Days in Europa

1979 studio album by Skids

Days in Europa

Studio album by

Skids

Released

12 October 1979 (1979-October-12) (withdrawn)
7 March 1980 (1980-March-07)

Studio

Rockfield, Rockfield
Basing Street, London
The Manor, London

Genre

New wave

Label

Virgin

Producer

Bill Nelson

Skids chronology

Scared to Dance
(1979)

Days in Europa
(1979)

The Absolute Game
(1980)

Alternative cover

Second edition album cover, 1980

Days in Europa is the second album by Scottish punk rock and new wave band Skids. It was released in 1979 by record label Virgin.

Writing

Track #3 on Side 1 is 'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'. A rough translation is "It is a sweet and glorious thing (to die for one's country)". Dulce et Decorum Est is a poem by Wilfred Owen.

Track #3 on Side 2 is Thanatos, the Greek word for "death" and the name of the ancient Greek god of death. It is used in Freudian psychology to refer to the death wish/destructive urge, as opposed to Eros, the reproductive urge.

The album features lyrical references to both World War I and World War II.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Smash Hits	8/10^[2]

Days in Europa has received a generally mixed response from critics. Ira Robbins of Trouser Press wrote: "In polishing and refining the band's sound even a little, [producer Bill Nelson] smoothed off the vital edge."^[3] The Globe and Mail noted that "the record is new wave in tone, with some heavy metal tendencies."^[4]

Album cover controversy

The album was initially released with an Aryan album cover reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics, complete with Germanic Gothic-style lettering. The album was re-released the following year with a new cover. At the same time the opportunity was taken to change the album's track listing and re-mix some of the original songs, allegedly for the US market.^{[citation needed]} Some of the original tracks resurfaced on later albums.

The second release's cover includes the controversial first cover as a picture on the wall hanging behind the head of the woman in white. On the back of the cover the illustration is repeated, only with the withdrawn release's picture on the wall being replaced with that of the earlier Scared to Dance album. The track "Pros and Cons" is removed, and "Masquerade", also released as a single, is added.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard Jobson and Stuart Adamson, except "Home of the Saved", written by Adamson

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animation"	4:51
2.	"Charade"	3:53
3.	"'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'"	4:08
4.	"Pros and Cons"	3:19
5.	"Home of the Saved"	5:05

Side B
No.	Title	Length
6.	"Working for the Yankee Dollar"	4:53
7.	"The Olympian"	3:32
8.	"Thanatos"	4:06
9.	"A Day in Europa"	3:01
10.	"Peaceful Times"	5:05

2001 reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Masquerade" (non-album single A-side, 1979)	2:46
12.	"Out of Town" (1980 re-recording from The Absolute Game)	4:08
13.	"Another Emotion" ("Masquerade" single B-side, 1979)	3:00
14.	"Aftermath Dub" ("Masquerade" single B-side, 1979)	3:00
15.	"Grey Parade" ("Charade" single B-side, 1979, composed Jobson, Adamson and Nelson)	4:45
16.	"Working For the Yankee Dollar" (single A-side remix, 1979)	3:39
17.	"Vanguard's Crusade" ("Working For the Yankee Dollar" single B-side, 1979)	4:42

1980 re-release

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animation"	4:27
2.	"Charade"	4:00
3.	"'Dulce et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)'"	4:34
4.	"The Olympian"	3:22
5.	"Home of the Saved"	4:26

Side B
No.	Title	Length
6.	"Working for the Yankee Dollar"	3:52
7.	"Thanatos"	4:02
8.	"Masquerade"	2:44
9.	"A Day in Europa"	2:56
10.	"Peaceful Times"	5:00

Personnel

Skids

Richard Jobson – vocals
Stuart Adamson – guitar, vocals, keyboards
William Simpson – bass guitar, vocals

Additional personnel

Rusty Egan – drums
Bill Nelson – keyboards
Thomas Kellichan – drums on "Masquerade" (second version only)

References

^ Ogg, Alex. "Days in Europa – The Skids | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
^ Starr, Red (18 October 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits: 29.
^ Robbins, Ira. "trouserpress.com :: Skids". Trouser Press. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
^ McGrath, p (5 July 1980). "Days in Europa Skids". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.