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Raintown | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 May 1987 (UK) [1] February 1988 (US) | |||
Recorded | Air Studios, London December 1986 - February 1987 | |||
Genre | Pop, rock | |||
Length | 41:48(Standard) 47:06 (UK CD version) | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Jon Kelly | |||
Deacon Blue chronology | ||||
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Singles from Raintown | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Raintown is the debut album by Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue. The album, written largely by lead singer Ricky Ross, was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 1987. It proved a commercial success and has to date sold around a million copies, peaking in the UK Albums Chart at no. 14 and remaining in the charts for a year and a half. [4]
The album, widely praised as Deacon Blue's finest work, has the overtones of a concept album relating to the struggles of urban life in the inner city. The city being unmistakably Glasgow, referenced by the roots of the band and by the images by photographer Oscar Marzaroli on the cover of the album: the view of a rainy day over Glasgow's West End (with the Finnieston Crane featuring prominently). The rear cover shows a long-exposure shot of the M8 motorway carving through Glasgow city centre (taken from Charing Cross), with the Mitchell Library and Elmbank Gardens on either side.
The short intro, "Born in a Storm", melodic and interspersed with an unmistakably gloomy atmosphere created by the name, launches into the title track "Raintown", a natural extension of this plot.[ citation needed ] The weather remains a feature of the atmosphere of the album, reflecting the epitome of the Scots word dreich. Played out in the course of the album is the struggle with money ("Loaded"), unemployment, dreams of something better ("Dignity", "The Very Thing"), culminating in an angry attack upon urban life ("Town to Be Blamed"). The album does feature lighter experiences though, with the love songs ("Chocolate Girl") and "Love's Great Fears" - a track that Ross has often cited as his all-time favourite, featuring a slide guitar outro by Chris Rea.[ citation needed ]
In an interview given to the Daily Record in 2012, songwriter Ricky Ross explained the rationale and reasoning behind the writing of all of the songs on the album. [5]
On 27 February 2006, Raintown was reissued as part of Columbia's Legacy Edition series. The re-issue was expanded to 2 CDs. The first CD featured the original 11-track album. The second CD featured alternate cuts of all 11 album tracks, as well as the two original CD bonus tracks "Riches" and "Kings of the Western World".
The new edition did not include the varied bonus cuts (remixes and b-sides) that were found on the singles from the album.
Another reissue was released on 22 October 2012 by Edsel Records as part of a catalogue reissue program for the band's first five studio albums. This set contained all of the B-sides and remixes associated with the album, as well as also including the Legacy Edition bonus disc. [6]
Spin called it, "a listener's delight, yet a reviewer's frustration — no easy comparisons, no simple descriptions, no trendy affiliations, because few other acts make such surprisingly timeless, sophisticated, and genuinely emotional pop music these days." [7]
All songs written by Ricky Ross, except where noted:
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Born in a Storm" | 1:33 |
2. | "Raintown" | 3:50 |
3. | "Ragman" | 3:07 |
4. | "He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now" | 3:50 |
5. | "Loaded" | 4:30 |
6. | "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?" | 5:04 |
7. | "Chocolate Girl" | 3:18 |
8. | "Dignity" | 3:59 |
9. | "The Very Thing" | 3:34 |
10. | "Love's Great Fears" | 3:41 |
11. | "Town to Be Blamed" | 5:21 |
12. | "Which Side Are You On?" | 2:58 |
13. | "Kings of the Western World" | 2:40 |
14. | "Angeliou" (Live) | 6:18 |
15. | "Just Like Boys" | 3:15 |
16. | "Raintown" (Piano Version) | 3:38 |
17. | "Riches" | 2:38 |
18. | "Church" | 3:16 |
19. | "Shifting Sand" | 3:18 |
20. | "Suffering" | 2:43 |
21. | "Ribbons and Bows" | 4:16 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Dignity" (Bob Clearmountain Version) | 4:15 |
2. | "Long Distance from Just Across the Road" | 2:54 |
3. | "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?" (Extended Version) | 5:32 |
4. | "Town to Be Blamed" (Live) | 4:43 |
5. | "Ronnie Spector" | 3:33 |
6. | "Dignity" (Bob Clearmountain Extended Version) | 5:49 |
7. | "That Brilliant Feeling No. 1" | 3:17 |
8. | "Punch and Judy Man" | 3:52 |
9. | "Disneyworld" | 2:58 |
10. | "S.H.A.R.O.N." | 4:16 |
11. | "Chocolate Girl" (Extended Version) | 3:37 |
12. | "Dignity" (Live at Glasgow Barrowlands 1988) | 4:56 |
13. | "Love's Great Fears" (Live at Glasgow Barrowlands 1988) | 6:24 |
14. | "The Very Thing" (Livesey Remix) | 3:42 |
15. | "Love's Great Fears" (Brauer Remix) | 3:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Born in a Storm" (Live at Glasgow Art School 1987) | 1:14 |
2. | "Raintown" (Live at the Marquee 1986) | 3:49 |
3. | "Ragman" (Demo Version) | 3:14 |
4. | "He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now" (Live at the Marquee 1986) | 4:50 |
5. | "Loaded" (Demo Version) | 4:11 |
6. | "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?" (Air Studio Vocal Mix) | 5:03 |
7. | "Chocolate Girl" (Live at the Marquee 1986) | 3:55 |
8. | "Dignity" (Live at the Marquee 1986) | 4:00 |
9. | "The Very Thing" (BBC Session for Radio 1's Mark Goodier Show) | 3:05 |
10. | "Love's Great Fears" (Live at the Marquee 1986) | 4:01 |
11. | "Town to Be Blamed" (Live at Glasgow Art School 1987) | 3:32 |
12. | "Souvenirs" | 2:41 |
13. | "Don't Let the Teardrops Start" | 3:22 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Dignity" (Version 1) | |
2. | "Loaded" | |
3. | "Dignity" (Version 2) | |
4. | "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?" | |
5. | "Dignity" (US Version) | |
6. | "Chocolate Girl" |
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop rock band formed in Glasgow during 1985. The line-up of the band consists of vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond. The band released their debut album, Raintown, on 1 May 1987 in the United Kingdom and in the United States in February 1988. Their second album, When the World Knows Your Name (1989), topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks, and included "Real Gone Kid" which became their first top ten single in the UK Singles Chart and reached number one in Spain.
