The Road to Hell (song)
1989 single by Chris Rea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Road to Hell" is a two-part song written by the English singer-songwriter Chris Rea and released on the album of the same name. It was released as a single, with only part 2 on the A-side of the 7-inch. The single is Rea's biggest success in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.
- "He Should Know Better"
- "Josephine (La Version Française)"
- Part 1: 4:52
- Part 2: 4:32
| "The Road to Hell" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by Chris Rea | ||||
| from the album The Road to Hell | ||||
| A-side | "The Road to Hell (Part 2)" | |||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 2 October 1989 | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Magnet Geffen (US) | |||
| Songwriter | Chris Rea | |||
| Producer | Jon Kelly | |||
| Chris Rea singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "The Road to Hell Pt 2 (Official Music Video)" on YouTube | ||||
Background
The song was inspired by the frustrations of M25 and M4 motorway rush-hour traffic.[1][2] “The Road to Hell” largely follows a lone protagonist undergoing self-discovery while marooned on a highway, introduced in the opening audio, though it is often suggested it could instead be the A19, heading north towards Sunderland near Rea’s native Middlesbrough.[3]
Critical reception
William Shaw of Smash Hits left an ironic review on the single and considered it remarkable "for being irredeemably depressing" and "sounding exactly like an old Dire Straits song."[4]
Track listings
7-inch single Magnet YZ431
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Part 2)" | 3:55 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "He Should Know Better" | 4:35 |
12-inch single Magnet YZ431T
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Parts 1 & 2)" | 9:20 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Josephine (La Version Française)" | 5:37 |
CD single Magnet YZ431CD (3-inch) and YZ431CDP (5-inch)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Parts 1 & 2)" | 9:20 |
| 2. | "Josephine (La Version Française)" | 5:37 |
| 3. | "He Should Know Better" | 4:37 |
CD single (US promo) Geffen PRO-CD-3874
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Part 2) (Edit)" | 4:10 |
| 2. | "The Road To Hell (Parts 1 and 2) (UK Edit)" | 6:49 |
| 3. | "The Road To Hell (Part 2) (LP Version)" | 4:30 |
Cassette single
Magnet YZ431C
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Part 2)" | 4:35 |
| 2. | "He Should Know Better" | 3:55 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Road to Hell (Part 2)" | 4:35 |
| 2. | "He Should Know Better" | 3:55 |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1989-1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[5] | 78 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] | 6 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 35 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] | 32 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 30 |
| France (SNEP)[10] | 30 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[11] | 11 |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[12] | 18 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 10 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[14] | 11 |
| West Germany (GfK)[15] | 35 |
