Shamrock Diaries
Encyclopedia
Shamrock Diaries is an album by Chris Rea
, released in 1985.
This album represents the beginning of a creative and commercial zenith for Rea. Shamrock Diaries was a huge seller in Europe, reaching the Top 20 in several countries including Germany
, The Netherlands and Great Britain
. The album was also successful in Australia
, where it reached number one.
The track "Stainsby Girls" was written as a tribute for his wife Joan, a former student of the Stainsby Secondary Modern School.
One of the album's most popular tracks, "Josephine
," was written by Rea for his daughter of the same name. Rea would later pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter, Julia, on the album Espresso Logic
(1993).
"Josephine" is a track that Rea has re-recorded many times. The version released on the original LP was replaced in later CD editions by the "disco" version, which is also the basis for the later "Josephine (La version Francais)". The original LP version was later made available on the French release "The Best of Chris Rea" in 1998. There is also the version recorded in 1988 for "New Light Through Old Windows", also available on the 1994 "The Best of Chris Rea". Additionally, there is the slower version released on the U.S. edition of "New Light Through Old Windows" in 1988, also available on the 2001 "Very Best of Chris Rea" which is itself similar, though not identical to the version used in the original video from 1985. Finally in 2008 another re-recording was released on the Germany-only "Fool (If You Think It's Over)-The Definitive Greatest Hits"
"Josephine" was also sampled in 2000 by Superfunk
for their song "Lucky Star", with Ron Carroll
, although the samples comes from another (shorter) version of the song.
.
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
, released in 1985.
This album represents the beginning of a creative and commercial zenith for Rea. Shamrock Diaries was a huge seller in Europe, reaching the Top 20 in several countries including Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, The Netherlands and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The album was also successful in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where it reached number one.
The track "Stainsby Girls" was written as a tribute for his wife Joan, a former student of the Stainsby Secondary Modern School.
One of the album's most popular tracks, "Josephine
Josephine (song)
Josephine is one of the most popular and the most successful song by Chris Rea, released in 1985 on the Shamrock Diaries. Josephine was written by Rea for his daughter of the same name. Rea would later pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter, Julia, on the album Espresso Logic ....
," was written by Rea for his daughter of the same name. Rea would later pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter, Julia, on the album Espresso Logic
Espresso Logic
Espresso Logic is a 1993 album by Chris Rea. The US edition of the album has a significantly different track listing than other editions, as it also features songs from Rea's previous album, God's Great Banana Skin , along with "If You Were Me", a track recorded with Elton John for his 1993 Duets...
(1993).
"Josephine" is a track that Rea has re-recorded many times. The version released on the original LP was replaced in later CD editions by the "disco" version, which is also the basis for the later "Josephine (La version Francais)". The original LP version was later made available on the French release "The Best of Chris Rea" in 1998. There is also the version recorded in 1988 for "New Light Through Old Windows", also available on the 1994 "The Best of Chris Rea". Additionally, there is the slower version released on the U.S. edition of "New Light Through Old Windows" in 1988, also available on the 2001 "Very Best of Chris Rea" which is itself similar, though not identical to the version used in the original video from 1985. Finally in 2008 another re-recording was released on the Germany-only "Fool (If You Think It's Over)-The Definitive Greatest Hits"
"Josephine" was also sampled in 2000 by Superfunk
Superfunk
-Track listing:-Personnel:*Gene Barr - Sax , Vocals*George Bohannon - Trombone*Allen DeRienzo - Trumpet*Cecil Hunt - Conga*Jackie Kelso - Brass, Sax *Ollie Mitchell - Trumpet*Jimmy Munford - Drums, Vocals*Don Peak - Guitar...
for their song "Lucky Star", with Ron Carroll
Ron Carroll
Ron Carroll is an American DJ, singer, songwriter and producer. He is primarily known in the house music circuit. Carroll has worked with many of house's most famous producers, including E-Smoove, Maurice Joshua and Bob Sinclar. He has also produced, usually with partner Spero Pagos, for other...
, although the samples comes from another (shorter) version of the song.
Track listing
All songs by Chris ReaChris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
.
- "Steel River" – 6:15
- "Stainsby Girls" – 3:51
- "Chisel Hill" – 4:03
- "JosephineJosephine (song)Josephine is one of the most popular and the most successful song by Chris Rea, released in 1985 on the Shamrock Diaries. Josephine was written by Rea for his daughter of the same name. Rea would later pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter, Julia, on the album Espresso Logic ....
" – 4:26 (3:56 in later pressings) - "One Golden Rule" – 4:29
- "All Summer Long" – 4:09
- "Stone" – 4:23
- "Shamrock Diaries" – 4:55
- "Love Turns To Lies" – 4:11
- "Hired Gun" – 8:03
Personnel
- Chris ReaChris ReaChris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
- vocals, guitar, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, slide guitar, producer - Robert Ahwai - guitar
- Simon NicolSimon NicolSimon John Breckenridge Nicol is a guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founder member of British folk rock, or electric folk group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band...
- guitar - Eoghan O'Neill - bass
- Kevin Leach - keyboards
- Max MiddletonMax MiddletonDavid Maxwell "Max" Middleton . He is an English composer and keyboardist and was originally a docker on the Liverpool docks. Middleton is known for his work on the Fender Rhodes Electric piano, the Minimoog synthesiser and his percussive playing style of the Hohner Clavinet...
- keyboards - Annie WhiteheadAnnie WhiteheadAnnie Whitehead is an English jazz trombone player.-Career:Annie learned trombone at school; at 14 she was already busy playing with brass bands, local dance groups and the Manchester Youth Jazz Orchestra and began her professional career at sixteen. Among her initial influences were Miles Davis,...
- trombone - Dave MattacksDave MattacksDave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
- drums - Adrian Rea - drums
- Martin Ditcham - percussion
- David RichardsDavid Richards (record producer)David Richards is an English-born Swiss-based record producer, engineer and musician. In the Mountain Studios in Montreux, owned by the rock band Queen, and in Attalens he engineered and co-produced many albums by Queen, David Bowie and other artists. Richards also played keyboards on some records...
- producer, engineer - Barry Hammond - engineer
Singles
- "Stainsby girls" b/w "And when she smiles", "Sunrise", "Dancing shoes", "September blue"
- "Josephine" b/w "Josephine (Remix)", "Everytime it rains"