New Single...

[elangelo]

... As for me, I'm just happy that the sound is back on again, that's good news. And the lyrics... well, if you release an album every year or two years, you'll realize that there were only 28 letters in the alphabet and you've used them all! Not everyone will start singing in Hopelandic because of that. There is a different type of artist, like Stevie Wonder or Sade who say that they can't release an album every 2 years because they can only sing what they really feel, and I understand this position too. I also think that Chris understands that too and will try to think of something different. Maybe it would be great to take a rest, I even think - to release anoter instrumental album, maybe... but we'll see what comes in 2010 - maybe there will be lot of brand new stuff. But I also agree with Lily - he deserves respect after what he has done already.

[elangelo]

What happened to lyrics like "In this garden I shall burn my callous robes" (Light of Hope).

Still, not so long ago, Chris produced songs with wonderful lyrics, especially on the Blue Jukebox album back in 2004, but also on in many songs on the Blue Guitars album in 2005, so we can't say 'it's over', I think.

[Mr_Blues]

Blues lyrics ain´t ment to be some out of this world poetry.
Blues is about everyday life, joys and sorrows and it tells
a story about certain moment, feeling or happening.
And blues lyrics are often simple, what counts is the feeling
and the passion of how that blues is performed.

[tobi777]

Hi all,

guess I'm a bit heretic, too. I always regard a song as a total work of art. The formula: blues = bad production + cheesy lyrics + uninspired guitar playing + simple chords doesn't work for me, either. That's the reason I don't like many highly regarded blues players. I know it's a matter of personal taste and every artists changes slightly over such a long time but nevertheless I'm disappointed with the development of Chris' music over the last years.

If you listen to "I Can't Dance To That" from DWS - a great blues song - you'll hear the difference. Great arrangement, interesting lyrics, more than just three chords (although it may sound simple), clean production, evolving guitar solos, cool drumming, professional recording and so on. Remember this song was recorded in 1987 - an era not particularly famous for great guitar records and -sounds...

His slide playing now all sounds the same. Just loud and scratchy. No precise soloing we used to hear. One reason may be the absence of a really good producer, maybe Chris lost his ability to hear. I'll always try to find good songs on Chris' new records but to be honest I think his heyday was between 1987 and 1993. Melodies and elaborate arrangements are crucial parts of his records and without these ingredients it just sounds all the same.

REAgards

Tobi

[chrisreafan]

If one wants to hear some rockin blues one can buy Jim Mize with "Release it to the sky".

I hope that "Valentino" makes up from me buying the record "So far to go" i m sorry to have me say that.

[Chris]

One can listen to Chris Rea's new single on Moscow FM radio, too....
Right here:
http://www.moskva.fm/artist/chris_rea/song_056684
Take care,
Chris

[Tina3]

Hi Everyone,

Chris Rea has a certain style (a unique one, that is, and - in fact - it's his trade mark), which hasn't changed much (even with blues) since his first recordings. Hence, the title of his current single leading to the new album, "Come so far, yet still so far to go". You can sense his credo in it: "I'm chained to the highway; the's no other way for me to go...", "always looking for a new day"..., "always a dream ahead of me"...,"but I still like the show.."
Lyrics?, well he's not a great poet (he never claimed he was one) and you could say he had his ups and downs with words but basically he sticks to his vocabulary and uses it best he can. Chris admitted in interviews that he "kept on re-writing his old songs, changing them a bit" etc., so for me there's no surprise there either.
I admire him for his style and treasure for what he's done and he still does because all of his songs come directly from him. He writes his own texts and music. Music comes straight from his heart and goes into our harts and minds. Words are expressing his feelings and life's experiences including: his happy and sad moments, childhood and youth days, birth of his two daughters, reminiscence of his parents, brothers and sisters, friends and places he visited (beaches ((Spain, Italy)), islands (mostly Caribbean: Parrot Cay,Turks and Caicos Islands) , cities (Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, London, Dublin, Warsaw), rivers, far away places (in his imagination) as well as (yes!) hospitals.

And as far as "burning himself out", "running out of ideas", "coming to the end of the line", "being finished" (because the party is - allegedly - over) etc., I mostly take him for what he had done throughout his life and still want to hear him perform and record. I'm of the opinion he's predictable. At least he was and still is for me.

