Customer Reviews
Never would have thought.. - By: happyhel, 27 Jun 2006 
I never would have thought I would be such a fan of a Chris De Burgh album than I am. This is the first & only album of his that I own, but I am definitely going to buy more. I love just about all of the songs on this album, from my favourite 'Just a word away' about his son, to 'Leather on my shoes' about travelling down the freedom road...
This album is possibly one of my favourite albums & is just so enjoyable to listen to. Please buy it!
On the freedom road... - By: amboline, 13 Dec 2004 How does one follow up a million-selling slushy ballad which is destined to haunt you for the rest of your musical career? That was the question facing Chris de Burgh when "Flying Colours" came out, somewhere at the back end of the 1980s & very muchin the shadow of "The Ladyin Red". If you look at the single releases from this album, you probably wouldn't be encouraged: "Missing You" was an attempt to write "The Ladyin Red, Part 2" & succeeds very well as a piece of sugary froth; "Tender Hands" has a little more substance (and a middle-eight harking back to the glory days of "Don't Pay the Ferryman") but is stillin essence an AOR love ballad; only "Sailing Away", a beguiling & ethereal album opener to be sure, shows much musical originality. That said, nobody should buy "Flying Colours" for the singles. The rest of the album is several steps up from "The Ladyin Red": the ballads by & large go much deeper, the light-hearted tracks play like highly polished highlights of the "Getaway" & "Man on the Line" albums, & the serious protest songs are among the finest de Burgh ever wrote.
It's entirely possible to listen to this album & be won over by the charming simplicity of "Night on the River", the catchy uptempo rock of "Don't Look Back", or the poignancy of "Just a Word Away" & "I'm Not Scared Anymore", written for his family. But it'sin the remaining songs that the real depth of this album lies - along with proof that, "Ladyin Red" notwithstanding, de Burgh was & is one of the greatest songwriters of his age. "Carry Me" is a simple but heart-rending promise to a bereaved friend, destined to make as many funerals as "The Ladyin Red" did weddings. "Leather On My Shoes" is a triumphant anthem of protest & optimism, particularly apt for the closing months of Thatcher's Britain. "The Simple Truth", omitted from the original album, is a welcome addition to the CD: a single, originally releasedin 1988 with no impact whatsoever, which subsequently became a headliner for fund-raising concerts & the theme song of the campaign to help the Kurdish refugees. This is vintage Chris de Burgh with a modern twist, & is deservedly now one of his best remembered songs. The album closes with a magnificent reflection on the Easter themes of death & resurrection, setin thoroughly modern language. "The Risen Lord" recalls the Gospel story of the stranger on the road to Emmaus as well as the Christian tale of St. Christopher, who shouldered Jesus & with him the weight of the entire world; while "The Last Time I Cried" transposes Jesus' death-cry - "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?" ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") - into the lips of those who endured the Nazi persecution, with a chilling recognition that sometimes those who condone persecution are closer than we think. This is poignant, disturbing songwriting, beautiful music, & lyrics that bury themselvesin your soul. If only Chris de Burgh were remembered more for music like this.
In short: if you liked "The Ladyin Red", this album is probably the best wayin to the more serious repertoire of a most under-rated songwriter. If you're a long-time de Burgh fan, you'll find this album one of his most memorable. And if you're simply a fan of good, meaningful music that gives you something to think about as well as something to feel, you could do a lot worse than "Flying Colours".
Chris chills out again - By: , 30 Jan 2003 
I bought this albumin 1988 on vinyl when it first came out. At the time, I was disappointed. This was because I was into his more up-tempo stuff, & his previous two albums exploited the rockier,in fact rockiest, side of his talent. I now rate it as being one of his finest albums. Nothing as good as this followed until much later, for examplein parts of 'Quiet Revolution'(1999. Musically, it's very mature & signals a return to the slower, romantic style of his albums of the late 70s, notably 'Crusader' (1979). The opening track, 'Sailing Away' is one of his better known compositions, featured on later
compilations. The saxophone playout is lovely. One of his most memorable tracks & a very pleasant five minutes. 'Carry me(---)', the second track,is gorgeous. This is a song which Chris wrote to a friend who was bereaved, I believe. Other highlights include 'Leather On My Shoes', 'I'm Not Scared Anymore'and the up tempo 'Don't Look Back'. This song is true vintage Chris De Burgh. It harks right back to classics such as 'Don't Pay The Ferryman', 'The Traveller' & even 'Waiting For the Hurricane' . The two closing tracks are great. 'The Risen Lord' returns once more to one of Chris'favourite themes: a traveller who isin need of shelter. The orchestrations & gentle piano make this one a favourite. It leads into the final track: 'The Last Time I Cried'. This is a real epic, & I can't think of another song by Chris that is comparable. Read the words, listen, & read the words again. The CD version of this album includes 'The Simple Truth (---)' which was not on the original vinyl, but was released as a single. Chris' song for his son Hubie, 'Just A Word Away' , is not the strongest track musically, but I must admit that his songs for his children have meant more to me since I became a father.
I do recommend this album, especially to CdeB fans & to anyone who wants a chill-out.
