On the Beach (Chris Rea album)

Last updated

On the Beach
On The Beach (Chris Rea).jpg
Studio album by
Released14 April 1986 [1]
Studio
Genre Rock, soft rock, adult contemporary
Length59:58 (CD)
48:40 (LP)
Label Magnet
Producer
Chris Rea chronology
Shamrock Diaries
(1985)
On the Beach
(1986)
Dancing with Strangers
(1987)
Singles from On the Beach
  1. "It's All Gone"
    Released: March 1986
  2. "On the Beach"
    Released: May 1986
  3. "Hello Friend"
    Released: November 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

On the Beach is the eighth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1986, and built on the success of the preceding Shamrock Diaries . It reached No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart (and also in Sweden), topped the Dutch charts (where it charted for more than nine months), reached number two in West Germany and No. 4 in New Zealand (where is also spent more than nine months in the charts). [3] It also reached the top 10 in Norway. In 2019, a deluxe remastered version of the album was released.

Contents

Songs

In an interview for the deluxe edition of the album, Rea said of the song Giverny, written after a visit to Monet's celebrated home, "I didn't want to be there. I was only there because she (his wife, Joan) was there... so there's kinda, a funny twist to it". [4]

Critical reception

AllMusic notes that, "while The Road to Hell shows the darker side of Rea's worldview, On the Beach is an excellent introduction to his brighter, more optimistic songwriting". [5] A retrospective review finds that the album "taps into the same kind of jazzy, introspective pop/soul sound that the likes of John Martyn, Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison were flirting with in the same period, helped by an excellent band including Fairport Convention/XTC drummer Dave Mattacks", adding that Little Blonde Plaits is "a vehicle for [Max] Middleton's expressive Mini Moog, very redolent of his atmospheric playing on John Martyn’s Glorious Fool ". [6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Rea

On the Beach track listing
No.TitleLength
1."On the Beach"5:04
2."Little Blonde Plaits"4:17
3."Giverny"5:39
4."Lucky Day"3:57
5."Just Passing Through"5:20
6."It's All Gone"7:28
7."Hello Friend"4:19
8."Two Roads"3:44
9."Light of Hope"4:34
10."Auf Immer und Ewig"4:11
11."Freeway" (CD only)4:12
12."Bless Them All" (CD only)2:30
13."Crack That Mould" (CD only)4:34

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Singles

  1. "It's All Gone" b/w "Crack That Mould", "Look Out For Me", "Bless Them All", "Let's Dance" (original version)
  2. "On the Beach" b/w "On the Beach (special remix)", "If Anybody Asks You", "One Golden Rule" (live), "Midnight Blue"
  3. "Hello Friend" (re-recording) b/w "Driving Home for Christmas" (original version), "It's All Gone" (live), "Steel River"

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for On the Beach
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP) [18] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [19] Gold250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI) [20] Gold50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [21] Platinum15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Platinum300,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Wish</i> (The Cure album) 1992 studio album by the Cure

Wish is the ninth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 21 April 1992 by Fiction Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States. Wish was the most commercially successful album in the band's career, debuting at number one in the UK and number two in the US, where it sold more than 1.2 million copies.

<i>The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion</i> 1992 studio album by The Black Crowes

The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is the second studio album by American rock band the Black Crowes, released on May 12, 1992. It was the first album by the band to feature Marc Ford on lead guitar, replacing Jeff Cease, who was fired the year before, and the first to feature keyboardist Eddie Harsch. The album's name derives from the full name of the Southern Harmony, an influential 1835 hymnal compiled by William Walker.

<i>Live at Wembley 86</i> 1992 live album by Queen

Live at Wembley '86 is a double live album by the British rock band Queen. It was recorded live on Saturday 12 July 1986 during the Magic Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The album was released on 26 May 1992, with a companion DVD released in June 2003.

<i>Ice on Fire</i> 1985 studio album by Elton John

Ice on Fire is the nineteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1985. It was recorded at Sol Studios and his first album since Blue Moves produced by his original long-time producer, Gus Dudgeon. David Paton and Charlie Morgan appear for the first time on bass and drums respectively, replacing original Elton John Band members Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson. Fred Mandel, who had played with John during the Breaking Hearts Tour, also contributed guitar and keyboards.

