Hey you - Chris Rea

One of Chris Rea's lesser known singles is 'Hey you', taken from his fifth studio album Water sign, which yielded the hit single 'I can hear your heart beat'.

According to the sleeve notes in the 2019 deluxe version of Shamrock Diaries, the record company would not fund Water Sign, "forcing [Rea] to use tracks that had been intended as demos". As a result, Rea plays most instruments on the album, and – unusually – drum machines feature. In an interview, Chris Rea said: "I turned in the Water Sign tapes as demos. And they said, that's it, put them out. And it looked like once they'd released that album they were gonna drop us." At that time he was ready to throw in the towel, quit the music business and open an Italian restaurant. "Then a guy from Ireland phoned Magnet Records and said, 'I really like Water Sign. Will Chris come over and do a concert?' Then it all started to come good in Ireland. I went over there, it was like Beatlemania! So I stayed there a while, did a large tour." 

My collection: 7" single no. 7126
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 March 2024
Tracks: 'Hey you' / 'Love to love'

On the beach (Summer '88) - Chris Rea

I scored a hattrick last week when I bought three singles by Chris Rea. The last of the three, after Giverny and You can go your own way, was the 'Summer '88' version of 'On the beach'. It is one of my favourite songs by Chris Rea - although there are more - and this version is a bit more up-tempo than the original. It was taken from the album 'New light through old windows', a collection of re-recordings of his older songs.

The original version of 'On the beach' only reached number 57, so it must have been a surprise to find that this new version peaked at number 12 in the UK. In other territories, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 6083
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'On the beach (Summer '88)' / 'I'm taking the day out'

You can go your own way - Chris Rea

Not the famous Fleetwood Mac song, but a Chris Rea original. This single was released in 1994 to promote one of his greatest hits albums, 'The best of Chris Rea'. I already knew the track because of a cd-single I bought eons ago, but as you know, 7" vinyl is still my preferred format.

Equally interesting is the B-side, a calm Chris Rea track called 'Ruby blue'. This is a specially recorded B-side, not on any album. Which makes this single more interesting.

My collection: 7" single no. 6082
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You can go your own way' / 'Ruby blue'

Giverny - Chris Rea

Somewhere along the way, I have become addicted to unknown Chris Rea singles. They are always surprising, but in a good way. His sound is usually pretty relaxed, laidback and soothing. This single from 1986 is no exception. 'Giverny' was taken from his album 'On the beach', but it was only released in Europe.

In these days of European politics, it is worth noting that Chris Rea is apparently a supported of the idea of a Brexit, claiming that 'you cannot force different people to live together [when] they simply do not want to'. Applying this logic to the United Kingdom, we're in for some interesting times then...

My collection: 7" single no. 6081
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Giverny' / 'Bless them all'

Goodbye little Colombus - Chris Rea

I have many singles by Chris Rea. The man is a solid songwriter and his singles rarely disappoint. Bewilderingly, there's never been a complete singles collection of the man's output. I once made one myself, but this was in the days before Discogs and Wikipedia, so the 2 CDR set I made was not complete.

Proof of this fact is provided in the form of this single, which I never knew existed. Taken from his self-titled 1982 album, this is actually a promotional version of 'Goodbye little Colombus' from Germany. The back cover states that the song is presented in the TV programme 'Café in Takt' on August 12, 1981. Probably 1982 I'd think....

My collection: 7" single no. 6046
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Goodbye little Colombus' / 'If you choose to go'

Whatever happened to Benny Santini? - Chris Rea

During my life I have shopped for singles in many strange places. Yesterday was a very strange one indeed. Two days ago I went to the circus with my daughters, and discovered a record shop inside the tent. Turns out the organiser of the circus also acquired a record collection, to sell during the event until today. With two children by my side I didn't have time to browse all the singles, and so I went back yesterday.

My first find was immediately a good one: this Chris Rea single on red vinyl. Released in the UK in 1978, this track, the title track of Rea's debut album, was an unsuccessful follow-up to 'Fool (If you think it's over)'. The single did reach number 71 in the US Billboard Hot 100 for some curious reason.

My collection: 7" single no. 5972
Found: Top 2000 cafe, Circus, Den Haag
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Whatever happened to Benny Santini?' / 'Three angels'

Bombollini - Chris Rea

Released as the first single from Chris Rea's 1984 album 'Wired to the moon', 'Bombollini' was a bit of an eccentric choice. Clocking in at 6 minutes and 10 seconds, the track bares some resemblance to his later hit single Nothing to fear (1991).

Almost unsurprisingly, 'Bombollini' didn't become a hit, just like the other two singles from the album. Still, this single is worth a spin or two, because it shows the craftmanship of Chris Rea like no other single from that point in time in his career. Great melody lines and skillful guitar solos, that's the way we like it.

My collection: 7" single no. 5655
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Bombollini' / 'True love'

God's great banana skin - Chris Rea

Chris Rea released a stream of singles during his career that weren't always successful in the charts. Many of his single releases did not chart at all or scraped into the lower reaches - under the top 40 that is.

'God's great banana skin' the title track of his 1993 album, was reasonably successful, as it reached number 31 in the UK singles chart. It repeats that old mantra: 'Don't you ever think no-one's better than you'. It's a thought many people I know should get into their heads.

My collection: 7" single no. 5462
Found: unknown
Tracks: 'God's great banana skin' / 'I saw you coming'

Ace of hearts - Chris Rea

'Ace of hearts' was the fourth single taken from Chris Rea's 1984 album 'Wired to the moon'. In the UK, it was the title track of a mini album featuring five tracks. This German single features just two of them: 'Ace of hearts' and 'True love'.

