A Better World Chris de Burgh

• 1 Hope in the Human Heart 00:54
• 2 Bethlehem 04:12
• 3 Once in a Lifetime 03:44
• 4 The Open Door 03:50
• 5 Heart and Soul 02:44
• 6 Chain of Command 03:37
• 7 Confession 03:00
• 8 Homeland 04:32
• 9 Cry No More 03:07
• 10 Shipboard Romance 02:57
• 11 Falling Rain 03:07
• 12 All for Love 04:00
• 13 Hold On (I'm on My Way) 02:49
• 14 The Land of the Free 03:33
• 15 The Soldier 03:47
• Total Runtime 49:53

Info for A Better World

Auf seinem Album präsentiert der politisch und gesellschaftlich immer wachsame Erfolgsmusiker Chris de Burgh 15 neue, selbstgeschriebene Songs, deren Texte inhaltlich etliche Denkanstöße liefern. Bereits der Albumtitel A Better World gibt die lyrische Intention und den Ton der Songsammlung vor. Obwohl sich die Songs nicht ausschließlich mit tagesaktuellen Kernthemen beschäftigen, werden viele von ihnen doch in den Texten widergespiegelt.

An anderen Stellen des Albums platzierte Chris derweil Material, in dem viele der Inhalte angesprochen werden, die sein Sujet seit jeher einzigartig und auf ihre Art vielfältig färben: Liebe, Krieg, Wagnisse, das Unterwegssein, das Entdecken und die Rückkehr nach Hause, die Vergangenheit, Gegenwart - und die Zukunft. Allesamt Erzählungen, bieten die Songs direkte und deutliche Einblicke ins Denken und Empfinden von einem der sinnträchtigsten und versiertesten Songwriter der Popmusikgeschichte. Während seiner langen, anhaltenden Karriere verkaufte er über 50 Millionen Alben und spielte weltweit in ausverkauften Häusern.

A Better World ist in musikalischer Hinsicht typisch Chris de Burgh; ein Schmelztiegel verschiedener Stile, unterschiedlicher Tempi und Instrumentierungen. Balladen stehen neben Hymnen, Solomomente werden mit Band oder Orchester-Musikern umgesetzt. Popsongs und gradliniger Rock werden mit Folk-Spezialitäten angereichert, deren geografische Koordinaten von der Karibik bis zum Keltischen reichen. Gitarre, Bass, Schlagzeug und Keyboards werden von Dudelsäcken, Streichern und Bläsern komplimentiert. Chris de Burghs Stimme klingt abwechselnd kraftvoll-eindeutig und leidenschaftlich gefühlvoll.

All das wird gebündelt, um Chris de Burghs einzigartigen musikalischen Fingerbadruck fortzusetzen, weiter zu entwickeln und zu verfeinern. Inzwischen umfasst sein selbstkomponiertes Repertoire mehr als 280 Songs. Heute wie damals sind sein Optimismus und seine positive Weltsicht wichtige Motoren und Schwerpunkte für ihn. Essentielle Themen für ihn sind Gerechtigkeit, Gleichberechtigung, Religion, fortschrittliches Denken, Beziehungen, Romantik und der Weltfrieden. Diese Textzeile vom Song "Homeland" spricht Bände: "Im Menschenherzen herrscht immer Hoffnung auf bessere Zeiten" ("There is always hope in the human heart for better days ahead")

Chris de Burghs 26. Studioalbum A Better World wird am 23. September veröffentlicht, knapp drei Monate nach dem 30. Jubiläum seines immens erfolgreichen Albums Into The Light. Mit diesem Album etablierte er sich als wahrhaft globaler Superstar. Mehr als 8 Millionen Exemplare wurden von dem Album verkauft, das die Kult-Single "The Lady In Red" enthielt. Der Hit belegte in 47 Ländern Platz 1 der Charts. Noch heute wird er regelmäßig als einer der meistgespielten Songs der Welt ausgezeichnet.

Chris de Burgh, vocals, piano, guitar
Jennifer Maidman, bass, ukulele, mandolin, dobro
Danny Cummings, drums, percussion
Graham Kearns, guitar
Phil Palmer, guitar
Nigel Hopkins, keyboards
Mark White, trumpet, flugelhorn
Geoffrey Richardson, violin
Ffion Wilkins, backing vocals
Jakko Jakszyk, backing vocals

Recorded, mixed and produced by Chris Porter
Produced by Chris de Burgh

Christopher J. Davison alias Chris de Burgh
was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina on October 15, 1948. He is the son of Charles Davison, a British diplomat, and an Irish secretary, Maeve Emily de Burgh. His childhood was rich in travel and experience due to his fathers’ diplomatic and Engineering work. He grew up in different countries, such as Malta, Nigeria and Zaire. When he was 12 years old the Davison family moved to Emerald Isle, Ireland. Chris still lives there, with his wife Diane and their three children, Rosanna, Hubie, and Michael.

Chris de Burgh In 1960, his grandfather, General Sir Eric de Burgh, bought an old castle ‘Bargy Castle’, which originally was built in the 12th century. After the Davisons renovated the castle, they opened it up as a half year holiday hotel for families. Chris held his first concerts in this castle and he used it to play and sing for the guests in the evenings. He learned to play the guitar by the ‘Learning by doing’ method. He studied English and French at the famous Trinity College in Dublin. This gave him ideas for his own lyrics. He began writing songs while studying French and English at Trinity College in Dublin where he earned his Master of Arts degree in French, English, and History. He also attended Malborough College in England.

