Spanish Train and Other Stories

Infobox Album |
Name = Spanish Train and Other Stories
Type = Album
Artist = Chris de Burgh


Released = 1975
Recorded = Ramport and Scorpio Studios
Genre = Rock
Length = 43:28
Label = A&M Records
Producer = Robin Geoffrey Cable
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:m02vadzkv8w1 link]
Last album = "Far Beyond These Castle Walls"
(1974)
This album = "Spanish Train and Other Stories"
(1975)
Next album = "At the End of a Perfect Day"
(1977)

"Spanish Train and Other Stories" is the second album by Chris de Burgh, released by A&M Records in 1975.

Track listing

# "Spanish Train" – 5:00
# "Lonely Sky" – 3:52
# "This Song For You" – 4:14
# "Patricia the Stripper" – 3:30
# "A Spaceman Came Travelling" – 5:10
# "I'm Going Home" – 3:34
# "The Painter" – 4:20
# "Old Friend" – 3:40
# "The Tower" – 5:22
# "Just Another Poor Boy" – 4:46

All songs written by Chris de Burgh.

Personnel

* Chris de Burgh – Acoustic Guitars, Lead and all Backing Vocals, Piano on "The Tower" and "This Song For You"
* Barry de Souza – Drums
* Ray Glynn – Electric Guitars
* Lennox Laington – Percussion
* Tony Hymas – Keyboards
* Tony Reeves – Bass, String Bass on "A Spaceman Came Travelling"
* Phillip Goodhand-Tait – Harmonium
* Chris Laurence – String Bass
* Ken Freeman – String Synthesizer
* Chris Mercer – Sax on "The Painter"
* Mick Eves – Sax on "The Painter"

Other credits

* The Strings, Choir, Recorders and Ocarinas on "The Tower" and "Lonely Sky" were arranged by Robert Kirby who also arranged the Brass for "Old Friend" and "This Song For You"
* David Hentschel arranged and performed Synthesizer on "A Spaceman Came Travelling"
* Richard Hewson arranged the Strings and Brass for "Just Another Poor Boy" and "Spanish Train"
* Mixed at Scorpio and A.I.R. Studios
* Engineered by Robin Groffrey Cable, assisted by Mark Dobson, Ian Major, and John Kelly

Chart positions

Controversy

The title track is a story about a train carrying the souls of the dead to the Underworld. God and the Devil are playing Poker - gambling with the souls. Naturally, the Devil cheats and wins the game. The song finishes with the stanza:

"Far away, in some dark recess,
The Lord and the Devil are now playing Chess.
The Devil still cheats and wins more souls,
as for the Lord - he's just doing his best."

The song was deemed blasphemous in South Africa, and a ban was ordered. A&M records sued to get the ban overturned - the suit was eventually successful. However, while the suit was in progress, A&M released the album under the title "Lonely Sky and Other Stories" (without "Spanish Train"). This album is considered a collector's item today - copies are extremely rare.

External links

* [http://www.cdeb.com/ The official Chris de Burgh site]
* [http://www.cd-lexikon.de/album/cd_chris_de_burgh_spanish_train_and_other_stories.htm Album site on cd-lexikon.de] (German)