Real Life (Simple Minds album)
Real Life is the ninth album by the Scottish band Simple Minds, released in April 1991.[4] The album reached No. 2 in the UK,[5] and No. 74 in the United States. Four singles from the album were Top 40 hits in the UK, including the Top 10 hit "Let There Be Love". In the US, "See The Lights" reached the Top 40 and also reached No. 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[6]
This was the first Simple Minds album recorded without keyboardist and original bandmember Mick MacNeil, who left the band after the previous tour in 1990. The core band on this album comprise only Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, and Mel Gaynor (who all appear on the rear cover), with the remaining personnel being session musicians.
The original album cover was replaced in later pressings by the original rear cover shot of the band (see infobox).
The album features several songs that are reworkings of older material or were reworked into new songs on subsequent releases. "Let the Children Speak" is based on the 1981 Simple Minds instrumental "Theme for Great Cities" from Sister Feelings Call. A re-recorded version of that piece, called "Theme for Great Cities '91" appeared as a B-side of the "See The Lights" single. "Travelling Man" bears some resemblance to the 1983 song "Waterfront" from Sparkle in the Rain. "When Two Worlds Collide" is based on the title track as is the 1995 song "And The Band Played On" which appeared on the following album Good News from the Next World. "Women and Ghosts" [included on the US edition of 1995 single "Hypnotised"] is a reworked instrumental version of the title track.
2002/2003 remastered edition
Virgin Records reissued the CD as part of the Simple Minds remasters in late 2002 (mini-LP replica; Virgin SIMCDX10) and early 2003 (standard jewel-case; SIMCD10). On the remastered version, a couple of differences are apparent when compared to the first edition (Virgin CDV 2660). The 2002/2003 remaster features an extended mix of "Let There Be Love", not the one used on the first edition of the album, although it is not mentioned on the cover or in the booklet. The segues between tracks have also been re-edited, so that the running time of individual tracks may differ slightly between the editions. Also, the CD version of the first edition had "Banging on the Door" split into two track in the disc's table of contents (running time was 1:16 + 4:22), but the music as such did not indicate any break between the parts. On the 2002/2003 reissue, the track is indexed as one.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Burchill and Kerr; except where indicated.
| 1. |
"Real Life" | |
4:53 |
| 2. |
"See the Lights" | |
4:22 |
| 3. |
"Let There Be Love" | |
4:57 |
| 4. |
"Woman" | Burchill, Kerr, Lipson |
4:40 |
| 5. |
"Stand By Love" | |
4:04 |
| 6. |
"Let the Children Speak" | |
4:16 |
| 7. |
"African Skies" | |
4:52 |
| 8. |
"Ghostrider" | |
3:22 |
| 9. |
"Banging on the Door (intro)" | |
1:16 |
| 10. |
"Banging on the Door" | |
4:22 |
| 11. |
"Travelling Man" | Burchill, Kerr, Lipson |
3:34 |
| 12. |
"Rivers of Ice" | MacLachlan, Simple Minds |
3:30 |
| 13. |
"When Two Worlds Collide" | |
4:01 |
Personnel
- Simple Minds
- Additional musicians
|
- Studio personnel
- Dougie Cowan – technical master
- Giles Cowley – mixing, mixing assistant
- Tony Donald – equipment coordinator, equipment technician
- Simon Fowler – art direction, design, photography, stylist
- Efren Herrera – engineer
- Simon Heyworth – mastering
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Paul Kerr – logistics
- Will Malone – orchestration, orchestral arrangements
- Heff Moraes – engineer, MIDI engineer, MIDI manager
- Stylorouge – art direction, design
- Gary Thomas – engineer
- Au Yeung, Ying Ho – catering
- Jane Ventom – A&R
|
Charts
Album
Singles
References
External links
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| | | | Albums | |
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| | Live albums | |
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| | Compilations | |
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| | Singles | |
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| | Promo singles | |
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| | Themes series | |
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| | Related articles | |
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| | Concert tours | |
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