Jump to content

Chris de Burgh: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|British-Irish singer (born 1948)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Redirect|Christopher Davison|the academic|Christopher Davidson}}
|Name = Chris de Burgh
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
|Img = Chrisde33.jpg
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
|Img_capt =
{{Infobox person
|Background = Khaki
|Birth_name = Christopher John Davison alias Chris de Burgh'''
|name = Chris de Burgh
|image = 2016 Sternstundengala - Chris de Burgh - by 2eight - 8SC6841.jpg
|Born = {{birth date and age|1948|10|15}}, [[Argentina]]
|landscape = yes
|Origin = [[Irish people|Irish]] {{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}}
|Instrument = [[Vocals]], [[Guitar]], [[Piano]]
|caption = de Burgh performing at [[Frankenhalle]] in [[Nuremberg]], Germany in 2016
|birth_name = Christopher John Davison
|Genre = [[Pop rock]], [[Progressive Rock]], [[Adult Contemporary]], [[Art Rock]], [[Soft Rock]], [[Euro-Rock]]'''
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1948|10|15}}
|Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
|birth_place = [[Venado Tuerto]], Santa Fe Province, Argentina
|Years_active = [[1974]]-present
|citizenship = {{flatlist|
|Label =[[A&M Records]] (1974-2004) </br> [[Ferryman Productions]] (2004-Present) </br> [[Edel Records]]
*Ireland
|URL = [http://www.cdeb.com]
*United Kingdom
}}
|occupation = {{flatlist|
*Musician
*singer-songwriter
}}
|years_active = 1974–present
|module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| origin = [[County Wexford]], Ireland
| instrument = {{flatlist|
*Vocals
*guitar
*piano
}}
| genre = {{Flatlist|
* [[Art rock]]<ref name="erlewine">{{cite web | url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-de-burgh-mn0000775904/biography | title= Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine | publisher=AllMusic | first=Stephen Thomas | last=Erlewine | access-date=25 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="prato">{{cite web | url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-dortmund-mw0000349533 | title= Live in Dortmund | publisher=AllMusic | first=Greg | last=Prato | access-date=1 February 2016}}</ref>
* [[pop music|pop]]<ref name="erlewine"/><ref name="prato"/>
* [[soft rock]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/now-and-then-mw0001210742 |title=Now and Then – Chris de Burgh|publisher=AllMusic |access-date=7 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-love-songs-mw0000460270 |title=The Love Songs – Chris de Burgh |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=7 February 2014}}</ref>
}}
| label = {{flatlist|
*[[A&M Records|A&M]]
*[[Ferryman Productions]]
*[[Edel Records|Edel]]
}}
| website = {{URL|cdeb.com}}
}}
|spouse = {{marriage|Diane Davison|1977}}
|children = 3, including [[Rosanna Davison]]
}}
}}
'''Chris de Burgh''' (born '''Christopher John Davison''' on [[October 15]], [[1948]]) is an [[Irish people|Irish]] musician and songwriter. An art rocker who occasionally writes pop-oriented material, Chris de Burgh had huge success in Britain with the 1986 hit "[[The Lady in Red]]". He has also gained an astounding popularity in other countries, particularly [[Germany]], [[Norway]], [[Iran]] and [[Brazil]].


'''Christopher John Davison''' (born 15 October 1948), known professionally as '''Chris de Burgh''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|d|_|'|b|ɜːr|}} {{respell|d'|BER}}), is a British-Irish<!--please do not change this without a talk page comment. The "Early life" section mentions that his father is British and his mother is Irish. The lead section is meant to summarise the article.--> singer-songwriter and musician. He started out as an [[art rock]] performer but subsequently started writing more pop-oriented material. He has had several top 40 hit singles in the UK and two in the US, but he is more popular in other countries, particularly Norway and Brazil.<ref name="erlewine"/> His 1986 love song "[[The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh song)|The Lady in Red]]" reached number one in several countries. De Burgh has sold over 45 million albums worldwide.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/7999802.stm | title= Chris de Burgh is singing loud | work=BBC News | date=15 April 2009 | access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref>
==Early Life==
Chris de Burgh was born in [[Pergamino, Buenos Aires|Pergamino]], [[Buenos Aires Province|Province of Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]] to Colonel Charles Davison, a British diplomat, and Maeve Emily de Burgh, an Irish secretary. His father, Charles Davison, had substantial farming interests, and he spent much of his early years in [[Malta]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Zaire]], as he, his mother and brother accompanied Colonel Davison on his Diplomatic and Engineering work.
The Davisons finally settled in Bargy Castle, a twelfth-century castle in Ireland bought by his maternal grandfather, General Sir Eric de Burgh [[K.C.B.]], [[D.S.O.]], [[O.B.E.]] - a former Chief of the General staff, Indian Army, and from a distinguished Irish/Norman family. The de Burgh family claim to have traced their roots to [[Richard I of England|King Richard the Lionheart]]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The castle was converted into a hotel where Chris gained a lot of early experience performing to the guests and he later assumed de Burgh as his stage name.
Being educated at the [[Marlborough College]] in Wiltshire, England, de Burgh went on to graduate from [[Trinity College, Dublin]] with a Master of Arts degree in French, English and History. As a performer, he adopted his mother's maiden name as his [[stage name]].


==Performing career==
==Early life==
De Burgh was born in [[Venado Tuerto]], Argentina, to Colonel Charles John Davison,<ref>Burke's Irish Family Records, 1976, p. 342</ref> a British diplomat, and Maeve Emily (née de Burgh). His maternal grandfather was [[Eric de Burgh|Sir Eric de Burgh]], a [[British Army]] officer who had been [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff in India]] during the Second World War.<ref name=travelmania>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131215233219/http://www.travelmania-ireland.com/place.php?id=1027 Bargy Castle, Co. Wexford]}}, Travelmania Ireland</ref> He took his mother's maiden name, "[[House of Burgh|de Burgh]]", as a stage name when he began performing, while his legal surname remains "Davison".<ref>{{cite book|author=Dave Wilson|title=Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to how Band Names Were Formed|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOpB23GGxAIC&pg=PA167|year=2004|publisher=Cidermill Books|isbn=978-0-9748483-5-8|page=167}}</ref> His father had substantial farming interests, and Chris spent much of his early years in Malta, Nigeria and the [[Belgian Congo]], as he, his mother and brother accompanied Colonel Davison on his diplomatic and engineering work.


