Days in Europa

Days in Europa is the second album by Scottish punk rock and new wave band Skids. It was released in 1979 by record label Virgin.

Days in Europa
Studio album by
Skids
Released12 October 1979 (1979-October-12) (withdrawn)
7 March 1980 (1980-March-07)
Studio
GenreNew wave, post-punk
LabelVirgin
ProducerBill Nelson
Skids chronology
Scared to Dance
(1979)		 Days in Europa
(1979)		 The Absolute Game
(1980)
Alternative cover
Second edition album cover, 1980

Writing

Track #3 on Side 1 is 'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'. A rough translation is "It is a sweet and glorious thing (to die for one's country)". Dulce et Decorum Est is a poem by Wilfred Owen.

Track #3 on Side 2 is Thanatos, the Greek word for "death" and the name of the ancient Greek god of death. It is used in Freudian psychology to refer to the death wish/destructive urge, as opposed to Eros, the reproductive urge.

The album features lyrical references to both World War I and World War II.

Release

Days in Europa was released in 1979.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Smash Hits8/10[2]

Days in Europa has received a generally mixed response from critics. Ira Robbins of Trouser Press wrote "In polishing and refining the band's sound even a little, [producer Bill Nelson] smoothed off the vital edge."[3]

Album cover controversy

The album was initially released with an Aryan album cover reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics, complete with Germanic Gothic-style lettering. The album was re-released the following year with a new cover. At the same time the opportunity was taken to change the album's track listing and re-mix some of the original songs, allegedly for the US market. Some of the original tracks resurfaced on later albums.

The second release's cover includes the controversial first cover as a picture on the wall behind the woman in white's head. On the back of the cover the illustration is repeated, only with the withdrawn release's picture on the wall being replaced with that of the earlier Scared to Dance album. The track "Pros and Cons" is removed, and "Masquerade", also released as a single, is added.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard Jobson and Stuart Adamson, except "Home of the Saved", written by Adamson

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Animation"4:51
2."Charade"3:53
3."'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'"4:08
4."Pros and Cons"3:19
5."Home of the Saved"5:05
Side B
No.TitleLength
6."Working for the Yankee Dollar"4:53
7."The Olympian"3:32
8."Thanatos"4:06
9."A Day in Europa"3:01
10."Peaceful Times"5:05
2001 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Masquerade" (non-album single A-side, 1979)2:46
12."Out of Town" (1980 re-recording from The Absolute Game)4:08
13."Another Emotion" ("Masquerade" single B-side, 1979)3:00
14."Aftermath Dub" ("Masquerade" single B-side, 1979)3:00
15."Grey Parade" ("Charade" single B-side, 1979, composed Jobson, Adamson and Nelson)4:45
16."Working For the Yankee Dollar" (single A-side remix, 1979)3:39
17."Vanguard's Crusade" ("Working For the Yankee Dollar" single B-side, 1979)4:42

1980 re-release
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Animation"4:27
2."Charade"4:00
3."'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'"4:34
4."The Olympian"3:22
5."Home of the Saved"4:26
Side B
No.TitleLength
6."Working for the Yankee Dollar"3:52
7."Thanatos"4:02
8."Masquerade"2:44
9."A Day in Europa"2:56
10."Peaceful Times"5:00

Personnel
Skids
Additional personnel

References
  1. Ogg, Alex. "Days in Europa – The Skids | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  2. Starr, Red (18 October 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits: 29.
  3. Robbins, Ira. "trouserpress.com :: Skids". Trouser Press. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
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