Best Moves

Best Moves
Chris de Burgh
1981
A&M Records

Best Moves was one of my first Chris de Burgh album. Yes ... album. I was introduced to Chris de Burgh's music through The Getaway, and it snowballed from there. I had belonged to a record club and shortly after I had actually bought my Getaway album in an actual record store, I had seen other Chris de Burgh albums available through my mail order record club. There were two I ordered; the first being Best Moves and the other was ... I can't remember if it was Spanish Train and other Stories, or if it was Crusader. In any event, I was thrilled when, at 16 (the year was 1984) I got these two records in the mail. I promptly set myself up in my room, with my stereo and I opened the box. I was so intrigued with the album jacket of Best Moves that I decided that was as good a place as any to start, so I ripped off the plastic covering and put the vinyl on my turn table, sat down with the album jacket and was whisked off to a place in my mind that only Chris can take me.

All the songs on the album were new to me, even though it was a compilation record, so the fact that it boasted two new tracks meant nothing to me. They were all new tracks to me ... and I loved them all:

The Traveller: My first reaction was how different his voice sounded from anything on The Getaway. A catchy little tune, and it invoked scenes of Europe for me ... a time from long ago. It told a story, and I enjoyed playing out what was happening in my mind. I like this song. It brings me back to a simpler time in my life.

Every Drop of Rain: Again, a European feel to me. I remember hearing the line "Because the one that I have wanted all my life, Is right here beside me,..." and wondering; 'Will I ever love like that?' Remember, I was 16, and love at 16 love is incredibly intense. Luckily for me, I have found that kind of love, so I guess that's why I still really like this song.

In a Country Churchyard: A song I had always wanted to walk down the aisle to. Oh, well. Maybe when I renew my vows some time, I can go to England and Ken & I can find an old country church in which I can walk down the aisle to as this song plays. How beautiful is this song, right? This song starts out so positive, and then ends on kind of a sad note when he talks of the "church lies in ruins" and "I fell to my knees and red the lines beneath the leaves ... ". It always made me think of how love starts out with such promise, much like life does and then something would happen to take that happiness away. Again, I was 16 and "in love" with someone every 6 months, so .... I love that he had a choir singing back up. It gave the song that whole church-like feel to it.

Patricia the Stripper: What a great song. Who doesn't love this song? I can remember laughing to the lyrics and I couldn't believe that anyone would write a song like this. It was so different from anything I had ever heard before ... or since. Can you not get a great image of this poor woman being brought before a judge and having a court room full of prudes on one side and free-thinkers on the other side. And when the judge pounds his gavel on his bench and says; "CASE DISMISSED! This girl was in her working clothes!!" .... too funny! I love this story, and would love to see a video made to this! (by the way ... this is where I first hear the term "queue" to mean line up and had no idea what he was talking about!)

Satin Green Shutters: I like this song ... Very romantic and reads like a poem. Again, talks of the great love that everyone is searching for, yet sadly, few find.

Spanish Train: Now here's a story. I love this story, and the song. The battle between good and evil and sometimes evil cheats and wins, but the good go on, trying to fight the good fight. The imagery from this song will forever be in my brain. It's also one of my first "history by Chris de Burgh" lessons. I learned more history from his music than I ever did in school. ;) Seriously, the whistle at the beginning sets us up for this wonderful story and in true Chris de Burgh form, he keeps our attention to the lyrics with his very special way of story telling. Brilliant.

Waiting for the Hurricane: Hmmmm ... catchy ... I liked it. I don't have any other comment than that. I liked it ... that's all!

Broken Wings (Live): I like this version better than the original, but probably because I heard this one first. But this is from one of my favourite CDs of Chris' (At The End of a Perfect Day) and I really like this song. It always makes me think of how as he started out on his career, success had gotten the best of him, and someone back home, his girlfriend/wife, brought him back down to earth and keeps him grounded so that his head doesn't swell too much. It's a simple song, but it's so pretty.

Lonely Sky: I had heard him sing this live for the first time in November/05 and it was so beautiful. Just him and his guitar. "Lords and ladies lie in stone, Hand in hand from long ago, And though their hands are cold they'll love forever..." is my favourite line from that song. How romantic is that, that even in death, their love is preserved forever.

A Spaceman Came Travelling: This song, we here in Canada have adopted as a traditional Christmas song. Chris gained a lot of popularity here in Canada with this album, and the title track is a favourite when he plays here. Speaking of storytelling .... this is one of my favourite stories he tells. This is classic Chris de Burgh.

Crusader: My absolute favourite Chris de Burgh story, and my all time favourite English history lesson. I have a great love for the medieval times, King Arthur and all that, and I blame Chris de Burgh because of this song. I would listen to this song in its entirety and I loved it. I'm not sure what that instrument is at the beginning of the song ... a harpsichord?? I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it sets the tone for the whole song. He softly begins this story and has us whispering about "some bedevilled Eastern heathen who has seized the Holy land;" and then takes us into the despair when Jerusalem is lost. He takes us into the madness of Saladin, which is brilliantly done. This song shows his range so beautifully. And he ends the song with the moral of the story: "There is only greed and evil in the men that fight today, the Song of the Crusader has long since gone away," Honour in men of the past is replaced with greed and evil. Which left me with the question ... "Are there no more knights on white horses out there to rescue the damsels in distress?" As long as we have Chris de Burgh to sing to us, we will have our white knight.

Best Moves gave me my very first introduction to the range of Chris' storytelling, and if The Getaway didn't already have me hooked to his music, this album would have.

Thanks Astrid for letting me review this album.

Cheers,
Kelly
xo

Questions or comments?

File last modified on March 3^rd, 2000