The Davisons finally settled in [[Bargy Castle]], [[County Wexford]], Ireland, which was somewhat dilapidated at the time. It was a twelfth-century castle which Eric de Burgh bought in the 1960s. He converted it into a hotel, and young Chris sang for the guests there.<ref name=travelmania/>
Chris de Burgh signed his first contract with [[A&M Records]] in 1974, and supported [[Supertramp]] on their Crime of the Century tour, building himself a small fan base. His début, Far Beyond These Castle Walls, was a folk-tinged stab at fantasy in the tradition of the Moody Blues that failed to chart upon its release in February of 1975. That July, he released a single from the album called "[[Flying]]". It didn't make an impression in the U.K., but it stayed on top of the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This became a familiar pattern for the singer/songwriter, as every one of his '70s albums failed to chart in the U.K. or U.S. while they racked up big sales in European and South American countries. In 1981, he had his first U.K. chart entry with Best Moves, a collection culled from his early albums. It set the stage for 1982's Rupert Hine-produced The Getaway, which reached number 30 on the U.K. charts and number 43 in the U.S., thanks to the eerie single "[[Don't Pay the Ferryman]]". Chris de Burgh's follow-up album, [[Man on the Line]], also performed well, charting at 69 in the U.S. and 11 in the U.K.<br />Chris de Burgh had an across-the-board success with the languid ballad "[[The Lady in Red]]" in late 1986; the single became a number one hit in England (number three in America) and its accompanying album, [[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]], reached number two in the U.K. (number 25 in the U.S.). That Christmas season, a re-release of de Burgh's 1976 holiday song "[[A Spaceman Came Travelling]]" became a Top 40 hit in the U.K. "Flying Colours", his follow-up to "[[Into the Light]]", entered the British charts at number one upon its 1988 release, yet it failed to make the American charts. de Burgh never hit the U.S. charts again and his commercial fortunes began to slide slightly in Britain in the early '90s, yet he retained a devoted following around the world. This is mainly due to inactivity of his previous recording label [[A&M Records]] in U.S..
[[Image:moyaaid.jpg|300px|thumb|Chris performing at [[Self Aid]] with [[Moya Brennan]], [[Bono]], and [[Bob Geldof]], [[Dublin]], [[1986]].]]


De Burgh attended [[Marlborough College]] in [[Wiltshire]], England, where he was in the year below [[Nick Drake]]; de Burgh asked to join a jazz band Drake had formed with four schoolmates, the Perfumed Gardeners, but was rejected as his taste was "too poppy".<ref>Humphries (1997), p. 36.</ref> De Burgh went on to graduate from [[Trinity College Dublin]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alumni Awardees 2009/10 - Trinity Development & Alumni - Trinity College Dublin |url=https://www.tcd.ie/alumni/news-events/awards/2009.php |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=www.tcd.ie}}</ref> with a Master of Arts degree in French, English and History.
==Famous Songs==


==Musical career==
Chris De Burgh's most famous song is "[[The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh song)|The Lady in Red]]" from the 1986 album ''[[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]]''. That album also included the song "[[For Rosanna]]," written to celebrate the 1984 birth of his daughter [[Rosanna Davison]], who would later go on to win the '[[Miss World]]' title in 2003. He also has two sons named Hubie and Michael by his wife Diane.
{{BLP sources section|date=June 2019}}


===Early career===
In a recent interview, de Burgh revealed how the late [[Diana, Princess of Wales|Princess Diana]] came to see him perform at a private concert; and how after the performance, Diana approached him backstage to thank him for writing the song "The Lady in Red". Apparently, Diana was under the impression that the song was written for (or dedicated to) her, since she was known for loving to wear the colour red. De Burgh was honoured for the compliment and admiration, but he revealed to her the real story behind the song. Speaking on the [[BBC]] series ''[[This Is Your Life]]'' in the 1990s, de Burgh said that the song was inspired by the memory of meeting his wife Diane, and how men so often cannot even remember what their wives were wearing when they first met. His own website's FAQ puts it this way:
Chris de Burgh signed his first contract with [[A&M Records]] in 1974, and supported [[Supertramp]] on their Crime of the Century tour, building himself a small fan base. His début album, ''[[Far Beyond These Castle Walls]]'', was a folk-tinged stab at fantasy in the tradition of the [[The Moody Blues|Moody Blues]]. It failed to chart upon its release in late 1974. A few months later, he released a single called "Turning Round" from the album, released outside the UK and Ireland as "Flying". It failed to make an impression in the UK, but it stayed on top of the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This became a familiar pattern for the singer/songwriter, as every one of his 1970s albums failed to chart in the UK or US while they racked up big sales in continental European and South American countries.


In 1975 his second album, ''[[Spanish Train and Other Stories]]'', was released. Whilst (again) not a huge commercial success, the album and tour expanded the fan base, with de Burgh starting to attract a cult following. Along with the epic title track, other fan favourite tracks from the album included "Patricia The Stripper" and "[[A Spaceman Came Travelling]]" (the latter released the following year as a single).
:"Q. Is the song "The Lady In Red" written about Diane, Chris' wife?
:"A. There are a lot of different answers to this that Chris has apparently been heard to say. However, the real answer is that this song was inspired by a moment when Chris saw Diane across a crowded nightclub, without at first realising it was her. As a result he realised that often people never quite appreciate that the most important person in their lives is taken for granted, and how after a while you fail to notice the things that brought you together. This was the basis of the song but it wasn't written either for or about Diane."


1977's third album, ''[[At the End of a Perfect Day]]'', whilst well received and featuring both former [[Fairport Convention]] drummer [[Dave Mattacks]] and later Fairport drummer [[Gerry Conway (musician)|Gerry Conway]], failed to push de Burgh's career significantly, leading to the release of his fourth album ''[[Crusader (Chris de Burgh album)|Crusader]]'' in 1979. ''Crusader'' took a more electric direction, including guitar contributions from [[Ian Bairnson]] (formerly of [[Pilot (Scottish band)|Pilot]]), bass player [[David Paton]] (also of Pilot), and drummer [[Stuart Elliott (drummer)|Stuart Elliott]] (formerly of both Cockney Rebel and of [[Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel]]), a.k.a. Alan Parsons’ band, all of whom were also working at the time with [[Kate Bush]]. The album also featured [[Sky (English/Australian band)|Sky]] keyboard player [[Francis Monkman]] and [[Michael Moran (music producer)|Mike Moran]]. Whilst it attracted a significant number of new fans, ''Crusader'' still failed to break through in the UK and US. 1980's ''[[Eastern Wind]]'' also failed to build further on the (still cult) following in the major territories.
Other notable songs include funny-spirited "Patricia the Stripper", the mythological "Spanish Train", and the hopeful narrative "A Spaceman Came Travelling", some of his songs deal with death "[[Don't Pay the Ferryman]]" (with its background quote from ''[[The Tempest (play)|The Tempest]]''), whereas others like "Missing You" plainly deal with romance, "Borderline" and "Say Goodbye To It All" deal with themes of war, and its futility. The latter is based loosely on Hemingway's novel ''A Farewell To Arms''. In 2001 he travelled to Germany and recorded "Separate Tables" in a new duet version with [[Vicky Leandros]]. His songs have appeared in films as diverse as ''[[Arthur 2: On the Rocks|Arthur 2]]'', ''[[American Psycho (film)|American Psycho]]'' and ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story|Dodgeball]]'' and his records have reported sales of more than forty million units internationally. For the album ''Timing is Everything'', Chris de Burgh teamed up with Lebanese singer [[Elissa (singer)|Elissa]] for the recording of his single "Lebanese Night," which became a big hit in Lebanon. His latest CD release ''The Storyman'' contains the title track "The Storyman" which — in its lyrics — lists 30 of his most famous tracks.


