Studio-album number eight by Scotland’s Simple Minds (including the stunning double "Live In The City Of Light" from May 1987, it was their ninth release overall) was a monster record that seemed to take the UK, Ireland and Scotland by storm (less so in the USA).
This was helped in no small part by their extraordinary take on a Traditional Folk Ballad called "She Moved Through The Fair" (associated with Northern Ireland) that became "Belfast Child" - an unlikely but deeply emotive No. 1 on the UK singles chart in February 1989 - months before the album's release at the beginning of May. Labelled at the "Ballad Of The Streets EP" on seven-inch, twelve-inch and 3" CD single (pictured) - its sales figures were huge.
But its not been without its detractors... Critics have called "Belfast Child" overblown Frankie Goes To Hollywood Trevor Horn DDD pseudo polish, coffee-table Rock mush for a generation just waking up to political horrors on their Emerald Isle doorstep and around the world (Apartheid covering by both "Mandela Day" and their version of Peter Gabriel's powerhouse "Biko"). In fact, the whole slickly produced album was their reach for U2 stadium-rock status.
But I remember it differently. I recall the chills going up my Irish arms when the gorgeous arrangements and feel to "Belfast Child" hit my ears (and my heart) - followed by the unbelievably good B-side to the single - "Mandela Day" - the Scottish band's plea for Nelson Mandela's freedom from the sickening Afrikaner regime in South Africa. Maybe as an Irishman, we were longing for peace in the Six Counties when in fact the following four years would their worst in that horrible war. But I thought "Belfast Child" – partnered with "Mandela Day" and "Biko" was magnificent and still do - a Traditional they had somehow made sound like it a Simple Minds song and a rolling guitar refrain in "Mandela Day" that slaughtered audiences whenever it was played.
I loved the album too that showed in May - I ate it up embracing its polish as progress and not regression. So this 2CD 'Deluxe Expanded Edition' variant gives me exactly what I need - a tasteful Remaster of the album on CD1 (including the bonus cut of "When Spirits Rise" on the original May 1989 Virgin Cassette and CD) and a fabulous line up of to-the-point 'Single Edits' of key tracks on a 15-cut CD2 including the thumping "Waterfront '89 Remix" (yum yum).
The 6 March 2019 anniversary issue came in an LP, single CD, this 'Deluxe Expanded Edition' 2CD version and an elaborate 'Super Deluxe' edition 4CD box set. We're dealing with the two-disc variant that in March 2023 is available from many online sites for under seven English quid. To the land that is yours...
UK released 6 March 2019 - "Street Fighting Years" by SIMPLE MINDS on Universal/Virgin 7701565 (Barcode 0602577015656) is a 'Deluxe Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue with 15-Bonus Tracks and New Remasters that plays out as follows:
CD1 (61:39 minutes):
1. Street Fighting Years (6:26 minutes) [Side 1]
2. Soul Crying Out (6:07 minutes)
3. Wall Of Love (5:20 minutes)
4. This Is Your Land (6:22 minutes)
5. Take A Step Back (4:23 minutes)
6. Kick It In (6:11 minutes) [Side 2]
7. Let It All Come Down (4:56 minutes)
8. Mandela Day (5:45 minutes)
9. Belfast Child (6:42 minutes)
10. Biko (7:34 minutes)
11. When Spirits Rise (2:01 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 10 are the Vinyl LP Version of their eight studio-album "Street Fighting Years" (ninth release overall) - released 8 May 1989 in the UK on Virgin MINDS1 (LP). Tracks 1 to 11 are the Cassette and CD Versions (MINDSC1 and MINDSCD) that both contained "When Spirits Rise" - a Track 11 instrumental of 2-minutes that effectively acted as a 'Bonus Track' on both formats. Produced by TREVOR HORN - the album peaked at No.1 in the UK and No.70 in the USA. All songs are Simple Minds originals except "Belfast Child" which is based on an Irish Traditional air and "Biko" which is a Peter Gabriel cover version.
CD2 (74:54 minutes):
1. Belfast Child (Edit, 5:11 minutes)
2. Mandela Day (Edit, 4:08 minutes)
3. This Is You Land (Edit, 4:45 minutes)
4. Saturday Girl (6:08 minutes)
5. Year Of The Dragon (Instrumental, 3:07 minutes)
6. This Is Your Land (DJ Version, 5:05 minutes)
7. Kick It In (Edit, 4:52 minutes)
8. Waterfront ('89 Remix, 5:21 minutes)
9. Big Sleep (Live) (6:39 minutes)
10. Kick It In (Unauthorized Mix, 7:05 minutes)
11. Sign O' The Times (Edit, 4:12 minutes)
12. Let It All Come Down (Edit, 3:37 minutes)
13. Sign O' The Times (Full Version, 5:35 minutes)
14. Jerusalem (Instrumental, 2:57 minutes)
15. Sign O' The Times (C.J. Mackintosh Remix, 6:15 minutes)
The four-flap-panel foldout card Digipak is so easily crushed and while it looks 'ok' - you can't help thinking it could have looked so much better. The 24-page booklet features new interviews with the band's two main men - Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill - where they explain it's history and give explanations for most of the songs (not the extras). It pictures the four Singles and EPs that surrounded the album and produced the myriad of cuts on CD2. There are period photos, musician credits and so so forth but it all feels just a little too much like 'so what'.
Originally mastered by the legendary BOB LUDWIG - the long album has had SIMON HEYWORTH do the hugely punchy New Remasters at Super Audio Mastering and they wallop your speakers. I understand how some people feel the DDD recording is too clinical sounding - but it is upped and better for it.
The album opens with the immediate hook of "Street Fighting Years" - a lone double bass note is soon joined gorgeous floating piano and soft acoustic guitars - its melody soon joined by keyboards and Kerr's almost whispered lyrics about paradise and hurricanes. It's Simple Minds having a bit of a Yes via Trevor Horn Prog-Rock moment that works - and the Remaster is a beast on those slide guitars. Next up is a 'cold wind blowing up the street' - the government asking you to pay in the brilliant "Soul Crying Out" - another great layered SM song with 'that sound'.
"Wall Of Love" is over-produced, too noisy and cluttered and trying so hard, you want to turn it off - even if the sound wafts across your mansions. Better is "This Land Is Yours" - the kind of guitar-message song that builds into great Tears For Fears keyboard moments - churches and steeples made into sound. And you've got to love those unexpected Lou Reed spoken lines - his cameo appearance slight and yet electrifying. Side 2 has that guitar/organ lingering opening to "Kick It In" before it goes into a very ABC "Lexicon Of Love" groove. Better for me is the trio that ends the album - "Let It All Come Down", "Belfast Child" and "Mandela Day". New days dawning, children singing again in an embattled city and a man of principle seeing the sunlight of freedom again for the first time in decades. Gorgeous stuff...
I'm kind of shocked at how I reach for 'CD2' every time I drag this twofer out for a spin on the old Stereophonic Gramophone type thingy. For me stuff like the big mickey bombastic guitar fest that is "Waterfront ('89 Remix)" and "Big Sleep (Live)" and the sharp as a drill sergeant's buttoned uniform edits of singles like "This Is Your Land" and "Mandela Day" - make the listen utterly brilliant. For sure instrumentals like the Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence sounding "Year Of The Dragon" are trinkets and the vapid FGTH Beats-Per-Minute 'unauthorized mix' of "Kick It In" is so 80ts it hurts. But I have always played "Saturday Girl" and their slightly awkward girl-covering cover of Prince's "Sign Of The Times" feels better when you give it a chance - especially when the tune goes into guitars and synths (full length cut or edit).
And again, the pretty "Let It All Come Down" is tighter for the shaving even if it is overproduced with that 'new day dawning' build up - acoustic, lead electric and keyboard stabs - cool. You could probably safely say too that most SM fans will happily live without their ELP-induced instrumental cover of "Jerusalem" from "The Amsterdam EP" – but I have to say I am so up for some bass-thumping in the utterly brilliant piano-and-funk Mission Impossible cool C.J. Mackintosh Remix of "Sign Of The Times" – a version of the Prince masterpiece that doesn’t actually use that much of the song’s lyrics but would get any dancefloor heaving and wondering – who is this!
Die-hard fans will of course opt for the Super Deluxe Edition of "Street Fighting Years" by Simple Minds, but for those who would see that as a wallet-depletion too far – make a beeline for this. A great remaster and a CD2 that is a sweetheart shimmying in the distance...
