Product Description

The debut album from the enigmatic Blue Nile received tremendous reviews, yet barely scraped the chart. The promise wasthere, and it took shape on the second album Hats. Paul Buchanan's pleading voice is made for late-night listening in acosy bedsitting room. Mulling over love lost, love found, happy times, sad times and kitchen sinks (I lied about the last bit, but you get the picture), a beautiful landscape of evocative music soaks in rather than hitting you first time. Blue Nile can be played over and over again, which is why they have only felt the need to put out three records in 15 years!

Track Listing

1. Walk Across The Rooftops
2. Tinsel Town In The Rain
3. From Rags To Riches
4. Stay
5. Easter Parade
6. Heatwave
7. Automobile Noise

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4433 in Music
• Released on: 1985-05-20
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
It was only once the smoke had cleared from the early 1980s explosion of Scottish indie (Simple Minds, Orange Juice, The Associates) that Glasgow band The Blue Nile finally made their quiet but formidable emergence. A Walk Across The Rooftops is one of the most exquisitely orchestrated pop albums ever made, a timeless, finely detailed arrangement of funky bass, delicate strings and synth flourishes, not least on the title track. "Tinseltown In The Rain"s dark-hued musical watercolours and flashes of light and shade paint a vivid picture of the city at night--coupled with Paul Buchanan's wistfully romantic lyrics, this album captures with almost cinematic resonance late evening walks along deserted, neon-lit puddled streets turning over thoughts in your mind of a loved one. Broody, bittersweet and wonderful. --David Stubbs

Customer Reviews

Oh my God
This is one of those CD's that grows on you with each listen. I first listened to it over 10 years ago and I can safely say that I am only now appreciating its brilliance. The lyrics are not published on the inlay card, and that is maybe a good thing because it forces you to pay attention. The later songs seem to question God: "From Rags to Riches" & "Easter Parade". Mere existence is a theme on "Stay" & "Heat wave".

"From Rags to Riches" is juxtaposed with images of P.Buchan growing up and leaving home set against an image of the Jewish exodus from Egypt to the promised land with references to `a coat of many colours' yet at the same time it is relevant to modern life with its struggles of poverty and promises of riches. In some ways it's a prayer to God about what seems to be his broken promises yet seeing the glory or hope at the end of the journey.
"People are leaving the squalor
They're leaving the houses and fire
And starting out
We find the waiting country."


"Stay" could be the typical song about a person losing a relationship, yet it works at a much deeper level, maybe because of the emotional skill and vocal range of Paul Buchanan.

"Easter Parade" is about a man who gets trapped on a street due to a parade passing by. As the joy of the crowd plays on, he remembers his childhood going to church & reflecting the death of Christ. It is one of the most moving moments on the CD when he cries, "I know you..."
"In hallways and railway stations
Radio across the morning air
A crowd of people everywhere
And then the people, all running forward

Easter parade"


"Heatwave" returns to the pop mainstream beat & style, but the words about the hardships of humanity keep the song above the normal top 40 mayhem. Can this be all we will desire ?
"Straw houses in the promised land
Why is it time for taking sight ?
When all I say and do is take too many chances
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?"

"Automobile Noise" is more of an experiment with sound effects within a rock beat creating a great ending song.

This album is supremely original from this artistic Glaswegian trio. This debut album's sound is more ambient, atmospherically textured and stark than their excellent followup "Hats." Repeated listening brings to the fore the passion of Paul Buchanan's soulful and unforgettable dawnbreaker vocals and tactile and poetic urban-detailed lyrics. (Glasgow, its buildings, streets and people, seems to be an almost spiritual influence.) The greatest album ever

a hugely underestimtated album!
i was working in a record store when this was released and "tinseltown in the rain" was released and it has taken me till now to realise how great the cd is!

"walk across the rooftops" has echoes of japan (the group) and peter gabriel..very atmosheric and aching vocals 8/10

"tinseltown in the rain" is rated still rated as one of the songs of the 80's that wasn't a hit! and it is'nt hard to see why...aching vocals, stunning lyrics all such a lush arrangement it is a masterpeice! 100/10

"rags to riches" is a haunting vocal track..good 7/10

"stay" is another pop classic 9/10

"easter parade" is so haunting track..turn the lights off and indulge yourself 9/10

"heatwave" sounds like a japan track..very eastern..very clever...aching clever and catchy once it gets going 9/10

"automobile noise" has a great piano backing and captivates you!

the album is stunning..it takes a few listens to appreciate how great it is...same the lyrics aren't included!

such an aching voice..such perfect production...such clever songs and lyrics!

Something Very Special...
You know you have something very special, when the second song in your set can't be played because the audience is on its seventh standing ovation!

This was the atmosphere when the Blue Nile played an emotionally charged Birmingham Town Hall on September 20, 1990.

Mysterious and elusive, rumours had been circulating of a first tour - almost a decade after forming - and anticipation levels were high. The band took to the stage slightly mystified by the capacity audience assembled in anticipation.

We were rewarded, as each song was reproduced with meticulous care to a `pin-drop' silence, followed by explosive rounds of applause! A casual mid-set glance around the audience saw many in tears during the rendition of Easter Parade.

As A Walk Across the Rooftops concluded, a similarly faithful rendition of the second album Hats followed. By the end, with the band, audience and play list exhausted, an ecstatic Paul Buchanan asked for favourite songs to be called out so the `moment' could continue. It remains unsurpassed to this day as the best live performance I've ever experienced.

A Walk Across the Rooftops is a masterpiece. Observational and richly orchestrated, it contains a unique sense of care that draws on space, timing and economy as additional instruments. And that's without taking into account Buchanan's soulful vocals.

Are the Blue Nile one of the best kept secrets in music? Probably yes, but sssssshhh, keep it quiet!

Should you buy this album? Well, I think you know the answer...