God's Great Banana Skin (song)

"God's Great Banana Skin" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1992 as the second single from his twelfth studio album God's Great Banana Skin. The song was written and produced by Rea.[2] "God's Great Banana Skin" reached No. 31 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the charts for three weeks.[3]

"God's Great Banana Skin"
Single by Chris Rea
from the album God's Great Banana Skin
B-side	"I Saw You Coming"
Released	November 1992[1]
Length	4:16 (remix) 5:15 (album version)
Label	East West
Songwriter(s)	Chris Rea
Producer(s)	Chris Rea
Chris Rea singles chronology
"Nothing to Fear" (1992) "God's Great Banana Skin" (1992) "Soft Top Hard Shoulder" (1993)

Background

Rea was inspired to write the song after he noticed his daughter was tempted to laugh at "somebody who'd been giving her a hard time". Rea told John Pidgeon in 1992: "I told her 'don't laugh when people go down even if they've been awful to you because you're tempting God to throw you a banana skin'. It's half moral and half superstition. Anybody who's done me a disservice in life, and I see them go down, you get tempted to laugh. I don't know whether it's superstition or not, or I daren't laugh just in case God throws me a banana skin as well."[4]

Critical reception

Upon release, Robert Tilli of Music & Media wrote: "The tag line of the title track, sung in a dark threatening voice, is easy to sing along with, making it the ideal second single. The wailing harmonica in the background matches perfectly with the November rain and storms."[1]

In a review of the album, Vlado Forgac of The Morning Star commented: "On the title track, Rea offers a humorous look at his own perception of faith."[5] Lynn Saxberg of the Ottawa Citizen noted the "cryptic message" of the song and how it "addresses the superstitious idea that bad luck will come not only to those who think they're better than others, but also people who think they're inferior".[6]

Track listing

7" and cassette single

1. "God's Great Banana Skin" (Remix) – 4:16
2. "I Saw You Coming" – 4:30

CD single

1. "God's Great Banana Skin" (Remix) – 4:16
2. "Just Passing Through" (Live) – 6:09
3. "Footprints in the Snow" (Live) – 4:32
4. "Winter Song" – 4:32

CD single (UK limited edition release)

1. "God's Great Banana Skin" (Remix) – 4:16
2. "I Saw You Coming" – 4:30
3. "She's Gonna Change Everything" – 4:46
4. "You Must Be Evil" (Live) – 4:47

Personnel

Production

• Chris Rea - producer of "God's Great Banana Skin", "I Saw You Coming" and "She's Gonna Change Everything"
• Neil Amor - engineer on "God's Great Banana Skin", "I Saw You Coming" and "She's Gonna Change Everything"
• Targa Flurio - remix of "God's Great Banana Skin"
• Jon Kelly - producer of "Winter Song"

Other

• Chris Welch - banana illustration
• Stylorouge - artwork

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
German Singles Chart[7]	59
UK Singles Chart[3]	31

References

1. Tilli, Robert (21 November 1992). "Rea manages to get 9-minute single aired". Music & Media.
2. "God's Great Banana Skin - Chris Rea | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
3. "CHRIS REA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
4. "Chris Rea Interview". chrisrea.biz. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
5. Forgac, Vlado (10 February 1993). "Street Sounds...". The Morning Star.
6. Saxberg, Lynn (28 November 1992). "Rea's 13th carries pessimistic message". The Ottawa Citizen.
7. Steffen Hung. "Chris Rea - God's Great Banana Skin". germancharts.de. Retrieved 2020-05-09.