I totally agree you you Chris and with Lily and Rich too

I've been a fan of Chris Rea for 16 years (despite the "starter Chris Rea fan" bollocks top right)[/quote

I think you are being very harsh.I assume Bart has put the various titles on fan's avitar's as a laugh and it does not represent the length of time you have been a fan of Chris.
Maybe the love affair with Chris is over for you but it was 30 years last year since Chris released Benny Santini which many fans consider to be Chris's 1st album.Here we are looking forward to another album next year in 2010 so them 31 years or so has to account for something.
Tina

[Chris]

The new Chris Rea's single played on radio Moscow FM is longer (runs over 4 minutes; 4'14'' to be exact) than the version played by BBC....
It has one more stanza, for a total of three ....

http://www.moskva.fm/artist/chris_rea/song_056684

Here are the lyrics:

I've come so far but I still have so far to go

I'm chained to the highway
there's no other way for me
always looking for a new day
always a dream ahead of me
seems like it's so many lifetimes
through the sunshine, rain, and snow
Yeah I come so far but I still got so far to go
Well I come so far but I still got so far to go
hmmm
I still got so far to go
I still got so far to go

Give me the scream of an engine
I only dream in Ruby Red
give me the range of a freedom
she is fighter for them bread
making plans to catch the big one
is the only thing I known
Yeah I come so far but I still got so far to go
I know I come so far but still got so far to go
Still got so far to go
Still got so far to go

I'm gonna end up dying
but buddy it's this thing for you
but you may as well be gone already
if you say your dreams can't come true
there's been good times there's been bad
but I still love the show
Yeah I come so far but I still got so far to go
Yeah I come so far but I still got so far to go
Yeah I've come so far but I still got so far to go
hmmmm
I still got so far to go

hmmm still got so far to go
I still got
I still got so far to go....

Enjoy!
Chris

[lilybee]

Thanks for the link Chris

I like it even better!

Lily

[elangelo]

Great, even more great lyrics! Nothing to complain about!
Hey, I never thought Radio Sport here in Moscow would play a new Chris Rea single. I wonder where they got it!
But maybe it's Warner, they start rotating the track, giving it to the radios, just like good old days.

[Chris]

Lily, Elangelo and all,
I'm glad you liked the 'extended' version. To me the lyrics with an extra stanza make more sense. At least we know what's on his mind; a racing car...
Anyway, I'm also surprised Radio Moscow FM plays the tune. Evidently the Warner Bros people in Russia are hard at work!
Good for Chris and good for them, too.
Take care,
Chris

[Mr_Blues]

Hi all,

guess I'm a bit heretic, too. I always regard a song as a total work of art. The formula: blues = bad production + cheesy lyrics + uninspired guitar playing + simple chords doesn't work for me, either. That's the reason I don't like many highly regarded blues players. I know it's a matter of personal taste and every artists changes slightly over such a long time but nevertheless I'm disappointed with the development of Chris' music over the last years.

If you listen to "I Can't Dance To That" from DWS - a great blues song - you'll hear the difference. Great arrangement, interesting lyrics, more than just three chords (although it may sound simple), clean production, evolving guitar solos, cool drumming, professional recording and so on. Remember this song was recorded in 1987 - an era not particularly famous for great guitar records and -sounds...

His slide playing now all sounds the same. Just loud and scratchy. No precise soloing we used to hear. One reason may be the absence of a really good producer, maybe Chris lost his ability to hear. I'll always try to find good songs on Chris' new records but to be honest I think his heyday was between 1987 and 1993. Melodies and elaborate arrangements are crucial parts of his records and without these ingredients it just sounds all the same.

REAgards

Tobi

I don´t think that lyrics of "I Can't Dance To That" is any better than lyrics of this new song.
Actually rather simple lyrics and idea as well....

[JOHN O'NEILL]

YES HEARD IT ON THE CHRIS EVANS SHOW, GREAT SOUNDING STUFF, LETS HAVE SOME MORE OF THIS PLEASE, I MUST SAY I AGREE WITH YOU WHATS THE POINT OF RELEASING A SONG LIKE THIS TO PROMOTE A NEW BEST OF ALBUM, ALONG WITH THE OTHER 6 OR 7 ITS NOT LIKE CHRIS NEEDS THE MONEY, LETS HAVE A NEW ALBUM SOON

[andrew fischer]

i've listened attentively to that longer version courtesy of Moscow FM. The last minute of the song is quite great. I mean the solo guitar stuff is really new and it's done really well and passionate. Everything in the rest 3 minutes is done much better by Billy Gibbons & Co.

May your shadow never grow less,
&ru

[ace of hearts]

Hi, I've just taken the opportunity to listen to the full version. I think this is great Chris Rea stuff really. It is the classic build up through the song to a rousing finish. No one sounds like him, he is uniquie in my opinion and it is why we love his music and anticipate new releases so much
Rich.