# on the beach (chris rea song) ![[chris rea on the beach 1986 single cover.jpg|300]] single by chris rea from the album 'on the beach (1986 version) and new light through old windows (1988 version) "on the beach" is a song by british singer-songwriter chris rea that was released in 1986 as the second single from his eighth studio album 'on the beach'. it was written by rea and produced by rea and david richards. "on the beach" reached no. 57 in the united kingdom in 1986 and also charted in france and the netherland in 1988 rea re-recorded "on the beach" for his album 'new light through old windows' and released it as a single. produced by rea and jon kelly it reached no. 12 in the uk and no. 18 in ireland. in 1989 it reached no. 9 on the us 'billboard' adult contemporary char "on the beach" was inspired by the spanish island formentera off the coast of ibiza. speaking to 'songfacts' rea said "that's where me and my wife became me and my wife. that's what it's about. yeah i was 'between the eyes of love.' it's a lovely island if ever you're in europe upon its release roger holland of 'sounds' called "on the beach" a "bland and fraudulently sincere miasma". in a retrospective review of the 'on the beach' album rob caldwell of allmusic described the song as the "standout track" adding that the original version was "the most evocative a little slower and more meditative than (the) others." he recommended the song further by selecting it as an amg pick track. mike degagne in an allmusic review of 'new light through old windows' commented that the song along with "let's dance" "represent a lean toward a more commercial sound" (pffft) // republic of bob