The Road to Hell (song)

"The Road to Hell"

The Road to Hell (Parts 1 & 2)
Single by Chris Rea
from the album The Road to Hell
A-side "The Road to Hell (Part 2)"
Released 2 October 1989
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD, Mini CD
Recorded 1989
Genre Ambient, spoken word (Part 1)
Blues rock, soft rock (Part 2)
Length Part 1: 4:52,
Part 2: 4:32,
Full: 9:24
Label Atco (US)
Magnet (Rest of world)
Writer(s) Chris Rea
Producer(s) Jon Kelly
Chris Rea singles chronology
"Working on It"
(1989)
"The Road to Hell"
(1989)
"That's What They Always Say"
(1989)

"The Road to Hell" is a two-part song written by Chris Rea and released on the album of the same name. It was released as a single, with only part 2 on the A-side of the 7". The single was his biggest success in the United Kingdom, peaking at #10 on the UK Singles Chart.[1]

The song was inspired by the frustrations of M25 motorway peak-hour traffic.[2] Although some say that it was actually inspired by the A19 near Middlesbrough, where Chris Rea is from.

In 1990, the Croatian pop-rock band Parni valjak released the cover version of this song on Croatian language with lyrics "Godine prolaze", from their twelfth studio album "Lovci snova".

The South African trio Mark Haze (from Idols South Africa season seven), Dozi and Ghapi recorded a version on their album "Rocking Buddies" in 2013. [3]

Track listings

7" vinyl single

Magnet YZ431

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Road To Hell (Part 2)"   4:35
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "He Should Know Better"   3:55

12" vinyl single

Magnet YZ431T

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Road To Hell (Parts 1 & 2)"   9:20
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "Josephine (La Version Française)"   5:37

CD single

Magnet YZ431CD (3") and YZ431CDP (5")

No. Title Length
1. "The Road To Hell (Parts 1 & 2)"   9:20
2. "Josephine (La Version Française)"   5:37
3. "He Should Know Better"   4:37

Cassette single

Magnet YZ431C

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Road To Hell (Part 2)"   4:35
2. "He Should Know Better"   3:55
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "The Road To Hell (Part 2)"   4:35
2. "He Should Know Better"   3:55

Chart performance

Chart (1989) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[1] 10
German Singles Chart[4] 35
Irish Singles Chart[5] 11
Chart (1990) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[6] 6
French Singles Chart[7] 30
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[8] 11

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Chart Stats - Chris Rea - The Road To Hell (Part 2)". Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  2. Hodgkinson, Will (13 September 2002). "Chris Rea". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  3. http://www.markhaze.co.za/albums/46/rocking-buddies Retrieved 4 February 2014
  4. "charts-surfer.de search results". Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  5. "irishcharts.ie search results". Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  6. "Chris Rea - The Road To Hell (Part 2) - austriancharts.at". Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  7. "lescharts.com - Chris Rea - The Road To Hell (Part 2)". Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  8. "allmusic - Chris Rea - Billboard singles". Retrieved 31 January 2009.

External links