Album

Raintown

Deacon Blue

1987 · Pop

9 collectors on Gatefold own this

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Raintown by Deacon Blue

Raintown is an Electronic album by Deacon Blue, originally released in 1987. On Gatefold: 51 pressings tracked, owned by 9 collectors.

About

Raintown is the debut album of Scottish pop band Deacon Blue. The album, written largely by lead singer Ricky Ross, was released in the United Kingdom on May 1, 1987. It proved a commercial success and has to date sold around a million copies, peaking in the UK album chart at 14 and remaining in the charts for a year and a half. The album, widely praised as Deacon Blue's finest work, has the overtones of a concept album relating to the struggles of getting by in life in the inner city of urban life - the city being unmistakably Glasgow, referenced by the roots of the band and by the famous images on the cover of the album, the view of a rainy day over Glasgow's West End (with the Finnieston Crane featuring prominently) and, on the rear, a long-exposure capture of the Kingston Bridge blasting through the city centre at night. 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. 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"), 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 searing slide guitar outro by Chris Rea. 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.

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Tracklist

  1. 1Born In a Storm1:33
  2. 2Raintown3:49
  3. 3Ragman3:07
  4. 4He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now3:50
  5. 5Loaded4:30
  6. 6When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?5:02
  7. 7Chocolate Girl3:17
  8. 8Dignity3:59
  9. 9The Very Thing3:33
  10. 10Love's Great Fears3:40
  11. 11Town to Be Blamed5:21
  12. 12Which Side Are You On?2:57
  13. 13Kings of the Western World2:38
  14. 14Angeliou6:17
  15. 15Just Like Boys3:13
  16. 16Raintown (Piano Version)3:38
  17. 17Riches2:38
  18. 18Church3:16
  19. 19Shifting Sand3:17
  20. 20Suffering2:42
  21. 21Ribbons and Bows4:16
  22. 2.1Dignity4:13
  23. 2.2Long Distance from Just Across the Road2:52
  24. 2.3When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)? (12" Version)5:30
  25. 2.4Town to Be Blamed (Live) [12"]4:41
  26. 2.5Ronnie Spector3:32
  27. 2.6Dignity (Extended Version)5:47
  28. 2.7That Brilliant Feeling #13:15
  29. 2.8Punch and Judy Man3:50
  30. 2.9Disneyworld2:56
  31. 2.10S.H.A.R.O.N.4:14
  32. 2.11Chocolate Girl (Extended)3:35
  33. 2.12Dignity (Live)4:54
  34. 2.13Love's Great Fears (Live)6:22
  35. 2.14The Very Thing (Livessy Remix)3:40
  36. 2.15Love's Great Fears (Brauer Remix)3:44
  37. 3.1Raintown (Live At The Marquee '86)3:50
  38. 3.2Ragman (Demo Version)3:14
  39. 3.3He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now (Live At The Marquee '86)4:50
  40. 3.4Loaded (Demo Version)4:11
  41. 3.5When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring) [Air Studios Vocal Mix]5:03
  42. 3.6Chocolate Girl (Live At The Marquee '86)3:55
  43. 3.7Dignity (Live At The Marquee '86)4:00
  44. 3.8Love's Great Fears (Live At The Marquee '86)4:00
  45. 3.9Souvenirs2:40
  46. 3.10Don't Let the Teardrops Start3:22

Sound DNA

  • Electronic
  • Synth-Pop / New Wave
  • lush
  • melancholic
  • nocturnal

Album notes

Discogs page for these notes (opens in a new tab)

Debut album released on CD/LP/MC -87 reached # in the UK Chart
Singles released & related:
Dignity (87)/(11-1-88) #NA/#20
Loaded (87) #NA
When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring) (24-8-87)/(28-3-88) #86/#34
Chocolate Girl (4-7-88) #43

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

  • Douglas VipondDRUM DRUMS DRUMS, BACKING VOCALS
  • Ewen VernalBACKING VOCALS BASS BASS, BACKING VOCALS
  • Graeme KellingGUITAR GUITAR , VOICE GUITAR, LOW WHISTLE
  • James PrimeBACKING VOCALS KEYBOARDS KEYBOARDS, BACKING VOCALS
  • Lorraine McIntoshBACKING VOCALS, HARMONY VOCALS FEATURING , VOCALS PERFORMER, VOCALS
  • Ricky RossLEAD VOCALS, GUITAR, PIANO, KEYBOARDS PERFORMER, LEAD VOCALS VOCALS
  • BJ ColeGUITAR PEDAL STEEL GUITAR STEEL GUITAR
  • Chris ReaSLIDE GUITAR
  • George ChandlerBACKING VOCALS
  • H.J. ColeSTEEL GUITAR
  • Jimmy ChambersBACKING VOCALS
  • Jimmy HelmsBACKING VOCALS
  • LondonbeatBACKING VOCALS

9 collectors on Gatefold own this · 51 pressings tracked on Gatefold

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