Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A reminder of what true songwriting used to be., 19 Nov 2001
By A Customer
I first heard the strains of this incredible collection of songs 18 years ago through the wall while a neighbour played it every night for a week. There was something very special about the melodies that floated through the brickwork, and it was only months later that a friend played a cassette of the album that I said, "Who IS that?" Chris de Burgh's name was new to me, but the next day I went and bought the album (vinyl LP!). I now have it in CD quality of course, and each song (except possibly "The Painter") still makes the hairs on the back of my head stand. Chris paints a story-board in your imagination with the virtuosity of a musical Picasso. His more recent material is good alright, but this album, with its beautiful melodies, is in a different league. I wish Chris would do a tour which focussed on the less heard tracks on this album, along with those on 'Crusdaer', 'End of a perfect day' and 'Castle Walls'. "Spanish Train" is a wonderful, wonderful album. If you like good stories put to lovely music and sung with feeling, you'll know what these reviews are trying to say. But it and see for yourself.
|
|
|
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
70s storytelling at its finest, 19 May 2005
It's time the reputation of Chris de Burgh had a bit of rehabilitation. In the days before "The Lady in Red" and its bundle of insipid follow-ups, Chris de Burgh was a songwriter with flair and originality. A modern-day descendant of the travelling minstrels of yesteryear, de Burgh perfected the art of storytelling in song, finding equal inspiration from the Celtic tradition and the era of flower power when being a folk singer was something to be proud of. "Spanish Train and Other Stories" was de Burgh's second album, and certainly his creative peak.The title track opens quietly but rapidly reaches a demented crescendo with a crazy story of God and the Devil playing poker for souls. From here, the album meanders, erratically but with great charm, through some of his best tragic ballads ("Lonely Sky"), understated protest songs ("This Song for You") and drinking choruses ("Going Home" and "Patricia the Stripper"). Religious imagery abounds but from a refreshingly leftfield perspective, re-casting the Nativity angel as a visiting alien in the classic "A Spaceman Came Travelling" and re-telling the story of Jesus as a modern political agitator in the simply gorgeous "Just Another Poor Boy". "The Painter" is a half-crazed murder ballad which leaves you wondering just who was the victim and who the killer, while "The Tower" takes an enchanting step backwards into Celtic mythology to spin a breathtaking fairytale with a modern ecological message - a theme which de Burgh was to follow up in later acoustic albums such as "Crusader". There's a naive kind of daring about many of these songs. "Patricia" was one of my personal favourites on the sixth-form stereo in years gone by, and the religious imagery of "Spanish Train" and "Spaceman" must certainly have shocked in its day. But mostly these are just beautifully told stories with the catchiest tunes; even if their style has dated, the songs are as memorable as ever. This is one of the classic albums of the post-hippie era. Miss it at your peril.
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant album, 21 Jun 2002
Anyone wanting a first album of Chris de burgh should start with this one. It has humour, sentiment, and most of all can be listened to again and again.This song for you and A spaceman.. are 2 moving songs, and the Painter and Patricia the stripper are great fun too. If its love you want try Lonely sky or just another poor boy. All the song s are great and my tape of this is always in use!!
Great fun!
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ Chris De Burgh
~ Chris De Burgh
~ Chris De Burgh
~ Chris De Burgh
~ Chris De Burgh
