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dark isle (demo)


composer
Music by: Maclachlan
Lyrics and arragements by: Simple Minds


publisher
© 1991 Copyright Control


background
The song, the precursor of Rivers Of Ice, was recorded as a demo during the second Real Life writing sessions at Wisseloord in March/April 1990. It was added to the roster of demos and ideas on the 4th April 1990.

Opening with a haunting swirl of Charlie's keyboards and Jim's ghostly studio directions ("Try this Charlie") the intro jumped into a bass heavy thudder, rising to crescendo after crescendo, with Charlie literally working up through the keys. It was still Maclachlan's melody, but had a much harder feel than the version eventually recorded - it would've slotted in nicely on Sparkle In The Rain in this guise.

Oddly, for an early demo, it also featured lyrics - which were avery close to the final recorded version. These gave the song its final title, and on some annotated cassette inlays, the title Dark Isle was crossed out and replaced by Rivers Of Ice.

The haunting opening section did eventually end up on the finished record. Whilst mixing at Olympic in early 1991, the intro was neatly snipped out, and sequenced as the opening of Banging On The Door. The rest remains unreleased.



see also:
Banging On The Door
Rivers Of Ice



lyrics
The lyrics have never been published. This is a transcription from the demo.

Don't need the money nothing can buy.
All that you feel under the skies.
Shadows were falling my heart beat inside.
We walk through the fields to the rivers of ice.

Days turn to colour and darkness to light.
I want you I need you I want you in my life.
Shadows were falling, my heart beat inside.
We walk through the fields to the rivers of ice.

I get high.

It's been so many years now I still can't forget.
Love flew like an eagle in God's wilderness.
Shadows were falling, my heart beat inside.
We kissed on the bridge past the rivers of ice.

I get high.

I get high.

End of the line.
End of the line.

Rivers of ice.



demo discography
Demo Version (7:07)
Producer: Stephen Lipson
Engineer and MIDI Manager: Heff Moraes
Mixing Assistant: Giles Cowley