In 1971, Chris moved to London to pursue his music career. He was singing in a hamburger restaurant and a hair dresser's shop. He was looking for a job and was offered by a friend to sing in a recently opened restaurant in Dublin called ‘Captain Americas’. He played background music for the dinning guests. In 1974 he signed a deal with A&M Records and supported Supertramp in their “Crime Of The Century" tour. During this time, he changed his stage name to Chris de Burgh. And in 1975, he was ready to release his first album ‘Far Beyond These Castle Walls...’.

His first international success happened in 1975 with the song ‘Turning Round’ which was renamed into ‘Flying’ and it remained number 1 in Brazil for more than 17 weeks. It sold over half a million records. His next album was ‘Spanish Train & Other Stories’ and once again the track ‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’ off of the album became a continuing hit, but this time in the United Kingdom, as a Christmas radio hit. But a real success from the album was the track ‘Patricia The Stripper’, which is still requested by the audience at his concerts.

In 1980, Chris’s album ‘Eastern Wind’, became one of the biggest-selling albums of all time in Norway.

In 1984, Chris released his 8th album ‘Man On The Line’, which included one of his most famous songs ‘High On Emotion’. It reached number 1 in ten European countries. He performs this song at most of his concerts since then. ‘Man On The Line’ became a top 30 album in United Kingdom, the United States and 20 other countries.Chris de Burgh In 1986, he released the album ‘Into The Light’, which included ‘The Lady In Red’. It became a worldwide hit and Chris received gold and platinum albums in many different countries.

‘The Lady In Red’ reached number 1 in the United Kingdom and 24 other countries world wide, and also number 3 in the United States. ‘Into The Light’ earned platinum in Norway, South Africa and Greece, double platinum in Swiss and England, three times platinum in Ireland and Canada. It received gold in the United States, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium as well. 'The Lady In Red' remains one of the most played songs and later became the recipient of six annual ASCAP (Association of Composers and Publishers) Awards, presented to acknowledge the track as one of the Top 20 most played songs in the United States in a period of one year. This album also contains the track ‘Say Goodbye To It All’, which continued the story of ‘Borderline’ on ‘The Getaway’ album from 1982.

His next album, 'Flying Colours', was released in 1988. This album included the song ‘Missing You’ and became one of his biggest selling albums. 'Flying Colours' made number one on the British charts when it was released in 1988.

He released the album ‘Timing Is Everything’ in 2002 with 11 new tracks. He wanted to have a fun record with this album and it is not a spiritual record to him. But some songs like ‘There’s Room In This Heart Tonight’ are still meaningful songs. This album's biggest hit is ‘Lebanese Night’, which has reached number 1 in both English and Arabic music charts, in Lebanon and so many other countries.

His 15th studio album 'The Road To Freedom' was released on March 2004 and it includes 11 new tracks. This is the first time he has ever included a track that is completely instrumental on a record. 'The Road To Freedom' songs are very well put together, and some songs merge into each other or form a very nice group by themselves. In this Album Chris de Burgh returns to his roots and the result is a strong, beautiful and complete record.

Chris de Burgh now has his own recording label called Ferryman Productions. Chris de Burgh was signed with A&M records for 30 years before the launch of Ferryman Productions in March 2004. Ferryman Productions first released the single 'The Words I Love You' and later the album 'The Road To Freedom'.

Chris de Burgh released his next album 'The Storyman' in October 2006. This new album contains 12 new tracks and Chris de burgh has written a short story for each song. These stories set the scene and expand upon the lyrics with detail, color and atmosphere. On March 2006 Chris de Burgh was appointed the Ambassador to counter malnutrition and for achieving the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by CISRI-ISP. Chris de Burgh was also appointed an Ambassador for CISRI-ISP/IIMSAM in support of the UNMDGs.

Chris de Burgh's latest album 'Footsteps' represents a personal & candid appraisal by Chris of songs that have influenced & affected him throughout his musical life. Chris de Burgh selected his songs for the new album based on three things: he had to love it, had to have sung them many times before, and they had to have inspired him. ‘First Steps’ and ‘Footsteps’, are Chris de Burgh's only two new songs in this album.

Chris de Burgh released 'The Hands of Man', his 20th studio album of original new material. His new album finds Chris maintaining his focus as a singer-songwriter of unique vision and craft. On the new record, his intention was to reflect who he is today and the things that he thinks about.

The album has been thoughtfully and carefully compiled to be listened to like a vinyl record; in two distinct parts, Sunrise and Sunset, each introduced by orchestral instrumentals. Recorded both at his home studio in Ireland and at Mark Knopfler’s British Grove facility in London, The ‘Hands of Man’ is a potent mix of versatility. As he always does, Chris approached many of the new songs from the perspective of not only how they could be performed on stage but, far beyond that, how his audience might react to them in the live arena.

During the 40 years of his career, Chris de Burgh has been awarded with more than 200 gold and platinum sale awards. Also, some Royalty and world leaders have joined to his fans. He has so many fans all around Europe, Asia, South America, and North America. Chris has repeatedly had sold out tours in many countries around the world, such as United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Far East.

As of today, Chris de Burgh has composed 20 studio albums, approaching 3,000 concerts worldwide and LP sales that sold for more than 45 million copies.

This album contains no booklet.