"The lyric was one that I'd had for a while, having written it when we were recording New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)".

"I remember that it was a tense time, with the Task Force about to sail from the UK to The Falklands Islands. The press and papers were full of talk of war and national service conscription."

"War was also raging in The Lebanon, and we met some Lebanese girls in Paris, who had only just arrived there. Listening to their personal experiences of life during wartime gave you a different insight into what it all means to be in that situation."

"I guess it's the same now when you listen to people's accounts of life in places like Bosnia or Northern Ireland."

"East At Easter was a plea for peace in the face of all this horror."

"In the end the song came together very quickly, in much the same way as Mandela Day did, which is inevitably how all the best ones come together. It's remained a firm favourite over the years, both with us and the fans." - Jim, 1993

"'East at Easter' is the last track on side one of the original vinyl version. Announcing itself, more as an atmospheric poem set to hypnotic music loop, and with lyrics very much influenced by Patti Smith's earlier work. 'East at Easter' was always one of the highlights for me within a period when Simple Minds were setting course for a whole new sound - one that was full of blood and thunder, with a fair but of rock glamour thrown in. With it's stack of staccato guitars. (Try saying' that when you're drunk!) Jazzy drumming. Ominously pretty bass moves. And of course, Mick MacNeil's dramatic chord orchestration.

"The track that became 'East At Easter' was originally a small part of another song altogether. I have no idea now what that original song idea was called, and in fact all I can recall about it is that while the rest of the song was pretty turgid, the bridge/middle eight part seemed to have an effect that was devastatingly good. In the end, thanks to producer Steve Lillywhite agreeing accordingly, we edited the track. Throwing away just about most of the song, and keeping only the most magical little part.

"That in turn became the looped/backing track for such a sweet and powerful Simple Minds song. So powerful, that it often became the set opener throughout the following years." - Jim, 30th March 2018

We go walking, hand in hand, All across the land it's east at easter. People walking hand in hand. When ships are moving south it will be east at easter. We will rock you, rock you little child. We will rock you, rock you little child. All across the land it's east at easter. All across the land it's east at easter. Things will lighten up the sky, east at easter. Things will lighten up the sky, east at easter. We'll go walking hand in hand, 'Cause all across the land it will be east at easter. Ah, we will rock you, rock you little child, We will rock you, rock you little child. All across the land it's east at easter. When ships go moving south it will be east at easter. They're gonna lighten up the sky. They're gonna lighten up the sky. They're gonna lighten up the sky, East at easter. Ah, we'll go walking hand in hand. We'll go walking hand in hand, yes. We will rock you, rock you little child. We will rock you, rock you, Rock you little child. They're gonna lighten up the sky. When they lighten up the sky it will be east at easter. We will rock you, rock you, rock you.

Album Version (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray
Album Version DTS 5.1 Surround Mix (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Album Version High Resolution Stereo (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Album Version Dolby Digital 5:1 (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Album Version 24/96 LPCM Stereo (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Album Version 24/96 DTS 5.1 Surround Mix (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Album Version 24/96 Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Mix (3:30) Producer: Steve Lillywhite Engineer: Howard Gray Remixed by: Steve Wilson
Live Version (12th, 13th August 1986) (4:21) Recorded: Le Zenith, Paris, France Producer: Bruce Lampcov Mastered by: Bob Ludwig Head Engineer: Steve Riddle Additional mixing: Callum Malcolm and Tom Cadley
Live Version (14th/15th Sept 1989) (6:11) Recorded: L'Arena, Verona, Italy Produced by Stephen Lipson Engineered by Heff Moraes
Live Version (13th Aug 91) (4:22) Recorded: Barrowlands, Glasgow, UK Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
Live Version (6th November 2009) (3:59) Recorded: Neon Concept Club, Ancona, Italy Mixed By Concert Online
Live Version (7th November 2009) (4:11) Recorded: Atlantico, Rome, Italy, Italy Mixed By Concert Online
Live Version (February-May 2015) (2:48) Recorded: Big Music Tour 2015 Recorded By: Olivier Gerard Mixed By: Olivier Gerard at Jet Studios

Live Version (16th Feb 06) (4:14) Recorded: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium Recording Engineer: Patrick Demoustier Mixed By Jez Coad, Charlie Burchill and Andy Gillespie
Live Version (6th November 2009) (3:59) Recorded: Neon Concept Club, Ancona, Italy Mixed By Concert Online
Live Version (7th November 2009) (4:11) Recorded: Atlantico, Rome, Italy, Italy Mixed By Concert Online

Live Version (15th September 1989) (6:11) Recorded: Verona, Italy Producer: Stephen Lipson
Live Version (7th April 2015) (2:57) Recorded: Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK