Performing ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ acc. by Bournemouth musician Francesca Milner on keyboard and vocals @ Solid Air
Performed on the handmade Lowden O10; the acoustic guitar ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ was written on, @ Solid Air run by Conrad Barr at The Cellar Bar, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK
‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ has been with me for a few years now and for a while it was my opening song to give the fingers a good warm up. I’ve recently added a new intro that I’m very happy with.
There are a number of versions of ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ out there;
Audiences often request this song and I recently did a real time transatlantic version of ‘Normal Shade Of Blue‘ at a gig for a lady in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada, which inspired me to the add the lyics to this website for her.
There is a live event version of ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ performed at Mr Kyps played on my David Oddy sunburst dreadnought in 2006
A 2010 studio version from the album ‘Frank’ on Soundcloud
Somewhere, lurking in a file, is a video of James Harrison playing piano and singing ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ whilst I stood in a Frank Sinatra style pose, accompanied and did harmonies, at a lovely venue called Cafe Fleur in Canford Cliffs, where the pair of us shared a monthly residency.
I rather like the filming that Dan Bridge did at BBC Introducing: The South Live session in Brighton with Phil Jackson a couple of years ago. Dan uploaded the video to Vimeo
On the homepage of this website is a version filmed at conversion live (clive #7) garden party 2011; I’m very happy with the sound quality of that live recording
And of course I play ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ on Radio shows like Russell Hill’s Country Music Show on 93.7 Express FM
Reviewers often make mention to ’Normal Shade Of Blue’:
BBC Radio South Live’s Phil Jackson – Pete Christie on BBC Phil Jackson South Live Demo Panel on BBC Introducing reviewed ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ 11_04_2010 as part of their South: Live showcases unsigned musicians. Quoted about the song and their perception of my approach to music :
- Al Scott, Metway Studio, Brighton I thought he was extremely accomplished. The whole package just sounds like he really knows what he’s doing. It was a nice song, an interesting lyric. He plays very well. He bought an interesting edge to it. The band were understated but right where they wanted to be.Very Good.
- Nick Coquet, The Brighton Source Nice sparse arrangement, a simplicity emphasises the story-telling aspect. There’s a melancholic maturity in what he’s talking about and I think that matches the maturity of the man. Uncluttered – Let’s the flow of his words come out. ”
- Chris Taylor, The Greys, Brighton The one thing I look for in a good songwriter is where a performer paints good pictures and this man does that. If you close your eyes when you listen to his lyrics, you can see those pictures – They’re there. They’re real and that’s the essence of good storytelling with a song. There’s a lot more going on behind the voice than you immediately gather. His south of the river, not Americanised, voice works very well. ”
“FRANK” – Pete Christie – Review
by Beca Fludgate
“Normal Shade of Blue” is a story type song and finds Pete drinking “coffee flavoured water in a service station” – this illustrates the humour that flavours the whole album which although quite intense and dark also lifts the listener with moments of irony and bittersweet analogies.
Tom Semioli in Minor 7th
“…Normal Shade of Blue” is a bona fide tear-jerker…”
The FATEA review of the album Frank plays ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ on their site.
Karl Hayman review at Mr Kyps supporting Jackie Leven in December 2010
Pete Christie is the archetypal singer songwriter, opening his set with a wistful and dreamy number called ‘Normal Shade of Blue’, an ode to unrequited love. His story of distance and missed opportunity is paired with interesting chord voicing and well used vibrato during instrumental sections. His playing style is further defined with his second song, using a loop pedal to create a rhythm track as a basis for his emotive lead playing.
‘Frank’ – Review by Fiona Heyes – formerly with Live Wire
“…a mini masterpiece, Normal Shade of Blue. The addition of other musicians on this track reduces the impact of the awesome loneliness of Pete’s solo guitar version, a welcome relief for those not readily given to tears…”
The 
