Christopher Anton Rea (born 4 March 1951) is an English rock and blues sing… Read Full Bio ↴Christopher Anton Rea (born 4 March 1951) is an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. A "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart" known for his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five solo albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart. Described as "rock's ultimate survivor", given his recovery from several bouts of serious illness, Rea was "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with his single "The Road to Hell (Part 2)". The album, The Road to Hell (1989), topped the album chart, as did its successor, Auberge (1991). His many hit songs include "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge" and "Julia". He also recorded a duet with Elton John, "If You Were Me". Rea was nominated three times for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: in 1988, 1989 and 1990.

He has never toured the United States, where he is best known for the 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1978. A decade later, "Working On It" topped the Mainstream Rock chart. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea

Studio albums
Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (Magnet, 1978)
Deltics (Magnet, 1979)
Tennis (Magnet, 1980)
Chris Rea (Magnet, 1981)
Water Sign (Magnet, 1983)
Wired to the Moon (Magnet, 1984)
Shamrock Diaries (Magnet, 1985)
On the Beach (Magnet, 1986)
Dancing with Strangers (Magnet, 1987)
The Road to Hell (WEA, 1989)
Auberge (EastWest, 1991)
God's Great Banana Skin (EastWest, 1992)
Espresso Logic (EastWest, 1993)
La Passione (soundtrack, EastWest, 1996)
The Blue Cafe (EastWest, 1998)
The Road to Hell: Part 2 (EastWest, 1999)
King of the Beach (EastWest, 2000)
Dancing Down the Stony Road/Stony Road (Jazzee Blue, 2002
Blue Street (Five Guitars) (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
Hofner Blue Notes (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
The Blue Jukebox (Jazzee Blue, 2004)
Blue Guitars (Jazzee Blue, 2005)
The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes (Jazzee Blue, 2008)
Santo Spirito Blues (Jazzee Blue, 2011)
Road Songs for Lovers (Jazzee Blue, 2017)
One Fine Day (Rhino, limited release, 2019)

Because of You
Chris Rea Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I used to hang my head down low
Never knowing which way I was going
My life was getting close to the edge
And I knew that it was showing

Because of you
I can stand and hold my head up high
Because of you

I feel free and yet I don't know why

Each morning is a spring time song
With the sun up in the sky
The sadness that is on your face
Helped me to realise
I owe each day I have to you
And I'll pay you back some day
You're reading me like a book
But I really would like to say

Because of you
I can stand and hold my head up high
Because of you
I feel free and yet I don't know why

Yes I do, it's you
And I'll pay you back some day

Because of you
I have finally found my way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chris Rea's "Because of You" is an expression of gratitude to someone who has helped the singer overcome some difficult times in their life. The singer had always felt lost and directionless, with their life spiraling out of control. But the person - perhaps a friend, a partner, or a family member - helped them turn things around. The singer now feels like they can hold their head up high, and the world seems like a sunnier place. They don't know why they feel this way, but they know that this change in their life has happened "Because of You".

The lyrics also suggest that the person who helped the singer was going through some tough times themselves. The sadness on their face may have been a reflection of their own troubles. Despite this, they put their own struggles aside and brought light into the singer's life. The lyrics convey a deep sense of gratitude towards this person. Even though the singer believes that the person reads them like a book, they still feel the need to express their thanks.

Overall, the song serves as a reminder of how the support and kindness of loved ones can change someone's life for the better. It urges us to value and cherish the people who have made a difference in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to hang my head down low
I used to lack self-confidence and direction in life

Never knowing which way I was going
I was lost and unsure of my path in life

My life was getting close to the edge
My life was becoming increasingly unstable

And I knew that it was showing
And I was aware that others could see my struggles

Because of you
Thanks to you and the impact you've had on my life

I can stand and hold my head up high
I now have confidence and self-assurance

I feel free and yet I don't know why
I feel liberated and renewed, though I can't quite explain why

Each morning is a spring time song
Each day is a fresh and beautiful opportunity

With the sun up in the sky
With a sense of warmth and positivity

The sadness that is on your face
I am able to see and sense the pain and difficulty you have

Helped me to realise
Brought me to the understanding