The single did not become a hit in Germany. In the UK, it reached number 79 in 1984, and a reissue reached number 78 a year later.

My collection: 7" single no. 5291
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 1,5 euro
Tracks: 'Ace of hearts (special remix)' / 'True love'

Diamonds - Chris Rea

'Diamonds', a single from Chris Rea's 1979 album 'Deltics', sounded a bit crude, not at all like the polished songs he would release during much of the Eighties. Still, it didn't totally put off the record-buying public: the single reached number 44 in the UK singles chart.

One other single was released from the album: 'Raincoat and a rose'. That single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5189
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Diamonds' / 'Cleveland calling'

Let it loose - Chris Rea

'Let it loose' was recorded by Chris Rea for the soundtrack of the movie 'Cross country'. The track also appeared on his 1983 album 'Water sign'.

Released as a single in February 1983, it only reached number 85 in the UK singles chart. At the time, the record company was barely interested in working with Rea, to a point that his album 'Water sign' was basically a collection of demos.

My collection: 7" single no. 5172
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Let it loose' / 'Urban samurai'

Wired to the moon - Chris Rea

Chris Rea released his sixth album 'Wired to the moon' in 1984, keeping up his 'one album per year' tempo without any problem, it seemed. A whopping five singles were drawn from the album, although only the first one, 'I don't know what it is but I love it', reached the UK singles chart.

The title track was the fifth single, and like the previous three, it didn't chart. All this despite the fact that it's actually a lovely sort of lullaby.

My collection: 7" single no. 5171
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Wired to the moon' / 'True love'

Tennis - Chris Rea

'Tennis' was Chris Rea's third album, released in 1980. The title track was released as a single ahead of the album in March 1980. The single went by without troubling the charts in any territory.

The album wasn't much more successful: it reached number 60 in the UK albums chart - and that was all.

My collection: 7" single no. 5170
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Tennis' / 'If you really love me'

I can hear your heartbeat - Chris Rea

On his album 'New light through old windows' (1988) Chris Rea re-recorded the tracks that made him famous in the Eighties. They were not always better versions, but I guess the man felt the need to do these songs once again.

The album spawned three singles, of which 'I can hear your heartbeat' was the last one. It was the least successful one, too: it only reached number 74 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5081
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I can hear your heartbeat' / 'Loving you again (live version)'

Spirit of the forest - Spirit of the forest

After Band Aid, Dance Aid, Ferry Aid and USA for Africa, the Gentlemen without weapons figured they had something to add to the growing amount of charity singles: a rainforest appeal. Together with the animal and rainforest noises which they'd already used for an album, they rounded up lots of famous artists to record 'Spirit of the forest'.

Somehow, the idea didn't quite work. The song sounded a bit naff and people were apparently not so concerned about the destruction of the rain forest as they were about starving children in Africa. The single was a commercial failure, but fans of Afrika Bambaataa, Jon Anderson, B52's, Michael de Barre, Big Country and the few dozen other artists mentioned on the sleeve of this single had another collector's item to get their hands on.

My collection: 7" single no. 900
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 23, 1989
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Spirit of the forest' / 'Spirit of the forest'

Touché d'amour - Chris Rea

The third single from Chris Rea's 1984 album 'Wired to the moon' was 'Touché d'amour'. Somewhat surprisingly, it was a reggae-oriented track.

The single reached number 86 in the UK singles chart and number 46 in Germany. In other territories, this single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4798
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Touché d'amour (special remix)' / 'Touché d'amour (instrumental)'

Whatever happened to Benny Santini? - Chris Rea

When Chris Rea signed his first record deal with Magnet Records in 1978, they suggested he use the stage name Benny Santini. He refused, but it did inspire him to write the song 'Whatever happened to Benny Santini?'. What's more, his debut album was named after this song.

And the song in turn was released as the second single from the album. Although this single flopped all over Europe, it did manage to reach number 71 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Even more remarkable: only 'Fool (if you think it's over)' (1978) and 'Diamonds' (1979) were bigger single hits for Rea in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 4794
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Whatever happened to Benny Santini?' / 'Three angels'

Working on it - Chris Rea

'Working on it' is another one of those catchy rock tunes by Chris Rea that sticks in your head once you've heard it. It was released in 1989 when his compilation album 'New light through old windows' had just seen the light of day. This compilation featured new versions of Chris Rea hits.

This single was only a minor hit, reaching number 53 in the UK singles chart and number 73 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2486
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 40p
Tracks: 'Working on it' / 'One golden rule'

I don't know what it is but I love it - Chris Rea

Released as the first single from his 1984 album 'Wired to the moon', Chris Rea was unable to get chart success with 'I don't know what it is but I love it'.

The single only managed to reach number 65 in the UK singles chart during a two week chart run. All this despite a rather interesting B-side track that wasn't included on the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 4683
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I don't know what it is but I love it' / 'Mystery man'

That's what they always say - Chris Rea

'That's what they always say' was the second single taken from Chris Rea's 1989 album 'The road to hell'. The track was remixed for the single release, but it didn't help much: the single didn't chart in any territory.

I knew the album 'Road to hell' when it came out, and I didn't think this was the best track to release as a single. There are some standout tracks on the album, but this one wasn't one of them...

My collection: 7" single no. 4682
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's what they always say (remix)' / '1975'