Dignity (Deacon Blue song)

"Dignity" is a song by Deacon Blue, which was the band's first official release. It is one of their most popular songs and it is usually played as the final song at concerts. It received the most public votes for the 1980s songs in the Scotland's Greatest Album contest run by STV in 2011, and was featured on the 12 track compilation. It was also sung at the closing ceremony at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.[1]

"Dignity"
Original 7-inch single picture sleeve
Single by Deacon Blue
from the album Raintown
B-side"Riches"
ReleasedMarch 1987
Recorded1986
GenrePop rock
Length4:00
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Ricky Ross
Producer(s)Jon Kelly
Deacon Blue singles chronology
"Dignity"
(1987)		 "Loaded"
(1987)

In an interview given to the Daily Record in 2012, songwriter Ricky Ross stated, "I have no idea why I started writing a song like that in Greece, but that's why there's a reference to raki in it, the local firewater. I was sitting messing around with lyrics, bored on holiday, in a far away scene. There were men from the Glasgow cleansing department depot who walked up and down the street with brushes outside my flat in Pollokshields."[2]

Multiple releases

"Dignity" has been officially released as a single three times. It was first released in May 1987 as the lead single before the release of Deacon Blue's first album Raintown. The single failed to chart in the UK, although it did reach the lower region of the charts in the Netherlands, and sales on the album were slow to start. The 12" version of the first release featured a different vocal and alternate lyrics. After the release of two subsequent singles, "Dignity" was re-recorded in November 1987 by Bob Clearmountain and re-released in January 1988 as the fourth single (and second release of "Dignity"). The second release charted on the UK Singles Chart and its success helped increase sales of Raintown.

"Dignity" was released for a third time as the second single from Deacon Blue's first greatest hits compilation Our Town - The Greatest Hits. During the third release, two companion CD singles were released—one with the original version of "Dignity" and one with the Bob Clearmountain re-recording.

Track listings

All songs written by Ricky Ross, except where noted:

Dignity (1st release) (March 1987)

7" single (Deac 1)

  1. "Dignity" - 4:00
  2. "Riches" - 2:39

Cassette single (XPC 4011) (packaged with 7" single)

  1. "Dignity" - 4:00
  2. "Riches" - 2:39
  3. Edited excerpts of songs from Raintown

12" single (Deac t1)

  1. "Dignity (12" Version)"
  2. "Riches" (12" Version)"
  3. "Ribbons and Bows" - 4:18

Dignity (2nd release) (January 1988)

7" single (Deac 4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]" - 4:13
  2. "Suffering" - 2:44

7" extended play single (Deac ep4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]" - 4:13
  2. "Suffering" - 2:44
  3. "Raintown (Piano Version)" - 3:40
  4. "Ronnie Spector" (Ross, Kelling, Prime) - 3:29

10" single (Deac q4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]" - 4:13
  2. "Suffering" - 2:44
  3. "Shifting Sand" (Ross, Prime) - 3:18

12" single (Deac t4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording] (Extended Version)"
  2. "Just Like Boys" (Ross, Prime) - 3:13
  3. "Shifting Sand" (Ross, Prime) - 3:18
  4. "Ronnie Spector" (Ross, Kelling, Prime) - 3:29

CD single (CDDeac 4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]"
  2. "Suffering" - 2:44
  3. "Just Like Boys" (Ross, Prime) - 3:13
  4. "Shifting Sand" (Ross, Prime) - 3:18

Dignity (3rd release) (May 1994)

Cassette single (660448 4)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]" - 4:16
  2. "Beautiful Stranger" (Ross, Prime) - 3:54

CD single A (660448 2)

  1. "Dignity [Bob Clearmountain recording]" - 4:16
  2. "Beautiful Stranger" (Ross, Prime) - 3:54
  3. "Waves of Sorrow (Piano and Vocal Version)" - 3:25
  4. "Bethlehem's Gate (Piano and Vocal Version)" - 3:33

CD single B (660448 5)

  1. "Dignity" - 4:03
  2. "Fergus Sings the Blues (Live from the Hammersmith Odeon, 22.04.93)" (Ross, Prime) - 4:10
  3. "Loaded (Live from the Hammersmith Odeon, 22.04.93)" - 3:51
  4. "Chocolate Girl (Live from the Hammersmith Odeon, 22.04.93) [with "My Girl" melody]" - 6:22

Chart performance
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Dutch GfK chart[3] 45
Chart (1988) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[4] 31
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 22
Chart (1994) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[5] 20

References
  1. "Scotland's Greatest Album revealed". Entertainment.stv.tv. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  2. English, Paul (9 September 2012). "Despite album title, Deacon Blue insist they're more hip replacements than hipsters". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  3. "dutchcharts.nl - Deacon Blue - Dignity". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  4. "The Official Charts Company - Deacon Blue - Dignity". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  5. "The Official Charts Company - Deacon Blue - Dignity (1994)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
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