<i>Water Sign</i> (Chris Rea album) 1983 studio album by Chris Rea

Water Sign is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1983. The album reached No. 64 on the UK Albums Chart. "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat" was released as a single, initially peaking on the UK Singles Chart at No. 60, while a re-recorded version for Rea's 1988 compilation album, New Light Through Old Windows, reached No. 74. The album contained three singles which includes several non-album B-sides. Water Sign reached No. 36 in New Zealand. It sold well in Ireland, prompting Rea to mount an extensive tour there, which marked the beginning of an upswing in the musician's fortunes.

<i>Wired to the Moon</i> 1984 studio album by Chris Rea

Wired to the Moon is the sixth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1984. The album reached No. 35 on the UK album charts. Three singles were released. "I Don't Know What It Is But I Love It" peaked at No. 65 on the UK Singles Chart, "Touché d'Amour" reached No. 86, and "Ace of Hearts" peaked at No. 79. The latter was re-released in 1985 and climbed one position higher, to No. 78.

<i>Shamrock Diaries</i> 1985 studio album by Chris Rea

Shamrock Diaries is the seventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1985. This album represents the beginning of a creative and commercial zenith for Rea. Shamrock Diaries was a huge seller in Europe, reaching the top 20 in several countries including Ireland, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and spent forty two weeks in the Dutch charts, peaking at No. 3. The album was also successful in Australia, where it charted in the top 50. "Stainsby Girls" became Rea's first Top 30 single since 1978's "Fool If You Think It's Over". In 1988, Magnet Records was taken over by Warner Bros Records, who re-released Shamrock Diaries with a significantly remixed version of "Josephine". The original version was used in the 2019 deluxe re-issue of the album.

<i>Into the Light</i> (Chris de Burgh album) 1986 studio album by Chris de Burgh

Into the Light is the eighth studio album by British-Irish singer Chris de Burgh, released in May 1986 by A&M Records. The album is notable for featuring de Burgh's biggest hit, "The Lady in Red".

<i>Auberge</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Chris Rea

Auberge is the eleventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1991. The album, as well as the title song, is notable for its association with the Caterham Super Seven that Rea owned, which he called the "Blue Seven". The car appears on the album cover, illustrated in oil by motoring artist Alan Fearnley. The album makes several references to the car over several tracks, as well on the video of the title song, and its cover illustration was used for its adverts. In 2005, Rea sold the car in an auction.

<i>Dancing with Strangers</i> 1987 studio album by Chris Rea

Dancing with Strangers is the ninth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1987. It became Rea's first major success in the UK, peaking at No. 2 behind Michael Jackson's Bad, and spent 46 weeks in the charts before going platinum. The album entered the Top 10 in six other European countries, and topped the chart in New Zealand.

<i>The Road to Hell</i> 1989 studio album by Chris Rea

The Road to Hell is the tenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1989. Coming on the back of several strongly performing releases, it is Rea's most successful studio album, and topped the UK Albums Chart for three weeks. Hailed as a "modern masterpiece", it was certified 6× Platinum by BPI in 2004. The album demonstrates a thematic cohesion previously absent from Rea's work, with the majority of the tracks containing strong elements of social commentary, addressing alienation, violence and redemption. The second part of the two-part title track, "The Road to Hell ", is one of Rea's most famous songs, and was his first UK Top 10 single. Geffen Records released the album in the US, adding the 1988 re-recording of "Let's Dance" and different cover artwork.

<i>New Light Through Old Windows</i> 1988 compilation album by Chris Rea

New Light Through Old Windows is the first compilation album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1988. The album consists primarily of re-recordings of songs from Rea's earlier albums, as well as the new track "Working on It", which peaked at No. 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was Rea's only No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "On the Beach" peaked at No. 9 on the US Adult Contemporary singles chart, and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number five on the UK Albums Chart, charted for over a year, and was certified 3× Platinum by BPI until 1992. It charted in the Top 10 in New Zealand, Australia and West Germany.