===International success===
==Charity Works==
In 1981, de Burgh had his first UK chart entry with ''[[Best Moves]]'', a collection culled from his early albums. It set the stage for 1982's [[Rupert Hine]] produced ''[[The Getaway (Chris de Burgh album)|The Getaway]]'', which reached number 30 in the UK charts and number 43 in the US, thanks to the single "[[Don't Pay the Ferryman]]".
Throughout his long career, Chris de Burgh has displayed a keen interest in not only local charities but also world-wide issues that have attracted his Humanitarian values; for example, his involvement in “The Simple Truth” campaign helped to raise millions in aid for Kurdish refugees in 1991. Also in 2001, he performed in a charity concert for the victims of the New Year's Eve disaster of January 1, 2001 in [[Volendam]], [[Netherland]]. In 2006, de Burgh performed in Berlin as part of the series of [[Live8]] concerts. He's also been involved in numerous British and Irish charities, predominantly focusing on the wellbeing of children.


In 1984, Chris de Burgh's follow-up album, ''[[Man on the Line]]'', also performed well, charting at 69 in the US and 11 in the UK (topping the charts in Germany and Switzerland<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/album/Chris-De-Burgh/Man-On-The-Line-113 |title=Chris De Burgh - Man On The Line |publisher=hitparade.ch |date= |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref>); its first single "High on Emotion" became an international success, reaching the Top 20 in several countries<ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Chris+De+Burgh&titel=High+On+Emotion&cat=s |title=Chris De Burgh - High On Emotion |publisher=lescharts.com |date= |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> (entering notably the Top 5 in Ireland,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement |website=The Irish Charts |access-date=8 May 2022|title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know }}</ref> France and Switzerland) and the Top 50 in both the UK<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/high-on-emotion/ | title=High on emotion &#124; full Official Chart History |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] }}</ref> and US.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/chris-de-burgh/chart-history/hsi/ |title=Chris de Burgh |magazine=Billboard |date=8 June 2021 |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref>
===Ambassador for the IIMSAM===
In January 2007, Chris de Burgh was appointed an Ambassador<ref>http://www.pomun.org/goodwill_ambassadors.htm</ref> for the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition, IIMSAM, in support of the UN MDGs. IIMSAM works to promote the use of micro-algae [[Spirulina]] (Spirulina Platensis) to counter [[malnutrition]] and its severe negative impacts especially in the Developing and Least Developed Countries (LDC).


Chris de Burgh had an across-the-board hit single with the [[Sentimental ballad|ballad]] "[[The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh song)|The Lady in Red]]" in late 1986; the song became a number one hit in the UK (number three in America) and a worldwide success,<ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Chris+De+Burgh&titel=The+Lady+In+Red&cat=s |title=charts.org.nz - Chris De Burgh - The Lady In Red |publisher=Charts.nz |date= |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> its accompanying album, ''[[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]]'', reached number two in the UK (number 25 in the U.S.). That Christmas season, a re-release of de Burgh's 1976 Christmas song "[[A Spaceman Came Travelling]]" became a Top 40 hit in the UK.
Chris de Burgh will also promote "The Right to Food Campaign Initiative Against Malnutrition Worldwide" that aims to make micro-alage [[Spirulina]] a key-driver to achieve food security and bridge the health divide globally. [[Spirulina]] is the most digestible protein food, especially important for malnourished people. Clinical studies have shown it helps rebuild healthy intestinal flora. [[IIMSAM]] has an Observer Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in keeping with [[ECOSOC]] Resolution No. E/2003/212,dated 5th of March 2003. [[IIMSAM]] aims to provide relief to the emergency victims of calamities through the use of food micro-algae [[Spirilina]] as an alternative low cost protein source to rehabilitate severely malnourished victims.


''[[Flying Colours (Chris de Burgh album)|Flying Colours]]'', his follow-up to ''[[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]]'', entered the British charts at number one upon its 1988 release, yet it failed to make the American charts. De Burgh has not had another hit in the US and his commercial fortunes began to slide in Britain in the early 1990s, yet he retained a following around the world.<ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Chris+De+Burgh&titel=Power+Of+Ten&cat=a |title=Chris De Burgh - Power Of Ten |publisher=dutchcharts.nl |date= |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> This is mainly due to inactivity of his previous recording label [[A&M Records]] UK division in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cdeb.com/cdebnew/faq.html#q8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019233103/http://www.cdeb.com/cdebnew/faq.html|title=FAQ Answers|archive-date=19 October 2010}}</ref>
====Efforts as Ambassador====
Being the Ambassador for the [[IIMSAM]], Chris de Burgh has pursued many efforts to accomplish his mission. He has released a limited edition box set, "Much More Than This", which includes four CDs, one of which features early Chris de Burgh demos, first mixes and otherwise unheard and unavailable material. Profits from sales of the box set will be donated to the [[IIMSAM]] Fund. Also, £1 from every purchase of any single item, exceeding £10, from his official record store and merchandise site is donated to the [[IIMSAM]] Fund. Also, he scheduled a Gala Concert on the 13th of October 2007 where benefits were to be donated to the [[IIMSAM]] Fund, but the concert got cancelled due to re-organization within [[IIMSAM]] department.


