De Burgh was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina, to Colonel Charles John Davison, MBE, a British diplomat, and Maeve Emily de Burgh, an Irish secretary. His maternal grandfather was Sir Eric de Burgh, a British Army officer who had been Chief of the General Staff in India during the Second World War. He took his mother's name, "de Burgh", when he began performing. His father had substantial farming interests, and Chris spent much of his early years in Malta, Nigeria and Zaire, as he, his mother and brother accompanied Colonel Davison on his diplomatic and engineering work.
The Davisons finally settled in Bargy Castle, County Wexford, Ireland, which was somewhat dilapidated at the time. It was a twelfth-century castle which Eric de Burgh bought in the 1960s. He converted it into a hotel, and the young Chris sang for the guests there.
After attending Marlborough College in Wiltshire, England, de Burgh went on to graduate from Trinity College, Dublin, with a Master of Arts degree in French, English and History.
Chris de Burgh signed his first contract with A&M Records in 1974, and supported Supertramp on their Crime of the Century tour, building himself a small fan base. His début album, Far Beyond These Castle Walls, was a folk-tinged stab at fantasy in the tradition of the Moody Blues. It failed to chart upon its release in late 1974. A few months later, he released a single called "Turning Round" from the album, released outside the UK and Ireland as "Flying". It failed to make an impression in the UK, but it stayed on top of the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This became a familiar pattern for the singer/songwriter, as every one of his 1970s albums failed to chart in the UK or US while they racked up big sales in continental European and South American countries.
In 1975 his second album, Spanish Train and Other Stories, was released. Whilst (again) not a huge commercial success, the album and tour expanded the fan base, with de Burgh starting to attract a cult following. Along with the epic title track, other fan favourite tracks from the album included "Patricia The Stripper" and "A Spaceman Came Travelling" (the latter released the following year as a single).
1977's third album, At the End of a Perfect Day, whilst well received and featuring both former Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks and later Fairport drummer Gerry Conway, failed to push de Burgh's career significantly, leading to the release of his fourth album Crusader in 1979. Crusader took a more electric direction, including guitar contributions from Ian Bairnson (formerly of Pilot), bass player David Paton (also of Pilot), and drummer Stuart Elliott (formerly of both Cockney Rebel and of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel), all of whom were also working, at the time, with Kate Bush. The album also featured Sky keyboard player Francis Monkman and Mike Moran. Whilst it attracted a significant number of new fans, Crusader still failed to break through in the UK and US. 1980's Eastern Wind also failed to build further on the (still cult) following in the major territories.
In 1981 de Burgh had his first UK chart entry with Best Moves, a collection culled from his early albums. It set the stage for 1982's Rupert Hine produced The Getaway, which reached number 30 in the UK charts and number 43 in the US, thanks to the eerie single "Don't Pay the Ferryman". Chris de Burgh's follow-up album, Man on the Line, also performed well, charting at 69 in the US and 11 in the UK.
Chris de Burgh had an across-the-board success with the ballad "The Lady in Red" in late 1986; the single became a number one hit in the UK (number three in America) and its accompanying album, Into the Light, reached number two in the UK (number 25 in the U.S.). That Christmas season, a re-release of de Burgh's 1976 Christmas song "A Spaceman Came Travelling" became a Top 40 hit in the UK. Flying Colours, his follow-up to Into the Light, entered the British charts at number one upon its 1988 release, yet it failed to make the American charts. De Burgh never hit the US charts again and his commercial fortunes began to slide slightly in Britain in the early 1990s, yet he retained a following around the world. This is mainly due to inactivity of his previous recording label A&M Records UK division in the U.S.
In 1997 de Burgh composed a song entitled "There's a New Star Up in Heaven Tonight", dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales. The song was released as a 100-copy limited edition and included on the compilations The Ultimate Collection (2000) and Now and Then (2009).
In 2007 a concert in Tehran was planned for mid-2008, together with local band Arian, which would have made Chris de Burgh the first western pop singer to perform in Iran since the 1979 revolution. However, the concert never went ahead because he had not been given permission by the Iranian authorities to perform in the country.
