Josephine (Chris Rea song)

"Josephine" is one of the most popular songs written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released on 22 June 1985 on the album Shamrock Diaries. "Josephine" was written by Rea for his daughter of the same name. Rea would later pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter, Julia, on the album Espresso Logic (1993).[1]

"Josephine"
Single by Chris Rea
from the album Shamrock Diaries
Released22 June 1985
RecordedDecember 1984
GenreSoft rock
Length4:26, 3:45
LabelMagnet
Songwriter(s)Chris Rea
Producer(s)Chris Rea, David Richards, Jon Kelly
Chris Rea singles chronology
"Wired to the Moon"
(1984)		 "Josephine"
(1985)		 "On the Beach"
(1986)

The song has been sampled by French house band Superfunk on their 2000 single "Lucky Star" (from the album Hold Up)[2].

Summary

Rea considered it as a blues song, and the "rhythm track for that song is supposed to be the Yellowjackets, Weather Report, and it grooves like hell, to me". However, it wasn't perceived in a same way by the record company and so were made several compromises.[3]

"Josephine" is a track that Rea has re-recorded many times, existing in no less than 7 distinct versions:

  • The original and most well known 1985 album version, which can be found on the original vinyl & CD releases of Shamrock Diaries, duration: 4.26.
  • The 1985 single version, a completely different, more rocking recording. This appeared again on the 2001 compilation The Very Best of Chris Rea. The original video for the song also uses this version but is approximately twenty seconds longer at the start. The duration of the single version is approximately 3.32 and the video version has a duration of 3.52.
  • The more disco-sounding "Josephine (La Version Française)" aka "Josephine Extended French re-record", an extended remix created for a European non-album single release in 1987, duration: 5.39.
  • This version can be found on the 1991 CD reissue of Shamrock Diaries (Label: Eastwest), replacing the original 4.26 album version. This is in fact an edit of Josephine (La Version Française), duration: 3.56.
  • The 1988 re-recording created for the compilation New Light Through Old Windows and was also made available on the 1994 compilation The Best of Chris Rea, duration: 4.34.
  • An alternate, faster re-recording found only on the US vinyl edition of New Light Through Old Windows, duration: 4.17.
  • Finally, a 2008 re-recording released on the Germany-only compilation Fool (If You Think It's Over) - The Definitive Greatest Hits.
  • Also finally, it features in the Symphonic Eighties Album where the song is accompanied by an orchestra

The song enjoyed popularity on the Balearic beat scene in the 1980s.[4]

Track listing
Vinyl 12' (1985)
No.TitleLength
1."Josephine"3:55
2."Dancing Shoes"3:37
3."Everytime It Rains"3:58
Vinyl 7' (1985)
No.TitleLength
1."Josephine"3:55
2."Dancing Shoes"3:37

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip)[5] 13
French Singles Chart[6] 7
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 23
Italy (FIMI)[8] 41
Germany (GfK Entertainment Charts)[9] 31
Netherlands (MegaCharts)[10] 8
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[11] 67
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References
  1. "Chris Rea at HMV Apollo, W6". The Times. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  2. King, Millane (22 July 2000). "Global Beats—Paris". Billboard. 112 (30): 54. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  3. Keith Shadwick (26 March 2004). "Chris Rea: Confessions of a blues survivor". The Independent. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  4. Stewart, Iain (2003). The Rough Guide to Ibiza & Formentera. London: Rough Guides. p. 327. ISBN 9781843530633. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  5. "Chris Rea – Josephine". Ultratop.be. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  6. "Chris Rea - Josephine". Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Josephine". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/indici/per_interprete/ar.htm
  9. "Chris Rea - Josephine". Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. "Chris Rea – Josephine". DutchCharts.nl. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  11. "Official Charts > Chris Rea". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
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