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On the Beach (Chris Rea song)

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"On the Beach"
Single by Chris Rea
from the album On the Beach (1986 version) and New Light Through Old Windows (1988 version)
B-side
  • "If Anybody Asks You" (1986)
  • "I'm Taking the Day Out" (1988)
ReleasedMay 1986[1]
GenreSoft rock[2]
Length
  • 5:04 (album version)
  • 4:20 (special remix)
  • 6:02 (special extended remix)
Label
Songwriter(s)Chris Rea
Producer(s)
Chris Rea singles chronology
"It's All Gone"
(1986) 		"On the Beach"
(1986) 		"Hello Friend"
(1986)
"Que Sera"
(1988)
"On the Beach (Summer '88)"
(1988)
"I Can Hear Your Heartbeat"
(1988)
Music video
"On the Beach" on YouTube

"On the Beach" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea that was released in 1986, as the second single from his eighth studio album, On the Beach.[3] It was written by Rea and produced by Rea and David Richards. "On the Beach" reached No. 57 in the United Kingdom in 1986, and also charted in France and the Netherlands.

In 1988, Rea re-recorded "On the Beach" for his album New Light Through Old Windows and released it as a single.[4] Produced by Rea and Jon Kelly, it reached No. 12 in the UK and No. 18 in Ireland. In 1989, it reached No. 9 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Background

[edit]

"On the Beach" was inspired by the Spanish island Formentera off the coast of Ibiza. Speaking to Songfacts, Rea said, "That's where me and my wife became me and my wife. That's what it's about. Yeah, I was 'between the eyes of love.' It's a lovely island if ever you're in Europe."[5]

Critical reception

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In a retrospective review of the On the Beach album, Rob Caldwell of AllMusic described the song as the "standout track", adding that the original version was "the most evocative, a little slower and more meditative than [the] others." He recommended the song further by selecting it as an AMG Pick Track.[3] Mike DeGagne, in an AllMusic review of New Light Through Old Windows commented that the song, along with "Let's Dance", "represent a lean toward a more commercial sound."[4]

Track listing

[edit]

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

York version

[edit]
"O.T.B. (On the Beach)"
German maxi-single cover artwork
Single by York
from the album Experience
Released1999 (1999)
GenreTrance
Length3:36 (radio mix)
LabelAdrenalin
Songwriter(s)Chris Rea
Producer(s)CRW
York singles chronology
"Jastamba"
(1998) 		"O.T.B. (On the Beach)"
(1999) 		"The Fields of Love"
(2000)

In 1999, German dance music group York sampled the guitar riff for their track "O.T.B. (On the Beach)". In June 2000, it debuted and peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and sold over 200,000 copies to earn a silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Rea played guitar with York for their performance of the track on Top of the Pops. He also stated on British radio that he had intended to go to Ibiza with York for live promotions but was unable due to a recent heart attack.[citation needed]

Track listings

[edit]

German maxi-CD single[14]

  1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Vocal Radio Mix) – 3:36
  2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Magic Marc's Radiomix) – 3:41
  3. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Milk & Sugar Radio Version) – 3:40
  4. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Hitch Hiker & Dumondt Radio Version) – 3:30
  5. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Eivissa@night.mix) – 6:36
  6. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Milk & Sugar's "Munich Is Burning" Club Mix) – 8:07
  7. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Hitch Hiker & Dumondt Club Mix) – 8:10

Italian CD single[15]

  1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Basic Connection Edit) – 3:18
  2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Basic Connection Mix) – 6:40
  3. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Hitch Hiker & Dumondt Club Mix) – 8:10
  4. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Eivissa@Night.Mix) – 6:33

Belgian 12-inch single[16]

A1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Milk & Sugar Club Mix) – 8:07
A2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (CRW Mix) – 6:52
B1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Original Mix) – 7:13
B2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Hitch Hiker & Dumondt Club Mix) – 8:10

US 12-inch single[17]

A1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (CRW Mix) – 6:40
A2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" – 8:07
B1. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Eivissa@Night Mix) – 6:36
B2. "O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (Hitch Hiker & Dumondt Club Mix) – 8:10

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 1999 (1999) CD Adrenalin [14]
United Kingdom 29 May 2000 (2000-05-29) Manifesto [29]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 8.
  2. ^ "BLUESFEST: Chris Rea | Music in London". Time Out London.
  3. ^ a b Caldwell, Rob. "AllMusic Review by Rob Caldwell". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b DeGagne, Mike (17 October 1988). "AllMusic Review by Mike DeGagne". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Chris Rea : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Chris Rea – On the Beach" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Chris Rea: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of August 7, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 36. 3 September 1988. p. 14. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – On the Beach". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Chris Rea Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  14. ^ a b O.T.B. (On the Beach) (German maxi-CD single liner notes). York. Adrenalin Records. 1999. ADR 667469 2, 6674692000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ O.T.B. (On the Beach) (Italian CD single liner notes). York. No Colours Records. 2000. NC 22567-0095/2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ O.T.B. (On the Beach) (Belgian 12-inch single vinyl disc). York. Lightning Records. 2000. LR-2000-009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ O.T.B. (On the Beach) (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). York. Radikal Records. 2000. RAD99041-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7096." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 26. 24 June 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  20. ^ "York – O.T.B. (On the Beach)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  21. ^ "York – O.T.B. (On the Beach)". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  25. ^ "York Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  26. ^ "Top 100 of 2000". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 2 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Best Sellers of 2000: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 20 January 2001. p. 25.
  28. ^ "British single certifications – York – On the Beach". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  29. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting May 29, 2000: Singles". Music Week. 27 May 2000. p. 25.
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