The Playlist of Life --- Trollheart's resurrected Journal

Trollheart · 12-21-2016, 10:41 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea
I've been a fan of Chris Rea ever since I heard “Nothing's happening by the sea” from his fifth album, Water Sign, and having bought that album I followed him not quite religiously, but did purchase his albums up to 1989, left off and picked up again in 1999, and more or less stopped listening to his new material from 2002 on, which is odd really, as that's when he released the epic double album Dancing Down the Stony Road. Then again, shortly afterwards I began downloading more albums than I could ever be realistically expected to listen to, and the idea of collecting further material from one of my favourite stars of my youth slowly receded. Well, I may have downloaded them but never listened to them.

As for his earlier material? I know of the four albums that come before Water Sign, but have only heard Tennis once, though I do own and love Deltics. But it all began with something of an inside joke...

Album title: Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?
Artiste: Chris Rea
Genre: Soft Rock, Pop
Year: 1978
Label: Magnet
Producer: Gus Dudgeon
Chronological position: Debut album
Notes:
Album chart position: Unknown
Singles: “Fool if you think it's over”, “Whatever happened to Benny Santini?”
Lineup:
Chris Rea: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, synth
Robert Ahwai/Eddie Guy/Paul Keogh: Guitars
Phil Curtis/Pat Donaldson/Dave Markie/Eoghan O'Neill: Bass
Rod Argent: Keyboards, electric piano
Pete Wingfield: Keyboards, piano
Max Middleton/Kevin Leach: Keyboards
Steve Gregory: Sax
Dave Mattacks/Norman Nosebait/Adrian Rea: Drums
Gus Dudgeon/Frank Ricotti/George Woodhead: Other percussion
Doreen Chanter/Stuart Epps/Irene Chanter: Backing vocals

Review begins

I used to think, when I would see this album in a record store and never have any interest in buying it (and I never did) that the title referred to some old sports legend - a baseball player, rugby or soccer icon, or maybe a cricket hero. But it turns out that when Rea signed for Magnet Records, they thought his name was too boring and uninteresting, and wanted to rename him, you guessed it, Benny Santini! Now that sounds baseball to me. That, or Italian Mafia! Anyway, it would appear Rea persevered and retained his old name, so the title is probably an irreverent finger to his label, which perhaps might have worked better had this album been more successful. Mind you, it did yield him his biggest hit, a signature song for him, although it too bombed in the UK, being only successful in the US of A. Nevertheless, as time went on Chris Rea would have other big hits and would become moreover a household name and a respected musician. Not sure Benny would have done as well.

It's a nice acoustic rocker that gets the album underway, and it is in fact the title track too. Sort of a Country feel to it, loping along nicely and you can hear right away that this is a new talent in the making as Rea's raspy voice, slightly reminiscent of a younger Rod Stewart, greets us. A catchy song, it's nothing terribly special but it does open the album well and features a fine sax solo from Steve Gregory. “Close as you get” is a kind of blues number with soul edges and some really nice piano from Pete Wingfield. It continues the rock nature of the album, and foreshadows the likes of “Hey you” on his later album with its basic “looking for a girl” idea in the lyric, while the first ballad comes in the shape of “Because of you”, but I have to admit it's pretty barf-inducing and nothing like the kind of thing he would later write. It's the first track on which he plays piano, so I guess there is that. Oh, there's a fantastic guitar solo too, though I think it's Eddie Guy and not Chris.

Back to blues rock for “Dancing with Charlie” and it's an okay song but again it doesn't quite stand out. There's something in the main guitar riff that reminds me of one of his later songs, though I can't place it. A really nice powerful organ surge brings in “Bows and bangles”, some lovely electric piano sprinkled across the tune, and it appears to be another ballad, sung in an almost folk style, with some really great vocal harmonies. Like many of his later songs, this one tells a story and is populated by characters whom we end up caring about. Things begin to take a serious upswing then with the song that is, apparently, credited with keeping him in the music biz. Depressed at the lack of attention his debut album was receiving, and thinking of quitting, Rea came home to find a cheque on his doormat for the royalties from the only single taken from the album. Written to help his sister get over a love affair and show her it wasn't the end of the world, “Fool (if you think it's over)” is sung from the standpoint of an older man, trying to explain to a younger girl that these things happen, worse is to come and she'd better be ready for it. It's a dour song really, sung quite downbeat for most of it, and with a sense of perhaps not quite mocking but pragmatism about it.

