This is number 34 in my occasional series of 12″ records from the 80s that had an effect on my life.
Riding on the coattails of their empirical phase of True and Gold etc, the group came back in 1986 after a 2 year hiatus with the glory that is “Through the Barricades”…
Now sleeker, and more confident in their image, they had left their squeaky clean image and moved into semi political anthems.
Released in 1986. It is the title track and lead single from their album of the same name.
The song tells the story of a couple who are separated by the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The lyrics describe the man’s determination to cross “through the barricades” to be with his lover, despite the danger and the opposition of those around him.
“Through the Barricades” is known for its sweeping melody, powerful vocals, and atmospheric instrumentation, featuring guitars, drums, and a string section. The song was a commercial success, reaching the top ten in the UK and several other countries.
The sweeping instrumentation is extenuated on the 12″ extended version, with it’s tempting introduction and extended instrumental bridges.
Top 50 12 Inches of the 80s What's it all about?
Inspired by all the lists you see on FaceBook saying “Post your favourite albums, but don’t say anything about them…” I thought, hell I’m gonna say a bit about them and why they’re special. As a general rule I have chosen particular extended vinyl versions of the tracks for various reasons, amongst them they extend the length I can listen to them, and they often add extra ambience to the Radio Friendly 7″ version.
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Top 50 12″ Mixes of the 80s – Full list
Legendary US record producer Tom Moulton was probably one of the prime movers in developing 12-inch releases, he had discovered that the 12-inch had vastly superior sound quality, producing grooves perfect for the discotheque. It was music for hedonistic dancers – for metronomic beats, fewer vocals, stripped back instrumentation, slow-fading echo effects, sustains, slow builds in pace and intensity to maximum peaks.
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