He was the first Western act to play in Lebanon after the Lebanese Civil War.
On 25 June 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Chris de Burgh among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.
Living On The Island
Chris de Burgh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Old men staring out to sea,
From the island, living on the island;
And down in the harbor, it's a show,
Watching all the people as they come and go,
On the island, living on the island;
Tasting the first of the summer wine,
On the island, living on the island;
I want to feel that sunshine in my heart,
And let it blow my worries away,
I want to spend a night in the ocean with her,
That little lady lover who's in love with me,
Prettiest little lady that I've ever seen,
On the island, living on the island
Ooh, and when I finally sail away,
I know for sure I'll be back someday,
On the island, living on the island,
On the island, living on the island,
I want to feel that sunshine on my back,
On the island, living on the island,
On the island, we'll be living on the island,
I want to feel that wind blow in my hair,
Living on the island
In Living On The Island, Chris de Burgh sings about the simple life on an island. The island is a place where old men stare out to sea and people come and go in the harbor. Up in the mountains, the people taste the first of the summer wine, and it seems like life is just perfect on this island. The singer wants to experience the magic of this place too, he wants to feel the sunshine in his heart and let it blow his worries away. He wants to spend a night in the ocean with his lover, the prettiest little lady he has ever seen.
The song is a celebration of the simple life and the beauty of nature. The island represents a place where one can escape from the troubles of the world and find peace and happiness in the beauty of the natural world. For the singer, the island is a place of love and freedom, where he can be himself and feel the sunshine in his heart.
The song is a reminder that sometimes we need to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of our lives and connect with nature. The island represents a place of pure happiness where everything is simple and beautiful. It is a place where we can find peace and love, and where we can feel the sunshine in our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Day by day they drink and dream,
The inhabitants of the island pass their days consuming alcohol and indulging in their fantasies.
Old men staring out to sea,
The elderly population is fixated on the vastness of the ocean and their own mortality.
From the island, living on the island;
Despite the monotony of island living, its dwellers have no desire to leave.
And down in the harbor, it's a show,
The harbor is a place of constant entertainment as new people and boats come and go.
Watching all the people as they come and go,
The inhabitants of the island are fascinated by the strangers who pass through their territory.
On the island, living on the island;
Despite the comings and goings in the harbor, the islanders remain in their familiar and isolated environment.
And up in the mountains, they're alright,
The few who venture into the mountains find contentment and pleasure in the wine and nature.
Tasting the first of the summer wine,
The precious moments of life are savored with the first sips of seasonal wine.
On the island, living on the island;
Whether it's at the harbor or the mountains, the island itself is a shared and confined experience.
I want to feel that sunshine in my heart,
The artist is yearning for a deep and personal connection to the warmth of the sun.
And let it blow my worries away,
The singer is hoping the sun's radiance will dispel his anxieties and uncertainties.
I want to spend a night in the ocean with her,
The artist desires a romantic and intimate encounter with his significant other in the vast ocean waters.
That little lady lover who's in love with me,
The singer has a deep affection for his partner, who reciprocates his feelings.
Prettiest little lady that I've ever seen,
The singer is smitten with his lover's beauty and grace.
On the island, living on the island
The singer envisions a future where he and his lover reside on the island permanently.
Ooh, and when I finally sail away,
The artist acknowledges that he will eventually have to leave the island.
I know for sure I'll be back someday,
Despite the anticipated departure, the artist is confident in his future return to the island.
On the island, living on the island,
The island will always be a part of the singer's life and identity.
On the island, living on the island,
The life and culture of the island is a unique and inseparable experience.
I want to feel that sunshine on my back,
Sunlight on the artist's back symbolizes feelings of warmth and comfort.
On the island, living on the island,
The island represents a sanctuary from the turmoil and chaos of the outside world.
On the island, we'll be living on the island,
The future vision is shared with others who fully embrace the island lifestyle.
I want to feel that wind blow in my hair,
The singer desires a fuller and more immersive experience, to feel the wind on his skin and in his hair.
Living on the island
Living on the island is a unique and valuable experience worth preserving and cherishing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRIS DE BURGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind