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.


Before he entered Wimpdom   December 13, 2004
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Such a shame that CdB allowed his songwriting skills to become formulaic, watered-down wimpishness. As if 'Lady in Red' wasn't bad enough (it was surely worse), he wrote and re-wrote it endless times and tried to palm it off as a new song each time - but there was a time when he told stories. And there wasn't a red-draped lady in sight. These were real stories in the grand tradition of troubadors and minstrels. It's a pity that 'Spanish Train' and 'Crusader' (off another early recording) haven't been put together as then you'd have the perfect CdB storytelling album. Don't be put off by CdB's latest lamentable outpourings - this album is well worth listening to - as is 'Crusader'.


Er...yes, I do own a Chris de Burgh album   December 7, 2003
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

It's not something you readily admit to these days, owning an album by Chris de Burgh. It was Lady in Red that did it - that loathsome song has a lot to answer for. Why did he have to sell his soul for a number 1?

Such a shame too, because Spanish Train (which I first heard in the early 80s) revealed de Burgh to be a remarkable performer - intelligent, witty, musical and talented, capable of crafting a song like a master, spinning a yarn (try the title track with its fanciful tale of God and the Devil playing cards to win souls for that) and truly entertaining his audience. Look at all the Christmas compilation albums out for the festive season, and you'll find A Spaceman Came Travelling on almost every one. This is a spellbinding album, which only fails my 5-star rating because some numbers seem slightly bland compared to the punchier tracks, but that's a fairly harsh judgement.

As for Chris, he always did have his eye on family appeal. I once saw his stage show on TV. He had a couple of dancers performing to Patricia the Stripper, but unlike Delicia in the song they kept their drawers firmly on!!


What an album should be   March 7, 2003
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

What a shame that CdB ever had to discover the commercial success of stuff like Lady in Red, because if that is what you know of CdB you are in for a shock - but a good one! This album is what songwriting should be about - full of energy, soul and pictures. Yes "pictures" - you see the songs in your head such are the pictures he paints - good link to The Painter which is probably my favourite track on the album. Buy it and Enjoy.


A brilliant album   June 21, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

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!