Harbour of Tears

1996 studio album by Camel

Harbour of Tears is the twelfth studio album and a concept album by English progressive rock band Camel. It tells the story of an Irish family who are painfully separated as their young ones depart to the United States to seek a better future. Released in 1996, it was their twelfth studio album.

Title and lyrics

Band vocalist and guitarist Andrew Latimer learned that the last sight of Ireland his grandmother's family would have seen was Cóbh Harbour, a deep-water port that witnessed the fracturing of thousands of families as their sons and daughters departed towards America. Thus the album was titled as the common alias of the port, 'Harbour of Tears'.

Track listing

Personnel

• Andy Latimer – Guitars, Flute, Keyboards, Vocals, Penny Whistle
• Colin Bass – Bass guitar, backing vocals
• Mickey Simmonds – Keyboards

Additional musicians

• John Xepoleas – Drums
• David Paton – Bass, lead vocals on "Send Home the Slates"
• Mae McKenna – A Capella vocal on "Irish Air"
• Neil Panton – Oboe, Soprano sax, Harmonium
• Barry Phillips – Cello
• John Burton – French horn
• James SK Wān – Bamboo flute
• Karen Bentley – Violin
• Anita Stoneham – Violin

Other credits

• Mixed by Andy Latimer and Colin Bass
• Sleeve design by Jon Storey

Charts

Notes

1. Song ends at 6:30, afterwards a hidden track begins; after 8:03 the hidden track shifts into low-volume sea wave sounds until 23:00.

References

1. Connolly, Dave. "Harbour of Tears - Camel | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
2. "Dutchcharts.nl – Camel – Harbour of Tears" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

• The Rough Guide to Rock. (2003). United Kingdom: Rough Guides. p.165