Running on a slow organ line and muted guitar, even the vocal is laconic as Rea stresses the unimportance, in the grand scheme of things, and compared to the rest of her life she has yet to lead, of her breakup when he sings “Save your tears, got years and years” and advises her “The pains of seventeen's unreal, they're only dreams.” It doesn't come across as a very comforting song, and I wonder what Rea's sister thought of his attempt to cheer her up, but it certainly cheered him up when he started receiving money for his efforts and could finally think of forgetting about jacking in the music career. It also provided later quite a hit for Canadian songstress Elkie Brooks. Rocking again then with “Three angels”, on which Rea shows his prowess on the guitar, while Pete Stanley (I assume no relation to the Kiss guitarist) adds some oddly appropriate banjo of all things.

Another great track then is “Just one of those days”, which almost takes the bassline and rhythm from songs like “Tie a yellow ribbon” and “Kisses for me”, and trots along really nicely. Short little song but very nice. Next we have a Gerry Raffertyesque “Standing in your doorway”, which again sounds like one of his later songs with what sounds like accordion (guess it's synthesised, as in the rather exhaustive credits list no accordion player is mentioned). It's a nice sort of semi-ballad and leads into the closer, a steaming blues rocker called “Fires of spring”. Great bassline chugging along and with a certain sense of ELO in it

TRACK LISTING AND RATINGS

Whatever happened to Benny Santini?
The closer you get
Because of you
Dancing with Charlie
Bows and bangles
Fool (if you think it's over)
Three angels
Just one of those days
Standing in your doorway
Fires of spring

Afterword: Really, in fairness, it's not a bad debut, and it's weird to think that had “Fool” not made it 'cross the pond Chris Rea may have never recorded another album. I guess it just takes that one shot of confidence to tell you that you're actually on the right track, and he has gone on to record over twenty albums and sold over thirty million units in his so-far thirty-five year career. So I guess you can say, fool if you thought it was over, it had just begun. Sorry.

Rating:

