"Life in a Northern Town" is a song by The Dream Academy, a British folk rock group. The song was the opening track to their 1985 debut album, The Dream Academy. Reaching #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1986, it was their biggest hit. The lyrics are references to Tanworth-in-Arden (England) native Nick Drake, who died of an antidepressant overdose in 1974.
The Dream Academy intended the song as a tribute to Drake[1].
There were two different versions of the music video. The first one was made in 1984 and was filmed near Halifax in Yorkshire, UK. It was directed by Tim Pope [1]. The second version was filmed in 1985 and was directed by Leslie Libman and Larry Williams [2]. It was filmed in and around Newcastle upon Tyne with some scenes filmed in Manchester in the UK and in the USA. The American scenes were filmed near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the towns of Ambridge and Aliquippa. The video featured footage from one of their first TV appearances, on the British music show, The Tube [3]. Of worthy note is that the second version is actually shorter than the first version.
Country music cover
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. The live performance was made into a music video for the network Country Music Television. Although not officially released as a single, this rendition began receiving airplay on country radio, debuting at #57 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for April 5, 2008, eventually reaching a peak of #28. It also reached #43 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving both Little Big Town and Jake Owen their highest entries on the latter chart.
This live performance was included on the Deluxe Fan Edition of Sugarland's 2008 album Love on the Inside, and will be included on a November 2008 re-release of Little Big Town's 2007 album A Place to Land.
Dance cover
A sample of the song featured prominently in the 1997 dance hit Sunchyme by Dario G.
Chart positions
The Dream Academy
| Chart (1985) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
7 |
| U.K. Singles Chart |
15 |
Sugarland with Little Big Town and Jake Owen
| Chart (2008) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs |
28 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
43 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs |
21 |
| Canadian Radio & Records Country Singles |
30 |
| Canadian Billboard Hot 100 |
53 |
Track listing
7" Single
- Life in a Northern Town - 4:17
- Test Tape No. 3 - 5:01
12" Single
- Life in a Northern Town (Extended) - 5:19
- Test Tape No. 3 - 5:03
- Life in a Northern Town (7" mix) - 4:14
- Poised on the Edge of Forever - 3:32
References
External links
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