Christopher John Davison (born 15 October 1948), known professionally as Chris de Burgh, is a British-Irish singer-songwriter and instrumentalist. He started out as an art rock performer but subsequently started writing more pop-oriented material. He has had several top 40 hits in the UK and two in the US, but he is more popular in other countries, particularly Norway and Brazil. His 1986 love song “The Lady in Red” reached number one in several countries. De Burgh has sold over 45 million albums worldwide. (wikipedia)
An art rocker who occasionally writes pop-oriented material, Chris de Burgh has never been as popular in his native Britain or the United States as he is in other areas of the world. He’s had several songs make the Top 40, including 1983’s “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” (number 34) and the number three ballad “The Lady in Red” (1986). In Britain, he’s had several Top 40 singles — “The Lady in Red” was a number one hit and “Missing You” peaked at number three — and he’s had a number of minor hits. Nevertheless, he has gained astounding popularity in other countries, particularly Norway and Brazil. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)
Into the Light is the eighth studio album by British-Irish singer Chris de Burgh, released in 1986 by A&M Records. The album is notable for featuring de Burgh’s biggest hit, “The Lady in Red”.
The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, becoming de Burgh’s first studio album to enter the top ten.
“Fatal Hesitation” was a UK number 44 hit, spending four weeks on the chart. “Say Goodbye to It All” was a continuation of the song “Borderline” from 1982’s The Getaway. Both songs frequently appear in de Burgh’s concerts and compilation albums. The song “For Rosanna” is dedicated to de Burgh’s then-2-year-old daughter Rosanna. (wikipedia)
Into the Light contains Chris de Burgh’s highest-charting single with the ballroom elegance of “Lady in Red,” peaking at number three in 1987 and remaining on the Billboard charts for 14 weeks. This song, with its sweeping romantic tempo and classy feel, is reminiscent of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” as de Burgh’s sincere flattery for his lover is exquisitely sung. Even his voice seems more pronounced, as it resonates and then lowers into a softer tone. Besides the hit single, much of the album remains lush and mellow in the style of de Burgh’s usual ballads.
On songs like “Last Night” and “Spirit of Man,” his seriousness and honesty break through to showcase his passion for his work. Although the music on the album is slow paced, this doesn’t take away from de Burgh’s appealing blend of dignified lyrics and late-night sound. The flyaway chorus in “Saying Goodbye to It All” makes this song the second best on the album. Here, de Burgh sparks some energy with a slightly quicker stride than most of the album’s material.
Even “Fire in the Water” contains an attractive hitch of its own kind. While Into the Light may not be his best work, its lavish, posh feel sets it apart from much of his other slower recordings. (by Mike DeGagne)
Personnel:
Gary Barnacle (saxophone)
Tony Beard (drums)
Chris de Burgh (vocals, guitar, drum machine)
John Giblin (bass)
Peter van Hooke (drums)
Carol Kenyon (background vocals)
Ian Kojima (saxophone)
Al Marnie (bass)
Danny McBride (guitar)
Patrick Miles (lead guitar)
Glenn Morrow (keyboards)
Phil Palmer (guitar)
Pino Palladino (bass)
Jeff Phillips (drums, percussion)
Andy Richards (keyboards)
Nick Glennie-Smith (keyboards)
Tracklist:
01. Last Night 6.08
02. Fire On The Water 4.29
03. The Ballroom Of Romance 4.26
04. The Lady In Red 4.05
05. Say Goodbye To It All 5.23
06. The Spirit Of Man 4.41
07. Fatal Hesitation 4.17
08. One Word (Straight To The Heart) 4.31
09. For Rosanna 3.40
10. The Leader 2.16
11. The Vision 3.14
12. What About Me? 3.06
All songs written by Chris de Burgh
More from Chris de Burgh:
The official website:
Christopher John Davison (born 15 October 1948), known professionally as Chris de Burgh, is a British-Irish singer-songwriter and instrumentalist. He started out as an art rock performer but subsequently started writing more pop-oriented material. He has had several top 40 hits in the UK and two in the US, but he is more popular in other countries, particularly Norway and Brazil. His 1986 love song “The Lady in Red” reached number one in several countries. De Burgh has sold over 45 million albums worldwide. (wikipedia)
Chris de Burgh signed his first contract with A&M Records in 1974, and supported Supertramp on their Crime of the Century tour, building himself a small fan base. His début album, Far Beyond These Castle Walls, was a folk-tinged stab at fantasy in the tradition of the Moody Blues. It failed to chart upon its release in late 1974. A few months later, he released a single called “Turning Round” from the album, released outside the UK and Ireland as “Flying”. It failed to make an impression in the UK, but it stayed on top of the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This became a familiar pattern for the singer/songwriter, as every one of his 1970s albums failed to chart in the UK or US while they racked up big sales in continental European and South American countries. In 1981, he had his first UK chart entry with Best Moves, a collection culled from his early albums. It set the stage for 1982’s Rupert Hine produced The Getaway, which reached number 30 in the UK charts and number 43 in the US, thanks to the eerie single “Don’t Pay the Ferryman”. Chris de Burgh’s follow-up album, Man on the Line, also performed well, charting at 69 in the US and 11 in the UK.
Vicky Leandros
High on Emotion: Live from Dublin is the first live album by Chris de Burgh, released by A&M Records in 1990. The album was recorded at the RDS, Dublin in December 1988.
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