In 1997 de Burgh composed a song entitled "There's a New Star Up in Heaven Tonight", dedicated to [[Diana, Princess of Wales]]. The song was released as a 100-copy limited edition and included on the compilations ''[[The Ultimate Collection (Chris de Burgh album)|The Ultimate Collection]]'' (2000) and ''[[Now and Then (Chris de Burgh album)|Now and Then]]'' (2009).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdeb.com/now-and-then/ |title=Now and Then |work=Official Chris de Burgh website |access-date=21 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016233318/http://cdeb.com/now-and-then/ |archive-date=16 October 2012 }}</ref>
==Critical Responses==


===2007–2021===
His musical style, as well as his lyrics - which are full of sometimes saccharine romantic imagery - have often made him the subject of mockery by, amongst others, the comedian [[Bill Bailey]], who refers to him as "the monobrowed purveyor of ultimate filth", lampooning his style in the song "Beautiful Ladies in Emergency Situations" (in which he describes saving all the beautiful women of the world from some unknown peril, then psychopathically slaughtering all the women he considers ugly), and a de Burgh-style version of "The Combine Harvester" by [[The Wurzels]]. "Lady in Red" is parodied with a [[hillbilly]] version ("Cousin In Red"), and [[West Country]] and [[Cockney]] versions. In Bailey's 'Scale of Evil' sketch, a picture of de Burgh was used to show him as the ultimate evil, and made a sarcastic implication that he was [[Osama Bin Laden]] in disguise.
In 2007 a concert in Tehran was planned for mid-2008, together with local band [[Arian (band)|Arian]], which would have made Chris de Burgh the first western pop singer to perform in Iran since the [[Iranian Revolution|1979 revolution]]. However, the concert never went ahead because he had not been given permission by the Iranian authorities to perform in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/aug/19/chris.de.burgh.iran.gig|title=No permission for Chris de Burgh Iran gig|work=The Guardian |date=19 August 2008|first=Sean|last=Michaels|access-date=12 December 2011|location=London}}</ref>


In 2008, de Burgh released ''[[Footsteps (album)|Footsteps]]'', his seventeenth album including cover versions of thirteen songs that inspired him throughout his career,<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|title = Footsteps – Chris de Burgh|url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/footsteps-mw0000819477|website = AllMusic|access-date = 25 December 2015}}</ref> by artists like [[Bob Dylan]], [[the Beatles]], [[Toto (band)|Toto]] and [[Pete Seeger]];<ref name="allmusic"/> the album reached the Top 5 in UK.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/footsteps/ | title=Footsteps &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company | website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] }}</ref> In 2011, de Burgh released his follow-up, ''[[Footsteps 2]]'', which entered the UK Top 40. <ref>{{Cite web |title=FOOTSTEPS 2 by CHRIS DE BURGH |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/chris-de-burgh-footsteps-2/ |website=OfficialCharts.com}}</ref>
[[Mark Lamarr]] has also been known to slate de Burgh - on one episode of [[Never Mind The Buzzcocks]] a clip was shown of a de Burgh video, to which Lamarr responded by blindfolding himself and shouting "Die!" until the end of the clip.


He was the first Western act to play in Lebanon after the [[Lebanese Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/chris-de-burgh-big-in-beirut-821517.html|title=Chris de Burgh: Big in Beirut|date=6 May 2008|work=The Independent|access-date=23 June 2017}}</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums and Compilations===
Chris de Burgh was signed to [[A&M Records]] for many years (1974-2004), but he now has his own label, ''[[Ferryman Productions]]''. His recent albums are released by German label, [[Edel Records]].


On his 73rd birthday on 15 October 2021, de Burgh released a music video for his single "Legacy" directed by Iranian filmmaker/animator [[Sam Chegini]], an animated music video for his 27th studio album, ''The Legend of Robin Hood''.<ref>{{Citation|last=Chegini|first=Sam|title=Chris de Burgh: Legacy|date=15 October 2021|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15691508/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1|type=Animation, Short|publisher=Sam Pictures Productions|access-date=17 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Chris de Burgh - Legacy (Official Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMpWR0biB-8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VMpWR0biB-8 |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=17 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
# ''Far Beyond These Castle Walls'', 1974
# ''[[Spanish Train and Other Stories]]'', 1975 (#78 in 1985)
# ''At the End of a Perfect Day'', 1977
# ''[[Crusader (Chris de Burgh album)|Crusader]]'', 1979 (#72 in 1986)
# ''Eastern Wind'', 1980
# ''Best Moves'', 1981 (#65)
# ''[[The Getaway (album)|The Getaway]]'', 1982 (#30)
# ''Man on the Line'', 1984 (#11)
# ''The Very Best of Chris de Burgh, 1984, (#6)
# ''[[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]]'', 1986 (#2)
# ''Flying Colours'', 1988 (#1)
# ''[[Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh]]'', 1989 (#4)
# ''[[High on Emotion: Live from Dublin]]'', 1990 (#15)
# ''Power of Ten'', 1992 (#3)
# ''This Way Up'', 1994 (#5)
# ''Beautiful Dreams'', 1995 (#33)
# ''Live in South Africa'', 1997
# ''The Love Songs'', 1997 (#8)
# ''Quiet Revolution'', 1999 (#23)
# ''The Ultimate Collection - Notes from Planet Earth'', 2001 (#19)
# ''Timing Is Everything'', 2002 (#41)
# ''The Road To Freedom'', 2004
# ''Live In Dortmund'', 2005
# ''The Ultimate Collection'', 2005
# ''The Storyman'', 2006
# ''Gold, 2007


===Videos and DVDs===
===2024–present: ''50''===
In October 2024, de Burgh announced and released a new album called ''50'', It chronicles his 50 years in the music business.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/cdebofficial/posts/we-are-so-excited-to-announce-that-chris-album-50-a-celebration-of-50-years-of-c/1025775175576847/|title=Post about album|publisher=Facebook|author=Chris De Burgh|date=16 August 2024|access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref>
# ''[[Chris de Burgh - The Video]], 1983 (Video)
# ''[[The Munich Concert]], 1985 (Video)
# ''[[High On Emotion - Live From Dublin]], 1990 (Video)
# ''[[Beautiful Dreams]], 1995 (Video and DVD)
# ''[[Benefit for Volendam]], 2001 (Video and DVD)
# ''[[The Road To Freedom - Live in Concert]] (DVD)


