"Life in a Northern Town" is the debut single by British band the Dream Academy, released in March 1985. It is from their self-titled debut studio album The Dream Academy. The song was written as an elegy to British folk musician Nick Drake. Written by band members Nick Laird-Clowes and Gilbert Gabriel,[3] the song was produced by Laird-Clowes with help from Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.[3] The single reached No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1986. It is the band's highest charting single in the UK,[4] the US,[5] and Ireland.[6] A cover version released in 2008 and recorded live by the American country music artists Sugarland, Little Big Town, and Jake Owen was also a minor American hit that year.
"Life in a Northern Town" | ||||
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Single by the Dream Academy | ||||
from the album The Dream Academy | ||||
Released | March 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:19 | |||
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
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The Dream Academy singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Life in a Northern Town" on YouTube | ||||
The Dream Academy released the original version of "Life in a Northern Town" as a single in 1985. The song appeared on their self-titled album.[3] The single peaked at number seven on the US charts.[7]
"Life in a Northern Town" was written as an elegy to British folk musician Nick Drake, who died in 1974.[8][9]
Gilbert Gabriel, a member of the Dream Academy and co-writer of "Life in a Northern Town", said that the inspiration for the tune came from his experience at Dartington College of Arts.[10]
The song, which took a year to record, includes elements of classical music, an "African-esque" chant of "hey ma ma ma ma", which was later sampled by dance duo Dario G for their track "Sunchyme" and by the duo Tritonal,[11] and hints of psychedelia.[10] The song is written in the key of E major with a main chord pattern of E-Amaj7-E.[12]
7" single
12" single
Two videos were released to promote the single. The earlier version features the group performing the song in various locations in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.[13] The second version, released in November 1985, features the group performing at a concert while clips play featuring footage of Newcastle upon Tyne, Manchester, and Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.[14]
Chart (1985–86) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] | 4 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] | 7 |
Ireland (IRMA)[17] | 9 |
UK Singles (OCC)[18] | 15 |
US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 7 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 7 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[20] | 2 |
Year-end chart (1986) | Rank |
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US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[21] | 78 |
"Life in a Northern Town" | |
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Song by Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen | |
from the album Love on the Inside | |
Released | 2008 |
Recorded | 2007 |
Genre | Country |
Length | 4:14 |
Label | Mercury Nashville |
Songwriter(s) | Gilbert Gabriel Nick Laird-Clowes |
Producer(s) | Byron Gallimore Sugarland |
The song was covered in 2007 by the country music duo Sugarland, along with Little Big Town and Jake Owen, on the Sugarland Change for Change Tour. A live performance from 2007 was made into a music video by Becky Fluke for the network Country Music Television.[22]
This performance was included on the Deluxe Fan Edition of Sugarland's 2008 album Love on the Inside[22] and on Capitol Records' late 2008 re-release of Little Big Town's 2007 album A Place to Land. It was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year at the Country Music Association awards,[23] Best Country Collaboration with Vocals at the 51st Grammy Awards,[24] and Vocal Event of the Year at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music awards.[25]
Chart (2008) | Peak position |
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Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[26] | 53 |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[27] | 28 |
US Billboard Hot 100[28] | 43 |
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