12-21-2016, 10:41 AM	#11 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea I've been a fan of Chris Rea ever since I heard “Nothing's happening by the sea” from his fifth album, Water Sign, and having bought that album I followed him not quite religiously, but did purchase his albums up to 1989, left off and picked up again in 1999, and more or less stopped listening to his new material from 2002 on, which is odd really, as that's when he released the epic double album Dancing Down the Stony Road. Then again, shortly afterwards I began downloading more albums than I could ever be realistically expected to listen to, and the idea of collecting further material from one of my favourite stars of my youth slowly receded. Well, I may have downloaded them but never listened to them. As for his earlier material? I know of the four albums that come before Water Sign, but have only heard Tennis once, though I do own and love Deltics. But it all began with something of an inside joke... Album title: Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? Artiste: Chris Rea Genre: Soft Rock, Pop Year: 1978 Label: Magnet Producer: Gus Dudgeon Chronological position: Debut album Notes: Album chart position: Unknown Singles: “Fool if you think it's over”, “Whatever happened to Benny Santini?” Lineup: Chris Rea: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, synth Robert Ahwai/Eddie Guy/Paul Keogh: Guitars Phil Curtis/Pat Donaldson/Dave Markie/Eoghan O'Neill: Bass Rod Argent: Keyboards, electric piano Pete Wingfield: Keyboards, piano Max Middleton/Kevin Leach: Keyboards Steve Gregory: Sax Dave Mattacks/Norman Nosebait/Adrian Rea: Drums Gus Dudgeon/Frank Ricotti/George Woodhead: Other percussion Doreen Chanter/Stuart Epps/Irene Chanter: Backing vocals Review begins I used to think, when I would see this album in a record store and never have any interest in buying it (and I never did) that the title referred to some old sports legend - a baseball player, rugby or soccer icon, or maybe a cricket hero. But it turns out that when Rea signed for Magnet Records, they thought his name was too boring and uninteresting, and wanted to rename him, you guessed it, Benny Santini! Now that sounds baseball to me. That, or Italian Mafia! Anyway, it would appear Rea persevered and retained his old name, so the title is probably an irreverent finger to his label, which perhaps might have worked better had this album been more successful. Mind you, it did yield him his biggest hit, a signature song for him, although it too bombed in the UK, being only successful in the US of A. Nevertheless, as time went on Chris Rea would have other big hits and would become moreover a household name and a respected musician. Not sure Benny would have done as well. It's a nice acoustic rocker that gets the album underway, and it is in fact the title track too. Sort of a Country feel to it, loping along nicely and you can hear right away that this is a new talent in the making as Rea's raspy voice, slightly reminiscent of a younger Rod Stewart, greets us. A catchy song, it's nothing terribly special but it does open the album well and features a fine sax solo from Steve Gregory. “Close as you get” is a kind of blues number with soul edges and some really nice piano from Pete Wingfield. It continues the rock nature of the album, and foreshadows the likes of “Hey you” on his later album with its basic “looking for a girl” idea in the lyric, while the first ballad comes in the shape of “Because of you”, but I have to admit it's pretty barf-inducing and nothing like the kind of thing he would later write. It's the first track on which he plays piano, so I guess there is that. Oh, there's a fantastic guitar solo too, though I think it's Eddie Guy and not Chris. Back to blues rock for “Dancing with Charlie” and it's an okay song but again it doesn't quite stand out. There's something in the main guitar riff that reminds me of one of his later songs, though I can't place it. A really nice powerful organ surge brings in “Bows and bangles”, some lovely electric piano sprinkled across the tune, and it appears to be another ballad, sung in an almost folk style, with some really great vocal harmonies. Like many of his later songs, this one tells a story and is populated by characters whom we end up caring about. Things begin to take a serious upswing then with the song that is, apparently, credited with keeping him in the music biz. Depressed at the lack of attention his debut album was receiving, and thinking of quitting, Rea came home to find a cheque on his doormat for the royalties from the only single taken from the album. Written to help his sister get over a love affair and show her it wasn't the end of the world, “Fool (if you think it's over)” is sung from the standpoint of an older man, trying to explain to a younger girl that these things happen, worse is to come and she'd better be ready for it. It's a dour song really, sung quite downbeat for most of it, and with a sense of perhaps not quite mocking but pragmatism about it. Running on a slow organ line and muted guitar, even the vocal is laconic as Rea stresses the unimportance, in the grand scheme of things, and compared to the rest of her life she has yet to lead, of her breakup when he sings “Save your tears, got years and years” and advises her “The pains of seventeen's unreal, they're only dreams.” It doesn't come across as a very comforting song, and I wonder what Rea's sister thought of his attempt to cheer her up, but it certainly cheered him up when he started receiving money for his efforts and could finally think of forgetting about jacking in the music career. It also provided later quite a hit for Canadian songstress Elkie Brooks. Rocking again then with “Three angels”, on which Rea shows his prowess on the guitar, while Pete Stanley (I assume no relation to the Kiss guitarist) adds some oddly appropriate banjo of all things. Another great track then is “Just one of those days”, which almost takes the bassline and rhythm from songs like “Tie a yellow ribbon” and “Kisses for me”, and trots along really nicely. Short little song but very nice. Next we have a Gerry Raffertyesque “Standing in your doorway”, which again sounds like one of his later songs with what sounds like accordion (guess it's synthesised, as in the rather exhaustive credits list no accordion player is mentioned). It's a nice sort of semi-ballad and leads into the closer, a steaming blues rocker called “Fires of spring”. Great bassline chugging along and with a certain sense of ELO in it TRACK LISTING AND RATINGS Whatever happened to Benny Santini? The closer you get Because of you Dancing with Charlie Bows and bangles Fool (if you think it's over) Three angels Just one of those days Standing in your doorway Fires of spring Afterword: Really, in fairness, it's not a bad debut, and it's weird to think that had “Fool” not made it 'cross the pond Chris Rea may have never recorded another album. I guess it just takes that one shot of confidence to tell you that you're actually on the right track, and he has gone on to record over twenty albums and sold over thirty million units in his so-far thirty-five year career. So I guess you can say, fool if you thought it was over, it had just begun. Sorry. Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018