==Personal life==
===UK Top 100 Singles===
Chris de Burgh has been married to his wife Diane since 1977. They lived in [[Dalkey]], [[Dublin]], and in 1997 moved to the Bushey Park Estate in [[Enniskerry]], [[County Wicklow]]. They sold Bushey Park in 2023.<ref>[https://evoke.ie/2023/09/16/life-style/property/chris-de-burgh-house-sells 'Chris de Burgh sells his Wicklow mansion for €9.3m after four years'], ''Evoke'', 16 September 2023</ref>
* [[Don't Pay the Ferryman]] (1982 - #48)
They have two sons, Hubie and Michael, and a daughter, [[Rosanna Davison|Rosanna]], best known as the winner of the [[Miss World]] competition in 2003 for Ireland. His second cousin,<ref>Burke's Irish Family Records, 1976, pp.342–3.</ref> [[Danny Kinahan]] of [[Castle Upton]], served as [[Member of Parliament]] for [[South Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|South Antrim]] between [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]] and [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]].
* [[High On Emotion]] (1984 - #44)
* Ecstasy Of Flight (I Love The Night) (1984 - #80)
* Fire On The Water (1986 - #88)
* [[The Lady In Red]] (1986 - #1)
* Fatal Hesitation (1986 - #44)
* A Spaceman Came Travelling/The Ballroom Of Romance (1986 - #40)
* The Simple Truth (A Child Is Born) (1987 - #55)
* Missing You (1988 - #3)
* Tender Hands (1988 - #43)
* Sailing Away (1989 - #78)
* This Waiting Heart (1989 - #59)
* Diamond In The Dark (1989 - #95)
* Don't Pay The Ferryman (live) (1990 - #84)
* The Simple Truth (1991) (1991 - #36)
* Separate Tables (1992 - #30)
* Blonde Hair Blue Jeans (1994 - #51)
* The Snows Of New York (1995 - #60)
* So Beautiful (1997 - #29)
* When I Think Of You (1999 - #59)


In 1994 he was found to have had an affair with his children's 19-year-old Irish nanny, Maresa Morgan, who was assisting the family while de Burgh's wife Diane was recuperating in the hospital from a broken neck suffered during a horse-riding accident. De Burgh later said he felt very guilty about the affair and subsequently reconciled with his wife.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6045550.stm |title=Faces of the week |work=BBC News |access-date=24 February 2017 |date=13 October 2006}}</ref>
==Band Line-Up==

* ''1977-1978 - [[Jeff Philips]], [[Glenn Morrow]], [[Ken Allardyce]], [[Colin Vallance]] (joined in 1978)
In 2011, bottles from de Burgh's vintage wine cellar sold for over $500,000, including a world record set for a magnum collection of postwar vintages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12858155|title=Chris de Burgh red wine collection goes for a song|work=BBC News|date=25 March 2011|access-date=19 May 2013}}</ref>
* ''1979-1982 - [[Tim Wynveen]], [[Jeff Philips]], [[Glenn Morrow]], [[Al Marnie]], [[Ian Kojima]]

* ''1983-1994 - [[Danny McBride]], [[Jeff Philips]], [[Glenn Morrow]], [[Al Marnie]], [[Ian Kojima]]
De Burgh has a noted interest in war history, especially that of the [[World War I|First]] and [[World War II|Second World Wars]]. His songs contain numerous references to soldiers and battle, and in 2006 he purchased a rare First World War letter written by an unknown soldier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2006/11/07/singer-buys-first-world-war-letter-345264/|title=Singer buys First World War letter|work=[[Metro International|Metro News]]|date=7 November 2006|access-date=19 May 2013}}</ref>
* ''1997-2001 ("Love Songs" and "Quiet Revolution" Tour) - [[Neil Taylor]], [[Peter Oxendale]], [[Tony Kiley]], [[Dave Levy]], [[Al Vosper]]

* ''2002-2004 ("Timing Is Everything" Tour) - [[Gary Sanctuary]], [[Tim Cansfield]], [[Dave Levy]], [[Tony Kiley]], [[Al Vosper]]
De Burgh has said that he is "certainly a believer in [[Christ]]", but he has always had a deep distrust of organized religion.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.insideworldmusic.com/library/weekly/aa051704d.htm | title= Chris de Burgh: Still High on Emotion | date=17 May 2004|publisher=Inside World Music | access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref> De Burgh believes in the power of spiritual healing as an alternative therapy to reduce pain. He claims that he has been able to heal people with his own hands and that he gained an "all-encompassing strength" that was contacted through prayer.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6033139.stm | title= De Burgh tells of 'healing' hands | work=BBC News | date=9 October 2006 | access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref>
* ''2006-Present ("The Storyman" Tour) - [[Ebbe Ravn]], [[Al Vosper]], [[Dave Levy]], [[Tony Kiley]], [[Nigel Hopkins]]

==Media profile==
During the 1970s, de Burgh received mainly positive feedback from the music press, as he attempted to build his career. Since the release of "The Lady in Red" in 1986, both the music and news media have become significantly more negative towards him, both personally and professionally.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

De Burgh has pursued and won 16 defamation actions.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/real-winner-is-common-sense-in-jury-awards-2660143.html |title=Real winner is common sense in jury awards |work=Irish Independent|date=28 May 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> ''[[The Irish Independent]]'' said he has always been a bit prickly about criticism. Peter Crawley, a theatre reviewer at ''[[The Irish Times]]'', received a directed response from de Burgh when he wrote a less than sympathetic review of de Burgh's show in Dublin's [[Gaiety Theatre, Dublin|Gaiety Theatre]] in September 2009. Crawley wrote: "He departs the stage for 'Lady in Red', invading boxes and draping himself over audience members ... Certain toes will never uncurl after this experience, but it is almost admirable how unaltered de Burgh has remained by the flow of time."<ref>[https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/chris-de-burgh-is-an-angry-misunderstood-man-apparently/ Chris de Burgh is an Angry, Misunderstood, Man. Apparently.], ''[[The Spectator]]'', 11 September 2009</ref> In a lengthy, much-publicised reply to the critic, de Burgh made his feelings known, particularly in the [[postscript]]:

{{blockquote|We were wondering by way of explanation and, as you seem to portray yourself as a bitter and unfulfilled man, were you much teased by your school chums in the schoolyard and called 'Creepy Crawley'?<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/national-news/de-burgh-has-always-been-close-with-sweet-girl-of-mine-2660224.html |title=De Burgh has always been close with 'sweet girl of mine' |work=Irish Independent|date=28 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531001056/https://www.independent.ie/national-news/de-burgh-has-always-been-close-with-sweet-girl-of-mine-2660224.html |archive-date=31 May 2011 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/chris-de-burgh-sees-red-1.735963 Chris de Burgh sees red], ''[[The Irish Times]]'', 11 September 2009</ref>}}