James Prime is a Scottish musician best known as the keyboard player for rock band Deacon Blue. Prime also lectures at the University of the West of Scotland. Known as a Hammond/piano player, his talents have been sought after by John Martyn, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader and Little Richard..
Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish musician who is the lead singer of the rock band Deacon Blue. Alongside his discography with Deacon Blue, Ross has released a number of solo albums: his first, So Long Ago, was released in 1984.
When the World Knows Your Name is the second album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It was released in 1989 and attained the number 1 chart position in the UK Albums Chart.
Fellow Hoodlums is the third studio album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue, released in 1991. It includes four singles: "Your Swaying Arms", the Top 10 hit "Twist and Shout", "Closing Time" and "Cover from the Sky".
Whatever You Say, Say Nothing is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Deacon Blue, released in 1993. Changing from producer Jon Kelly to the team of Steve Osborne and Paul Oakenfold, this album presented a change in musical style for Deacon Blue. While the band's songwriting remained based in rock and blues, many of the tracks moved into alternative rock territory in their presentation.
Ooh Las Vegas is a compilation album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It contains B-sides, unreleased tracks, and songs written for William McIlvanney's television play Dreaming.
Riches is a limited edition compilation album that was temporarily included with the Raintown album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue, starting in February 1988. Only 20,000 copies were made.
Our Town – The Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. The album reached the top spot of the UK Albums Chart in May 1994 for two weeks, and has been certified Platinum. It was also their second and final number one album to date. It is also notable for being the 500th number one album since the charts inception in 1956.
Riches & More is a compilation album for the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It combines the Riches with the Four Bacharach & David Songs EP. However, this compilation does not include the piano version of the song "Raintown", which was the fifth track on the initial release of Riches.
Walking Back Home is an album by Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue released in 1999. It was their first album since reforming that year after disbanding in 1994. A part studio/part compilation album, it contains nine of their earlier songs coupled with eight brand-new or previously unreleased songs.
Homesick is a studio album by Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. Released in May 2001, it was the band's fifth studio album. It includes the single "Everytime You Sleep", which reached No. 64 in the UK Singles Chart. Homesick was Deacon Blue's final album to feature guitarist Graeme Kelling, who died in 2004.
The Very Best of Deacon Blue is a greatest hits compilation for the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It is composed of singles and album tracks from the band's previous albums, plus two B-sides, "Indigo Sky" from the "Hang Your Head" single, and "When You Were a Boy You Were a Beautiful Boy" from the "Everytime You Sleep" single.
Singles is a singles compilation by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It contains three new tracks, "Bigger than Dynamite", "Haunted", and "The One About Loneliness", that were recorded by the band in March 2006.
"Dignity" is a song by Deacon Blue, which was the band's first official release. It is one of their most popular songs and it is usually played as the final song at concerts. It received the most public votes for the 1980s songs in the Scotland's Greatest Album contest run by STV in 2011, and was featured on the 12 track compilation. It was also sung at the closing ceremony at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.
"When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)" is a single released by the Scottish group Deacon Blue in 1987 and in 1988. The song features prominent backing vocals from members of R&B group Londonbeat. It was the very first song to be played on Radio Luxembourg after it went satellite at 3AM on 30 December 1991. The video for the song was directed by John Scarlett-Davis and produced by Nick Verden for Radar Films.
"Chocolate Girl" is the fourth song released as a single from the album Raintown by the Scottish group Deacon Blue. The single version differed from the album version of the song. It is a remix by the American mixer Michael Brauer, which adds a longer musical interlude in the middle of the song and gives greater emphasis to B.J. Cole's pedal steel guitar in parts of the song.
"Only Tender Love" is the third single from Scottish band Deacon Blue's fourth studio album, Whatever You Say, Say Nothing (1993). The song on the single is an edited version of the album track. The track reached No. 22 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1993. The B-sides are "Pimp Talking" and "Cracks You Up".
"I Was Right and You Were Wrong" is the first single from Scottish band Deacon Blue's first greatest hits album, Our Town - The Greatest Hits. Produced by Steve Osborne, the song reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
Pale Rider is a solo album from Scottish rock musician Ricky Ross.
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