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i travel


composers
Lyrics: Kerr
Music: Simple Minds


publisher
© EMI Music Publishing


background
Written about experiences whilst touring Europe, specifically Berlin (where Jim found the contrast between the east and west sectors startling), I Travel appeared during the second leg of the Real To Real Cacophony tour. Subsequently demoed, it opened the band's third album Empires And Dance.

The 'language problem' in the song is politics.

The lyric sheet included with the album included a final verse which was not present on the album - although it does appear in the demo and live versions. The transcriber also fluffed one of the lines: Airport playing "Bi Some Lo" was obviously Airport playing Brian Eno, a nod to his first ambient album Music For Airports.

"The only fault in 'I Travel' is the voice, it sounds so unmoved, while in fact I was scared shitless." - Jim.

Arista had great faith in the track: it was issued as the lead single for Empires And Dance, spawning the band's first extended remix; and it was again a lead single of the compilation album Celebration. For the second issue, a live version of the song also appeared as a B-side.




lyrics
Cities, buildings falling down,
Ideal homes falling down.
These pictures I see on the wall,
Timeless leaders stand so tall.
Assassin in a hit and run,
Asia steals a new born son.
Evacuees and refugees,
Presidents and monarchies.

Travel round,
I travel round,
Decadence and pleasure towns.

Tragedies,luxuries,statues,parks and galleries.

Europe has a language problem,
Talk, talk, talk, talk, talking on.
In central Europe,
Men are marching,
Marching on and marching on.
Love songs playing in the restaurants,
Airport playing Brian Eno.

Travel round,
I travel round,
Decadence and pleasure towns.
Tragedies,luxuries,statues,parks and galleries.

Europe has a language problem.

Europe has a language problem.
America has a language problem.
I Travel.
Euro-Bureau-Interpol,
Making love to the criminals.
Asia has a language problem.
I Travel.
And on and on and on and on and on and on and on.



discography
Edit (3:06)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

I Travel 7" single

Edit (3:19)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

I Travel 7" single I Travel Australian 7" limited edition single

Album Version (3:56)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

Empires And Dance LP Empires And Dance MC Celebrate 12" single Themes For Great Cities LP Celebration LP Celebration MC Empires And Dance LP (Virgin Reissue) Empires And Dance MC (Virgin Reissue) Celebration LP (Virgin Reissue) Celebration MC (Virgin Reissue) Celebration CD Empires And Dance CD Empires And Dance LP (Virgin Budget Reissue) Empires And Dance MC (Virgin Budget Reissue) Celebration LP (Virgin Budget Reissue) Celebration MC (Virgin Budget Reissue) The Best Of Simple Minds CD1 Promo The Best Of The Best Of SACD Empires And Dance Remaster Promo CD Empires And Dance Remaster Limited Edition CD The Best Of Night Of The Proms Special Remastered Edition Empires And Dance Cacophony Remaster CD Early Gold Promo CD Early Gold CD Early Gold US Promo CD Gift Pack Limited Edition

Extended (6:13)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

I Travel 12" single I Travel 12" single I Travel 12" single I Travel German 12" single Themes Volume One Theme One: I Travel CD Theme One: I Travel MC The Platinum Collection CD Themes 1-4 Promo CDR Themes Volume One - Five

Live Version (25th Sep 1981) (5:09)
Recorded: Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK

I Travel 12" single

Utah Saints Mix Edit (4:19)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones
Remixed and additional production: Utah Saints

War Babies - All Tracks CDR Remixes - Disc One CDR War Babies 7" War Babies cassette single

Utah Saints Mix (7:58)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones
Remixed and additional production: Utah Saints

War Babies - All Tracks CDR Remixes - Disc One CDR War Babies Promo 12" War Babies European CD single

Utah Saints Dub Mix (7:56)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones
Remixed and additional production: Utah Saints

3 Remixes

Live Version (21st Jan 1983) (3:36)
Recorded: Oxford Road Show


Seen The Lights - DVD 1 Bonus Tracks In-House CD

Demo (3:52)
Producer: Leckie
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
Silver Box Promo CDR #1 Silver Box Promo CDR Sampler Silver Box Mexican Promo CDR Sampler Silver Box




videography
Live Version (21st Jan 1983) (3:36)
Recorded: Oxford Road Show


Seen The Lights - A Visual History Promo DVD Seen The Lights - A Visual History DVD



demo discography
Demo Version (3:52)
Producer: Leckie
Empires And Dance demo tape



live history
Real To Real Cacophony Tour: 1979-1980
Empires And Dance Tour: 1980
Empires And Dance Tour: 1981
Sons And Fascination Tour: 1981
Sons And Fascination Tour: 1982
New Gold Tour: 1982-1983
The Floating World Tour: 2002
Alive And Kicking Tour: 2003
Festival Tour: 2004