Street Fighting Years: 4CD

Street Fighting Years, released in May 1989 and produced by Trevor Horn (and Stephen Lipson), wasSimple Minds’ eighth studio album.

Recorded in Scotland between 1988 and 1989, during a period of personnel changes within the band, Street Fighting Years was a departure from the band’s previous sound. While still maintaining the Arena Rock sound the band were known for, they moved away from the Soul influences on the previous records and embraced a new Celtic/Folk sound. The lyrics built on the more political themes which the band had introduced with “Ghost Dancing”, covering topics such as the poll taxand the Irish ‘Troubles’, and political activists including Nelson Mandela and Steven Biko.

The album became the band’s fourth successive number one album in the UK. It was released on the back of the chart-topping single “Belfast Child”, which was released three months earlier and had reached number one in the singles chart.

This version released in multiple formats and fully endorsed by the band, has been remastered at Abbey Road studios by Andrew Walters and contains the album as well as a bonus disc of B-sides, edits and 12 remixes, and most of the previously unissued Verona show from 1989.

The booklet was designed by long time contributor Stuart Crouch and contains sleeve notes by Daryl Easlea who interviewed the band and producer Trevor Horn extensively for the set. These provide an insight into how the album was recorded and produced, as well as what was going on in the band at the time.

Tracklist:
CD 1: Street Fighting Years
1    Street Fighting Years     
2    Soul Crying Out     
3    Wall of Love     
4    This Is Your Land     
5    Take A Step Back     
6    Kick It In     
7    Let It All Come Down     
8    Mandela Day     
9    Belfast Child     
10    Biko     
11    When Spirits Rise

CD 2: Edits, B-Sides And Remixes
1    Belfast Child - Edit     
2    Mandela Day- Edit .     
3    This Is Your Land - Edit     
4    Saturday Girl – B-Side     
5    Year of The Dragon – B-Side     
6    This Is Your Land - DJ Version     
7    Kick It In - Edit     
8    Waterfront - '89 Remix     
9    Big Sleep - Live     
10    Kick It In - Unauthorised Mix     
11    Sign O' The Times - Edit     
12    Let It All Come Down - Edit     
13    Sign O' The Times - B-Side     
14    Jerusalem B-Side     
15    Sign O' The Times - C. J. Mackintosh Remix

CD 3: Verona
1    Theme for Great Cities '90     
2    When Spirits Rise     
3    Street Fighting Years     
4    Mandela Day     
5    This Is Your Land     
6    Soul Crying Out     
7    Waterfront     
8    Ghost Dancing     
9    Book of Brilliant Things     
10    Don't You (Forget About Me)

CD 4: Verona
1    Gaelic Melody     
2    Kick It In     
3    Let It All Come Down     
4    Belfast Child     
5    Sun City     
6    Biko     
7    Sanctify Yourself     
8    East at Easter     
9    Alive and Kicking