[[AllMusic]] critic Greg Prato stated, "Depending on who you ask, Chris de Burgh either specializes in pretentious, bombastic art rock disguised as pop or is a master of penning soaring and majestic compositions."<ref name="prato"/> The [[BBC]] said of de Burgh, "To his millions of fans, Chris de Burgh is the ultimate romantic singer. But to many others he's a figure of fun."<ref name="faces of the week">{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6045550.stm | title= Faces of the week | work=BBC News | date=13 October 2006 | access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> When the staff of ''[[Melody Maker]]'' were putting together a lampoon edition of a new arts and music magazine, they chose de Burgh for the cover.<ref name="faces of the week"/> His [[signature song]], "The Lady in Red", has been repeatedly voted one of the public's most disliked songs.<ref>{{cite news|work= BBC News |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/848510.stm |title= Birdie Song tops hall of shame |date= 24 July 2000 |access-date= 5 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jan/07/johnarlidge.theobserver | title= 'Imagine' top song ever | work=The Guardian | date=7 January 2001 | access-date=5 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/readers-poll-the-10-worst-songs-of-the-1980s-20111006/3-chris-de-burgh-lady-in-red-0752583 |title= Readers' Poll: The 10 Worst Songs of the 1980s |magazine= [[Rolling Stone]] |date= 6 October 2011 |access-date= 5 August 2014}}</ref> In 2006, [[Neil Norman]], writing for ''[[The Independent]]'', described de Burgh as "the world's naffest balladeer".<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/chris-de-burgh-great-hands-shame-about-the-voice-422038.html | title= Chris de Burgh: Great hands, shame about the voice | work=The Independent | first=Neil | last=Norman | date=29 October 2006 | access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref> In his favour, Mike DeGagne, writing for AllMusic, acclaimed de Burgh as "a genuine master of the soft ballad" and "one of the finest mood-invoking artists ever".<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/far-beyond-these-castle-walls-mw0000373485 | title= Far Beyond These Castle Walls | publisher=AllMusic | first=Mike | last=DeGagne | access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Nominee(s)
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
! scope="row"|[[ASCAP Pop Music Awards]]
| 1988
| "[[The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh song)|The Lady in Red]]"
| Most Performed Song
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-06-04.pdf#page=5|format=PDF|title=Billboard|page=5|date=4 June 1988|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=21 January 2022}}</ref>
{{end}}

==Discography==
{{main|Chris de Burgh discography}}

;Studio albums
*''[[Far Beyond These Castle Walls]]'' (1974)
*''[[Spanish Train and Other Stories]]'' (1975)
*''[[At the End of a Perfect Day]]'' (1977)
*''[[Crusader (Chris de Burgh album)|Crusader]]'' (1979)
*''[[Eastern Wind]]'' (1980)
*''[[The Getaway (Chris de Burgh album)|The Getaway]]'' (1982)
*''[[Man on the Line]]'' (1984)
*''[[Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album)|Into the Light]]'' (1986)
*''[[Flying Colours (Chris de Burgh album)|Flying Colours]]'' (1988)
*''[[Power of Ten (album)|Power of Ten]]'' (1992)
*''[[This Way Up (album)|This Way Up]]'' (1994)
*''[[Quiet Revolution (album)|Quiet Revolution]]'' (1999)
*''[[Timing Is Everything (album)|Timing Is Everything]]'' (2002)
*''[[The Road to Freedom (Chris de Burgh album)|The Road to Freedom]]'' (2004)
*''[[The Storyman]]'' (2006)
*''[[Footsteps (album)|Footsteps]]'' (2008)
*''[[Moonfleet & Other Stories]]'' (2010)
*''[[Footsteps 2]]'' (2011)
*''[[Home (Chris de Burgh album)|Home]]'' (2012)
*''[[The Hands of Man]]'' (2014)
*''[[A Better World (album)|A Better World]]'' (2016)
*''The Legend of Robin Hood'' (2021)
*''50'' (2024)

==Filmography==
*''[[The Grand Knockout Tournament]]'' (1987) (as Himself)
*''[[How to Cheat in the Leaving Certificate]]'' (1998) (as Petrol Pumper)
*''[[The Bachelor (American TV series)|The Bachelor]]'' S26 E07 (2022) (as Himself)


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
<references/>


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Chris de Burgh}}
*[http://www.cdeb.com CdeB.com], official Web site
*[http://www.cdeb.net CdeB.net], official record store and merchandise site
*[http://www.cdeb.com Official website]
* {{Discogs artist|Chris de Burgh}}
*[http://www.chrisdeburgh.net Chrisdeburgh.net], Multi-Language Chris de Burgh Website
*{{IMDb name|id=0213587}}

*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2009/04/09/chris_de_burgh_interview_feature.shtml Audio interview] at [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire BBC Wiltshire]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6045550.stm BBC News - Faces of the Week], spotlights Chris de Burgh's purported healing ability and background
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090508094743/http://www.akirathedon.com/2007/05/akira-the-don-vs-chris-de-burgh/ Interview] with [http://www.akirathedon.com Akira The Don]
*[http://www.pomun.org Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM)]


{{DEFAULTSORT:De Burgh}}
{{Chris de Burgh}}


{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1948 births|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Male singers|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Living people|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Irish male singers|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Irish pop singers|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Irish singer-songwriters|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Irish Argentineans|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Irish people by ethnic or national origin]]
[[Category:Irish songwriters|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Old Marlburians|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:Falsettos|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:People from Buenos Aires|De Burgh, Chris]]
[[Category:People associated with Dalkey]]


{{DEFAULTSORT:De Burgh, Chris}}
[[cy:Chris de Burgh]]
[[de:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[es:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century British male musicians]]
[[fa:کریس دی‌برگ]]
[[Category:21st-century British male musicians]]
[[fr:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:20th-century British male singers]]
[[nl:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:21st-century British male singers]]
[[no:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish male singers]]
[[pl:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:21st-century Irish musicians]]
[[pt:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:A&M Records artists]]
[[ru:Крис де Бург]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[sv:Chris de Burgh]]
[[Category:Art rock musicians]]
[[Category:Ballad musicians]]
[[Category:British male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:British pop singers]]
[[Category:Irish pop singers]]
[[Category:Musicians from County Wexford]]
[[Category:People educated at Marlborough College]]
[[Category:People from General López Department]]

Latest revision as of 06:53, 26 November 2024

"Christopher Davison" redirects here. For the academic, see Christopher Davidson.

Chris de Burgh
de Burgh performing at Frankenhalle in Nuremberg, Germany in 2016
Born
Christopher John Davison

(1948-10-15) 15 October 1948 (age 76)
Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe Province, Argentina
Citizenship
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
Years active1974–present
Spouse
Diane Davison
​
(m. 1977)​
Children3, including Rosanna Davison
Musical career
OriginCounty Wexford, Ireland
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Labels
Websitecdeb.com

Christopher John Davison (born 15 October 1948), known professionally as Chris de Burgh (English: /d ˈbɜːr/ d'-BER), is a British-Irish singer-songwriter and musician. He started out as an art rock performer but subsequently started writing more pop-oriented material. He has had several top 40 hit singles in the UK and two in the US, but he is more popular in other countries, particularly Norway and Brazil.[1] His 1986 love song "The Lady in Red" reached number one in several countries. De Burgh has sold over 45 million albums worldwide.[5]

Early life

[edit]

De Burgh was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina, to Colonel Charles John Davison,[6] a British diplomat, and Maeve Emily (née de Burgh). His maternal grandfather was Sir Eric de Burgh, a British Army officer who had been Chief of the General Staff in India during the Second World War.[7] He took his mother's maiden name, "de Burgh", as a stage name when he began performing, while his legal surname remains "Davison".[8] His father had substantial farming interests, and Chris spent much of his early years in Malta, Nigeria and the Belgian Congo, as he, his mother and brother accompanied Colonel Davison on his diplomatic and engineering work.

The Davisons finally settled in Bargy Castle, County Wexford, Ireland, which was somewhat dilapidated at the time. It was a twelfth-century castle which Eric de Burgh bought in the 1960s. He converted it into a hotel, and young Chris sang for the guests there.[7]

De Burgh attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire, England, where he was in the year below Nick Drake; de Burgh asked to join a jazz band Drake had formed with four schoolmates, the Perfumed Gardeners, but was rejected as his taste was "too poppy".[9] De Burgh went on to graduate from Trinity College Dublin,[10] with a Master of Arts degree in French, English and History.

Musical career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Chris de Burgh signed his first contract with A&M Records in 1974, and supported Supertramp on their Crime of the Century tour, building himself a small fan base. His début album, Far Beyond These Castle Walls, was a folk-tinged stab at fantasy in the tradition of the Moody Blues. It failed to chart upon its release in late 1974. A few months later, he released a single called "Turning Round" from the album, released outside the UK and Ireland as "Flying". It failed to make an impression in the UK, but it stayed on top of the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This became a familiar pattern for the singer/songwriter, as every one of his 1970s albums failed to chart in the UK or US while they racked up big sales in continental European and South American countries.

In 1975 his second album, Spanish Train and Other Stories, was released. Whilst (again) not a huge commercial success, the album and tour expanded the fan base, with de Burgh starting to attract a cult following. Along with the epic title track, other fan favourite tracks from the album included "Patricia The Stripper" and "A Spaceman Came Travelling" (the latter released the following year as a single).

1977's third album, At the End of a Perfect Day, whilst well received and featuring both former Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks and later Fairport drummer Gerry Conway, failed to push de Burgh's career significantly, leading to the release of his fourth album Crusader in 1979. Crusader took a more electric direction, including guitar contributions from Ian Bairnson (formerly of Pilot), bass player David Paton (also of Pilot), and drummer Stuart Elliott (formerly of both Cockney Rebel and of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel), a.k.a. Alan Parsons’ band, all of whom were also working at the time with Kate Bush. The album also featured Sky keyboard player Francis Monkman and Mike Moran. Whilst it attracted a significant number of new fans, Crusader still failed to break through in the UK and US. 1980's Eastern Wind also failed to build further on the (still cult) following in the major territories.

International success

[edit]

In 1981, de Burgh had his first UK chart entry with Best Moves, a collection culled from his early albums. It set the stage for 1982's Rupert Hine produced The Getaway, which reached number 30 in the UK charts and number 43 in the US, thanks to the single "Don't Pay the Ferryman".

In 1984, Chris de Burgh's follow-up album, Man on the Line, also performed well, charting at 69 in the US and 11 in the UK (topping the charts in Germany and Switzerland[11]); its first single "High on Emotion" became an international success, reaching the Top 20 in several countries[12] (entering notably the Top 5 in Ireland,[13] France and Switzerland) and the Top 50 in both the UK[14] and US.[15]

Chris de Burgh had an across-the-board hit single with the ballad "The Lady in Red" in late 1986; the song became a number one hit in the UK (number three in America) and a worldwide success,[16] its accompanying album, Into the Light, reached number two in the UK (number 25 in the U.S.). That Christmas season, a re-release of de Burgh's 1976 Christmas song "A Spaceman Came Travelling" became a Top 40 hit in the UK.

Flying Colours, his follow-up to Into the Light, entered the British charts at number one upon its 1988 release, yet it failed to make the American charts. De Burgh has not had another hit in the US and his commercial fortunes began to slide in Britain in the early 1990s, yet he retained a following around the world.[17] This is mainly due to inactivity of his previous recording label A&M Records UK division in the U.S.[18]

In 1997 de Burgh composed a song entitled "There's a New Star Up in Heaven Tonight", dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales. The song was released as a 100-copy limited edition and included on the compilations The Ultimate Collection (2000) and Now and Then (2009).[19]

2007–2021

[edit]

In 2007 a concert in Tehran was planned for mid-2008, together with local band Arian, which would have made Chris de Burgh the first western pop singer to perform in Iran since the 1979 revolution. However, the concert never went ahead because he had not been given permission by the Iranian authorities to perform in the country.[20]

In 2008, de Burgh released Footsteps, his seventeenth album including cover versions of thirteen songs that inspired him throughout his career,[21] by artists like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Toto and Pete Seeger;[21] the album reached the Top 5 in UK.[22] In 2011, de Burgh released his follow-up, Footsteps 2, which entered the UK Top 40. [23]

He was the first Western act to play in Lebanon after the Lebanese Civil War.[24]

On his 73rd birthday on 15 October 2021, de Burgh released a music video for his single "Legacy" directed by Iranian filmmaker/animator Sam Chegini, an animated music video for his 27th studio album, The Legend of Robin Hood.[25][26]

2024–present: 50

[edit]

In October 2024, de Burgh announced and released a new album called 50, It chronicles his 50 years in the music business.[27]

Personal life

[edit]

Chris de Burgh has been married to his wife Diane since 1977. They lived in Dalkey, Dublin, and in 1997 moved to the Bushey Park Estate in Enniskerry, County Wicklow. They sold Bushey Park in 2023.[28] They have two sons, Hubie and Michael, and a daughter, Rosanna, best known as the winner of the Miss World competition in 2003 for Ireland. His second cousin,[29] Danny Kinahan of Castle Upton, served as Member of Parliament for South Antrim between 2015 and 2017.

In 1994 he was found to have had an affair with his children's 19-year-old Irish nanny, Maresa Morgan, who was assisting the family while de Burgh's wife Diane was recuperating in the hospital from a broken neck suffered during a horse-riding accident. De Burgh later said he felt very guilty about the affair and subsequently reconciled with his wife.[30]

In 2011, bottles from de Burgh's vintage wine cellar sold for over $500,000, including a world record set for a magnum collection of postwar vintages.[31]

De Burgh has a noted interest in war history, especially that of the First and Second World Wars. His songs contain numerous references to soldiers and battle, and in 2006 he purchased a rare First World War letter written by an unknown soldier.[32]

De Burgh has said that he is "certainly a believer in Christ", but he has always had a deep distrust of organized religion.[33] De Burgh believes in the power of spiritual healing as an alternative therapy to reduce pain. He claims that he has been able to heal people with his own hands and that he gained an "all-encompassing strength" that was contacted through prayer.[34]

Media profile

[edit]

During the 1970s, de Burgh received mainly positive feedback from the music press, as he attempted to build his career. Since the release of "The Lady in Red" in 1986, both the music and news media have become significantly more negative towards him, both personally and professionally.[citation needed]

De Burgh has pursued and won 16 defamation actions.[35] The Irish Independent said he has always been a bit prickly about criticism. Peter Crawley, a theatre reviewer at The Irish Times, received a directed response from de Burgh when he wrote a less than sympathetic review of de Burgh's show in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre in September 2009. Crawley wrote: "He departs the stage for 'Lady in Red', invading boxes and draping himself over audience members ... Certain toes will never uncurl after this experience, but it is almost admirable how unaltered de Burgh has remained by the flow of time."[36] In a lengthy, much-publicised reply to the critic, de Burgh made his feelings known, particularly in the postscript:

We were wondering by way of explanation and, as you seem to portray yourself as a bitter and unfulfilled man, were you much teased by your school chums in the schoolyard and called 'Creepy Crawley'?[37][38]

AllMusic critic Greg Prato stated, "Depending on who you ask, Chris de Burgh either specializes in pretentious, bombastic art rock disguised as pop or is a master of penning soaring and majestic compositions."[2] The BBC said of de Burgh, "To his millions of fans, Chris de Burgh is the ultimate romantic singer. But to many others he's a figure of fun."[39] When the staff of Melody Maker were putting together a lampoon edition of a new arts and music magazine, they chose de Burgh for the cover.[39] His signature song, "The Lady in Red", has been repeatedly voted one of the public's most disliked songs.[40][41][42] In 2006, Neil Norman, writing for The Independent, described de Burgh as "the world's naffest balladeer".[43] In his favour, Mike DeGagne, writing for AllMusic, acclaimed de Burgh as "a genuine master of the soft ballad" and "one of the finest mood-invoking artists ever".[44]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Nominee(s) Category Result Ref.
ASCAP Pop Music Awards 1988 "The Lady in Red" Most Performed Song Won [45]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Chris de Burgh discography
Studio albums

Filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Prato, Greg. "Live in Dortmund". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Now and Then – Chris de Burgh". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  4. ^ "The Love Songs – Chris de Burgh". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Chris de Burgh is singing loud". BBC News. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  6. ^ Burke's Irish Family Records, 1976, p. 342
  7. ^ a b Bargy Castle, Co. Wexford[usurped], Travelmania Ireland
  8. ^ Dave Wilson (2004). Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to how Band Names Were Formed. Cidermill Books. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-9748483-5-8.
  9. ^ Humphries (1997), p. 36.
  10. ^ "Alumni Awardees 2009/10 - Trinity Development & Alumni - Trinity College Dublin". www.tcd.ie. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Chris De Burgh - Man On The Line". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  12. ^ Steffen Hung. "Chris De Burgh - High On Emotion". lescharts.com. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  14. ^ "High on emotion | full Official Chart History". Official Charts.
  15. ^ "Chris de Burgh". Billboard. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  16. ^ Steffen Hung. "charts.org.nz - Chris De Burgh - The Lady In Red". Charts.nz. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  17. ^ Steffen Hung. "Chris De Burgh - Power Of Ten". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  18. ^ "FAQ Answers". Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
  19. ^ "Now and Then". Official Chris de Burgh website. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  20. ^ Michaels, Sean (19 August 2008). "No permission for Chris de Burgh Iran gig". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  21. ^ a b "Footsteps – Chris de Burgh". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  22. ^ "Footsteps | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  23. ^ "FOOTSTEPS 2 by CHRIS DE BURGH". OfficialCharts.com.
  24. ^ "Chris de Burgh: Big in Beirut". The Independent. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  25. ^ Chegini, Sam (15 October 2021), Chris de Burgh: Legacy (Animation, Short), Sam Pictures Productions, retrieved 17 October 2021
  26. ^ Chris de Burgh - Legacy (Official Video), archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 17 October 2021
  27. ^ Chris De Burgh (16 August 2024). "Post about album". Facebook. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  28. ^ 'Chris de Burgh sells his Wicklow mansion for €9.3m after four years', Evoke, 16 September 2023
  29. ^ Burke's Irish Family Records, 1976, pp.342–3.
  30. ^ "Faces of the week". BBC News. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  31. ^ "Chris de Burgh red wine collection goes for a song". BBC News. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  32. ^ "Singer buys First World War letter". Metro News. 7 November 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  33. ^ "Chris de Burgh: Still High on Emotion". Inside World Music. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  34. ^ "De Burgh tells of 'healing' hands". BBC News. 9 October 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  35. ^ "Real winner is common sense in jury awards". Irish Independent. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  36. ^ Chris de Burgh is an Angry, Misunderstood, Man. Apparently., The Spectator, 11 September 2009
  37. ^ "De Burgh has always been close with 'sweet girl of mine'". Irish Independent. 28 May 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011.
  38. ^ Chris de Burgh sees red, The Irish Times, 11 September 2009
  39. ^ a b "Faces of the week". BBC News. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  40. ^ "Birdie Song tops hall of shame". BBC News. 24 July 2000. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  41. ^ "'Imagine' top song ever". The Guardian. 7 January 2001. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  42. ^ "Readers' Poll: The 10 Worst Songs of the 1980s". Rolling Stone. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  43. ^ Norman, Neil (29 October 2006). "Chris de Burgh: Great hands, shame about the voice". The Independent. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  44. ^ DeGagne, Mike. "Far Beyond These Castle Walls". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  45. ^ "Billboard" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 4 June 1988. p. 5. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chris de Burgh.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Chris_de_Burgh&oldid=1259637851"