Pantile Journals" | |||
Released | 25 March 1991 [1] | |||
Length | 4:14 | |||
Label | East West | |||
Songwriter(s) | Chris Rea | |||
Producer(s) | Jon Kelly | |||
Chris Rea singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Heaven" on YouTube |
"Heaven" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in March 1991 as the second single from his 11th studio album, Auberge (1991). It was written by Rea and produced by Jon Kelly. [2] "Heaven" reached No. 57 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for two weeks.
The song's music video was directed by Nigel Dick and produced by Lisa Hollingshead. It was shot in London and in Dick's garage in California. [3]
In a review of Auberge, Mike Daly of The Age described "Heaven" as "serene" with "gorgeous guitars by Rea and Drennan". He also noted the song as being one of a number of tracks on Auberge to be "strong on optimism" with "positive statements". [4] Deborah Hornblow of the Hartford Courant commented: "On the gentle, evocative "Heaven", the lines 'Happy, boy you bet I am; Holding onto this smile for just as long as I can' are enriched and counterpointed by the sound of Rea's low, heavily weathered rasp." [5]
In a retrospective review, Johnny Loftus of AllMusic commented: "Auberge [contains] the thoughts and feelings of a man on a meandering road trip, thinking over the things he's said and done. "Heaven" seems to recall a time when the afterlife was in reach, but it could just as easily be the song of someone who's finally found his way." [2]
7-inch and cassette single
12-inch single
CD single
Musicians
Production
Other
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Germany (Official German Charts) [6] | 94 |
Ireland (IRMA) [7] | 30 |
UK Singles (OCC) [8] | 57 |
Christopher Anton Rea is an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. A "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart" known for his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five solo albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart. Described as "rock's ultimate survivor", given his recovery from several bouts of serious illness, Rea was "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with his single "The Road to Hell ". The album, The Road to Hell (1989), topped the album chart, as did its successor, Auberge (1991). His many hit songs include "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge" and "Julia". He also recorded a duet with Elton John, "If You Were Me". Rea was nominated three times for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
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