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Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
He was a bigger star in England than he was in North America. But listeners may remember one of his biggest hits in this part of the world - "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," which hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1978, earning him a Grammy nomination.
He later scored with a song called "Working On It," which was also a chart topper.
Rea remained on the radio playlist overseas at this time of year thanks to the seasonal tune, "Driving Home For Christmas," which turns up on British media every year.
Rea passed away this week after what his family calls "a short illness." He was 74.
Chris Rea Passes At 74
- 67GreenRambler
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
In the 1980s he was not shy with comments regarding the business of music. "Chart success has nothing to do with talent"
- Shorty Wave
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
It always reminds me of my own mortality when I hear that a celeb from my “yute” has passed. Chris Rea had health issues, diabetes and another ailment I can’t recall. I saw a clip of him in the past year and he didn’t look well. He wrote some decent hits, “Driving Home for Christmas” has been on pretty much all my Festive playlists, even back during cassettes! May he rest in peace.
Last edited by Shorty Wave (December 23, 2025 9:39 am)
- mace
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
Chris Rea charted five more times on the Hot 100. Diamonds peaked at #44 in late Spring 1979. The other four never peaked higher than #71.
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
Maybe it's because I don't listen to music radio.
Maybe it's because I especially avoid all Christmas music.
But as I listen to people here and on the radio wax nostalgic about "Driving Home For Christmas," I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never heard this song before.
Does it get played a lot? For the first time in my memory, there's an Xmas tune everyone else seems to know but that I somehow missed over the years. Am I the only one?
But it IS a Christmas tune, which means I'm not likely to run into it very often.
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Thread Starter- tvguy
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
He was a "one hit" smooth jazz wonder with his song "On the Beach" which still gets regular airplay on Watercolors, and the remaining smooth jazz online stations and those that remain over the air, such as CIWV Vancouver (HD-2's on the Hamilton and Durham country stations). I always wondered why he didn't record more songs in that genre. He certainly had talent.
- 67GreenRambler
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
He made excellent money when BMW chose to feature 'Driving Home For Christmas' in a Mini commercial.
- Rune
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Re: Fool (If You Think It's Over) Singer Chris Rea Passes At Just 74
I was a big fan of Chris Rea. Interviewed him back in the day and his feelings about the music business were as stated; not a fan. He had health problems for quite awhile and a near death battle with pancreatitis brought about his most incredible project. He went to a studio in France in 2004 and recorded a new album. Or more accurately, 11 new albums. He wrote every tune and each album had its own theme. Texas Blues, Chicago Blues, Celtic Blues and so on. He said later that the illness got him to thinking he wanted to go back to making the music he loved and it was amazing. Unfortunately, it never sold like it should have (11 albums in one? ). It's now available digitally. RIP