Waterfront (song)

"Waterfront" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as the first release from their sixth studio album, Sparkle in the Rain (1984), in 1983. It features a bass line consisting of a single note (D) throughout. The version as released on 7-inch vinyl single differs from versions available on CD. The original single did not feature the repetitive bass-line that leads into the main body of the song, but had a "one, two....one, two, three, four.." drumstick count-in by drummer Mel Gaynor.

For other uses, see Waterfront (disambiguation).

"Waterfront"
Single by Simple Minds
from the album Sparkle in the Rain
B-side"Hunter and the Hunted" (live)
Released14 November 1983 (1983-11-14)[1]
RecordedSeptember 1983[2]
Length4:43
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Lillywhite
Simple Minds singles chronology
"I Travel (2nd reissue)"
(1983)		 "Waterfront"
(1983)		 "Speed Your Love to Me"
(1984)

"Waterfront" became a chart hit around the world, topping the New Zealand Singles Chart for two weeks during February 1984. It also reached number 13 on the UK Singles Charts, number 16 in Sweden, number 19 in Australia, and number five in Ireland. Today, it is a live favorite and is regarded as one of the band's signature songs.

Track listings

7-inch single[3]

  1. "Waterfront" – 4:43
  2. "Hunter and the Hunted" (recorded live at the City Hall, Newcastle, 20 November 1982) – 6:00

12-inch single[4]

  1. "Waterfront" (extended version) – 5:48
  2. "Hunter and the Hunted" (recorded live at the City Hall, Newcastle, 20 November 1982) – 6:00

Personnel
  • Produced by Steve Lillywhite
  • Engineered by Howard Gray
  • Words and music by Simple Minds
  • Additional production and remix on "Waterfront" (extended version) by Steve Lillywhite

Charts
Chart (1983–1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 19
Ireland (IRMA)[6] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[1] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[7] 16
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 13

An instrumental version of the track was used as the theme music for the 1989 Glasgow-set BBC One drama serial The Justice Game. It has been used for many years as the song Sheffield Wednesday football club come out to before home matches. The version originally played was a live version, but has since been changed to the studio recording.

The track was used by BBC Sport as the theme tune for their coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The track is featured in the 2021 documentary Clerk, which is about Kevin Smith.

References
  1. "Simple Minds – Waterfront". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. http://www.simpleminds.org/sm/songs/sessions.htm . Recorded just before the session on 11 September 1983.
  3. Waterfront (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Simple Minds. Virgin Records. 1983. VS636.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. Waterfront (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Simple Minds. Virgin Records. 1983. VS636-12.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Waterfront". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  7. "Simple Minds – Waterfront". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
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