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)
Windy Town
Chris Rea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We done some gigs on the Clyde and the Tyne
They flew us in from the Hamburg strip
The taste of Dusseldorf still on our lips
And on the bus there's a friend of mine
We go way back to the scene of the crime
We sit up front and share a cigarette
He said "Do you remember?"
He said "Do you recall?"
I said "Yeah, I remember
Oh I remember it all"
Every time the cold wind blows
Every time I hear the sound
Late night train shunting down by the river
I remember windy town
We come so far and we move so fast
Makin' hay see it all go past
Around the world and around again
Up and down on that gravy train
Every time the cold wind blows
Every time I hear the sound
East cost crosswinds on a cold wet stone
I remember windy town
I seen it all before
The freezin' corners and the empty streets
The burnin' passion and the cold wet feet
Three tricky miles home every night
Dodgin' from the shadows underneath those amber lights
No car for kissin' and no where to go
'Cept inside each other and I love you so
I held your face as you shivered in the rain
Girl I'll always love you and I love you again
Every time
Yeah every time
Every time the cold wind blows
Every time I hear the sound
Late night train shunting down by the river
I remember windy town
Every time the cold wind blows
Every time I hear the sound
East cost crosswinds on a cold wet stone
I remember I remember windy town
Chris Rea's song Windy Town talks about driving down from the Highland line after performing gigs on the Clyde and the Tyne. The opening lines of the song describe the journey he makes with a friend with whom he once shared a history of criminal activity. The song speaks about trying to forget the past as they reminisce about the crimes they committed. Every time they hear the sound of the cold wind blowing, they remember the experiences of the past, including trickly miles home, empty streets, and burnin' passion. These memories are intense and unforgettable to them, despite moving so fast and covering significant distances globally.
The song's theme is nostalgia, and Rea aims to take his audience through a journey of his vast experiences, both musical and personal. It is a reflection of one's past, contemplating the choices made and the path taken, thus inspiring reflection on the contemporary social realities. The song's melody is soulful and captures the fluctuating emotions excellently. The lyrics are simple yet evocative and resonate with the audience, leaving an indelible impression.
Line by Line Meaning
Drivin' down from the Highland line
Travelling from the northern boundary of Scotland towards something else
We done some gigs on the Clyde and the Tyne
We have recently performed music in Glasgow and Newcastle
They flew us in from the Hamburg strip
We travelled by plane from Hamburg
The taste of Dusseldorf still on our lips
We still remember our experiences from Dusseldorf
And on the bus there's a friend of mine
Travelling alongside me is someone I know
We go way back to the scene of the crime
We have a history linked to this place
We sit up front and share a cigarette
We are seated towards the front of the bus and smoking together
And try to remember what we tried to forget
We are attempting to recollect something that we once intentionally forgot
He said "Do you remember?"
He asked me if I remember something
He said "Do you recall?"
He asked me if I recall something
I said "Yeah, I remember
I replied affirmatively
Oh I remember it all"
I remember everything related to that thing we were discussing
Every time the cold wind blows
On every occasion there is a cold blow of wind
Every time I hear the sound
Whenever I hear the noise
Late night train shunting down by the river
A train heard late at night moving beside the river, halting abruptly
I remember windy town
It reminds me of a town where I had experienced strong winds before
We come so far and we move so fast
We have accomplished much and travelled quickly
Makin' hay see it all go past
Observing everything we have accomplished pass us by
Around the world and around again
Travelling the globe repeatedly
Up and down on that gravy train
On a continuous cycle of success and profit
East cost crosswinds on a cold wet stone
Strong winds from the east colliding with cold, damp surfaces
I seen it all before
I have experienced something very like this previously
The freezin' corners and the empty streets
The chilly street corners and vacant streets
The burnin' passion and the cold wet feet
The intense passion alongside the uncomfortable sensation of coldness and wetness in the feet
Three tricky miles home every night
A challenging three-mile journey back home each night
Dodgin' from the shadows underneath those amber lights
Avoiding danger lurking in the darkness at night time
No car for kissin' and no where to go
There is no vehicle in which we could be intimate or travel to a new location
'Cept inside each other and I love you so
We could only find solace and love within each other
I held your face as you shivered in the rain
When you were trembling in the rain, I grasped your face
Girl I'll always love you and I love you again
My love for you will never cease to exist
Every time
On every occasion
Yeah every time
Certainly, every time
I remember windy town
It makes me recall the town where I faced strong winds
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANTON REA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind