Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh

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Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh
Greatest hits album by
Chris de Burgh
Released24 October 1989
RecordedRamport and Scorpio Studios
GenreRock
Length67:58 (68:38 German)
LabelA&M
ProducerChris de Burgh, Rupert Hine, Roy Thomas Baker, Robin Geoffrey Cable, Paul Hardiman and others
Chris de Burgh chronology
Flying Colours
(1988) 		Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh
(1989) 		High on Emotion: Live from Dublin
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link

Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh is the third compilation album by Chris de Burgh, released by A&M Records in 1989. The album was released largely to capitalise on the resurgence of de Burgh's career after the smash hit of The Lady in Red three years earlier. As a result, most of the tracks are drawn from his 1980s albums The Getaway, Man on the Line, Into The Light and Flying Colours. Only "Spanish Train," and "A Spaceman Came Travelling" come from de Burgh's early output from the 1970s.

Also notable is the pairing of the songs "Borderline" and "Say Goodbye To It All" – originally from two different albums, which tell a story arc of a conscientious objector fleeing to be with his lover.

Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Chris de Burgh.

UK release[edit]

  1. "This Waiting Heart" (previously unreleased) – 4:08
  2. "Don't Pay the Ferryman" – 3:24
  3. "Much More Than This" – 2:55
  4. "Sailing Away" – 4:58
  5. "The Lady in Red" – 4:17
  6. "Borderline" – 4:33
  7. "Say Goodbye to It All" – 5:04
  8. "Spanish Train" – 4:47
  9. "Ship to Shore" – 3:47
  10. "Missing You" – 4:06
  11. ”Fatal Hesitation“ – 4:14
  12. "Diamond in the Dark" (previously unreleased) – 3:29
  13. "Tender Hands" – 4:28
  14. "A Spaceman Came Travelling" * – 5:10
  15. "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" – 3:53
  16. "High on Emotion" – 4:24

US/Canada release[edit]

  1. "This Waiting Heart" (previously unreleased) – 4:08
  2. "Don't Pay the Ferryman" – 3:24
  3. "Much More Than This" – 2:55
  4. "Sailing Away" – 4:58
  5. "The Lady in Red" – 4:17
  6. "Borderline" – 4:33
  7. "Say Goodbye to It All" – 5:04
  8. "Spanish Train" – 4:47
  9. "Patricia the Stripper" – 3:30
  10. "Ship to Shore" – 3:47
  11. "Missing You" – 4:06
  12. "Diamond in the Dark" (previously unreleased) – 3:29
  13. "Tender Hands" – 4:28
  14. "A Spaceman Came Travelling" – 5:10
  15. "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" – 3:53
  16. "High on Emotion" – 4:24

West German/Australasian release[edit]

  1. "This Waiting Heart" (previously unreleased) – 4:08
  2. "Don't Pay the Ferryman" – 3:24
  3. "Fire on the Water" – 4:28
  4. "Sailing Away" – 4:58
  5. "The Lady in Red" – 4:17
  6. "Borderline" – 4:33
  7. "Say Goodbye to It All" – 5:04
  8. "One Word (Straight to the Heart)" – 4:16
  9. "A Spaceman Came Travelling" – 5:10
  10. "Ship to Shore" – 3:47
  11. "Missing You" – 4:06
  12. "Diamond in the Dark" (previously unreleased) – 3:29
  13. "Tender Hands" – 4:28
  14. "The Getaway" – 3:52
  15. "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" – 3:53
  16. "High on Emotion" – 4:24
  • The album features the remixed version of A Spaceman Came Travelling with a re-rerecorded vocal track, it is subsequently titled A Spaceman Came Travelling '89 on later compilations.[which?]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1989) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 4

Sales and certifications[edit]

Certifications for Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[1] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[2] Gold 50,000^
Germany (BVMI)[3] Platinum 500,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[4] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[5] 2× Platinum 600,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Chris De Burgh – Spark to a Flame" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Chris De Burgh – Spark to a Flame". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Chris De Burgh; 'Spark to a Flame')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  4. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Spark to a Flame')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  5. ^ "British album certifications – Chris De Burgh – Spark to a Flame". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 July 2022.

External links[edit]

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