Belfast Child

"Belfast Child" is a song by the Scottish band Simple Minds, first released as the lead track on the Ballad of the Streets EP on 6 February 1989.[2] The EP also included "Mandela Day" (originally its B-side). The record reached number one on the UK Singles Chart as well as in Ireland and the Netherlands, and it became a top-ten hit in Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany.

"Belfast Child [Ballad of the Streets]"
Single by Simple Minds
from the album Street Fighting Years
B-side
Released6 February 1989 (1989-02-06)
GenreProgressive folk[1]
Length6:39
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Music: traditional
Lyrics: Simple Minds (Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill and Mick MacNeil)
Producer(s)Trevor Horn,
Stephen Lipson
Simple Minds singles chronology
"Don't You (Forget About Me)"
(1988)		 "Belfast Child [Ballad of the Streets]"
(1989)		 "This Is Your Land"
(1989)

Style and influence

The song uses the music from the Irish folk song "She Moved Through the Fair", but has completely different words.

Jim Kerr recalled in 1000 UK Number 1 Hits why he used the melody, "I first heard the melody (of She Moved Through The Fair) a few days after the Enniskillen bombing (when a bomb planted by the IRA exploded during a Remembrance Day service at Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, killing 12 people and injuring at least 63), and like everybody when you see the images I was sick. In the second part of the song, I'm trying to relate to people in Northern Ireland who lost loved ones. I'm trying to talk about the madness, the sadness and the emptiness. I'm not saying I have any pearls of wisdom, but I have a few questions to ask".[3]

Reception

The song received rave reviews, receiving a five-star review in Q magazine. In a retrospective review of the single, AllMusic journalist Dave Thompson described "Belfast Child" as being "an epic, heartstring-tugging song. The piece gains even more power in its second half, when the drums and guitar kick in, and the arrangement billows out with instrumentation."[4]

Music video

The music video to the song was shot in black and white and displays footage of children and deprivation in Belfast. It was directed by Andy Morahan and edited by Mark Alchin.[5]

B-sides

The B-side of the single was "Mandela Day", a song recorded to commemorate and performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert on 11 June 1988 though not released commercially until its inclusion on this single. The CD single and the 12" editions added a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Biko". All three tracks appeared on the band's Street Fighting Years album, released three months later.

Track listings

7" vinyl

  • UK, Germany: Virgin / SMX 3
  • France: Virgin / 90496
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Belfast Child"Traditional music, lyrics by Simple Minds6:39
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Mandela Day"Simple Minds5:42

12" vinyl

  • UK: Virgin / SMXT 3
  • UK: Virgin / SMX BS (limited edition box set, including 4 black-and-white photographs from the music video)
  • France: Virgin / 80432
  • Germany: Virgin / 611 998
  • Yugoslavia: Jugoton /MXSVIRG 18016
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Belfast Child"Traditional music, lyrics by Simple Minds6:39
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Mandela Day"Simple Minds5:42
3."Biko"Peter Gabriel7:31

CD

  • UK: Virgin / SMXCD3 (3")
  • UK: Virgin / SMXCDT3 (5")
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Belfast Child"Traditional music, lyrics by Simple Minds6:39
2."Mandela Day"Simple Minds5:42
3."Biko"Peter Gabriel7:31

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Italy — 30,000[32]
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. McAlphine, Fraser (20 November 2017). "10 British chart-toppers that no one talks about anymore". BBC. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  2. "Never Mind". Record Mirror. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 4. 21 January 1989.
  3. Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-283-1.
  4. Thompson, Dave. "Belfast Child - Simple Minds : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  5. "Simple Minds Belfast Child on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  6. "Simple Minds – Belfast Child". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  7. "Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  8. "Simple Minds – Belfast Child" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 10. 11 March 1989. p. 17. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  10. "Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  11. "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 13. 1 April 1989. p. 30. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Belfast Child". Irish Singles Chart.
  13. "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 19. 13 May 1989. p. 24. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 10, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  15. "Simple Minds – Belfast Child" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  16. "Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  17. "Simple Minds – Belfast Child". VG-lista. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. "Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  20. "Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simple Minds – Ballad of the Streets" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  23. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  24. "Jaaroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  25. "Eurochart Hot 100 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. 23 December 1989. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  26. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1989". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  27. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1989" (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  28. "End of Year Charts 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  29. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989" (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  30. "Year-End Charts '89 – Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England. 3 March 1990. p. 16.
  31. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  32. "Cassingle Attracts Pan-Euro Interest" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 June 1989. p. 4. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  33. "British single certifications – Simple Minds – Belfast Child". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
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