<i>The Blue Cafe</i> 1998 studio album by Chris Rea

The Blue Cafe is the fourteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1998. The singles released for the album were "The Blue Cafe", "Thinking of You", "Sweet Summer Day" and "Square Peg, Round Hole". There was also a Japanese version with three bonus tracks, "Kyoto Blue", "Ameno Nakano Kiirono Herumetto" and "On the Beach". It was Rea's sixth successive album to reach the UK top ten, peaking at No. 10.

<i>Espresso Logic</i> 1993 studio album by Chris Rea

Espresso Logic is the thirteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1993. The US edition of the album has a significantly different track listing, featuring two songs from Rea's previous album, God's Great Banana Skin, which was not released in the US, along with "If You Were Me", a track recorded with Elton John for his 1993 Duets release. The cover art of the US edition is the same as the UK single "Espresso Logic". The song "Julia" was dedicated to his daughter Julia Christina, who was four years old at the time.

<i>Gods Great Banana Skin</i> 1992 studio album by Chris Rea

God's Great Banana Skin is the twelfth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1992. The album was not released in the United States, though some tracks later appeared on the US release of Rea's following album Espresso Logic. The single "Nothing To Fear" reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, and its music video was filmed in Morocco. The album reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart in 1992.

<i>Dancing Down the Stony Road</i> 2002 studio album by Chris Rea

Dancing Down the Stony Road is the seventeenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2002 on his own record label, Jazzee Blue. The album was also released in Europe by Edel under the shorter title Stony Road with different cover art and only one CD, while the original UK is double CD edition with additional tracks. The album is notable for its change of Rea's previous rock music style to Delta blues and gospel blues. It reached the #14 position in UK album charts, and was certified Gold by BPI. A version of Dancing Down The Stony Road was used in the BBC television programme Speed.

<i>The Best of Chris Rea</i> 1994 greatest hits album by Chris Rea

The Best of Chris Rea is the second compilation album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1994. The album contains 15 previously released songs plus two new tracks, "You Can Go Your Own Way" and "Three Little Green Candles". The collection notably omits Rea's 1988 Christmas hit "Driving Home for Christmas". The song "If You Were Me" is a duet between Rea and Elton John, originally released on John's Duets album in 1993.

<i>All the Lost Souls</i> 2007 studio album by James Blunt

All the Lost Souls is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter James Blunt, released on 17 September 2007. It is the follow-up to his 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam. The first single released from the album was "1973", which started radio play on 23 July 2007.

<i>Santo Spirito Blues</i> 2011 studio album by Chris Rea

Santo Spirito Blues is the twenty-third studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2011 by his independent record label Jazzee Blue and Rhino Entertainment.

<i>All That Echoes</i> 2013 studio album by Josh Groban

All That Echoes is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Josh Groban, produced by Rob Cavallo. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 145,000 copies in its first week. The album has sold 532,000 copies in the United States as of April 2015.

References

  1. "BPI".
  2. Caldwell, Rob. "On the Beach review". AllMusic.
  3. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Chris Rea – On the Beach". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. "Chris Rea on "On The Beach"". 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  5. "On the Beach - Chris Rea | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  6. "Chris Rea: On The Beach 30 Years Old Today". Movingtheriver.com. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 247. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Austriancharts.at – Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  11. "Charts.nz – Chris Rea – On the Beach". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  12. "Norwegiancharts.com – Chris Rea – On the Beach". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  13. "Swedishcharts.com – Chris Rea – On the Beach". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  14. "Chris Rea | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  15. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1986". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  16. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  17. "Top Selling Albums of 1986 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  18. "French album certifications – Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  19. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Chris Rea; 'On the Beach')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  20. "Dutch album certifications – Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved 6 December 2018.Enter On the Beach in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1986 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  21. "New Zealand album certifications – Chris Rea – On the Beach". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  22. "British album certifications – Chris Rea – On the Beach". British Phonographic Industry.