Deacon Blue is a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow in 1985. Their name ca… Read Full Bio ↴Deacon Blue is a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow in 1985. Their name came from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". Success came for the band in 1989 when their second studio album, When The World Knows Your Name, topped the UK Album Charts. The album included "Real Gone Kid" which became their first UK top ten single. After releasing further albums in 1991 and 1993, they split up in 1994. Five years later, in 1999, the band held a reunion gig and this led to the album, Walking Back Home. Since then they have released Homesick (2001) , The Hipsters (2012), A New House (2014), Believers (2016), City Of Love (2020) and Riding On The Tide Of Love (2021)

This predominantly Glaswegian act became one of the top-selling UK bands of the late 1980s/early 1990s. The group's members were Ricky Ross, Lorraine McIntosh, James Prime, Dougie Vipond, Ewan Vernal and Graeme Kelling.

Ross, a former school teacher originally from Dundee, was the group's frontman, penning the vast majority of Deacon Blue's songs. He married female vocalist Lorraine McIntosh in the later years of the band's career. McIntosh, born May 1964 in Glasgow joined the band in 1987 as a vocalist.

The band's first album, Raintown, produced by Jon Kelly and released in 1987, is regarded by many as the band's finest effort, spawning the singles "Dignity", "Chocolate Girl" and "Loaded". Many consider Raintown to be a concept album, since nearly all the songs contribute to the overall theme of being stuck in a dead-end life in a deprived city longing for something better. The city that the album's title refers to is Glasgow, and the memorable cover art of the album is a shot of the River Clyde's docks taken on a miserable day from Kelvingrove Park.

The second album, 1988's When The World Knows Your Name, was the band's most commercially successful, with the mega-selling singles "Real Gone Kid", "Wages Day" and "Fergus Sings The Blues". However, music critics began deriding the band at this stage for pursuing commercial success over artistic quality, citing the earlier achievements of Raintown.

Jon Kelly returned to the producer's chair in 1991 for Fellow Hoodlums, and the album was met with more critical success, but by now the group's honeymoon period was over and their success started to wane. This album was followed up with Whatever You Say, Say Nothing in 1993, a much more experimental album which gained praise from the critics, but was a commercial failure.

The band released a Greatest Hits compilation the following year.

With Vipond's decision to quit the group in favour for a career in television, Deacon Blue split up in 1994.

Five years later, the band held an unexpected reunion gig in 1999, and this led on to a new album, Walking Back Home, with the band now working on a part-time basis.

The band released another album, Homesick, in 2001.

Though Graeme Kelling died from cancer in 2004, the band has vowed to continue in his absence.

The year 2006 saw Deacon Blue returning to the studio to record three new tracks for a Singles album - including the track "Bigger than Dynamite".

The band performed at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium, as the pre-match entertainment for the Rugby League Super League Grand Final on the 14 October, and continued on to a full UK tour in November.

The album The Hipsters was released in 2012.
http://www.deaconblue.com/, followed by A New House, Believers, City of Love and Riding On The Tide Of Love.

In 2023 the band released a greatest hits set titled "All The Old 45's" along with a box set of all their albums titled "You Can Have It All".

A Walk in the Woods
Deacon Blue Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Took a walk to the morning
To the morning at last we came
I don’t know how you hold on
Holding on’s like holding rain

We took a walk in the woods
Just to find ourselves alone
We took a walk in the woods

To try to find our way home
Our way home

The night is done, now comes the morning
Time to let go, time to change
I don’t know how you hold on for ever
How you hold on to everything

We took a walk in the woods
Just to find ourselves alone
We took a walk in the woods
To try to find our way home
Our way home

We took a walk in the woods
Just to find ourselves alone
We took a walk in the woods
To try to find our way home
Our way home

Our way home
Our way home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Deacon Blue's song "A Walk in the Woods" evoke a sense of reflection and introspection. The singer is on a journey, both physically and metaphorically, as they take a walk in the woods. The morning symbolizes a new beginning, a chance to start fresh. The line "I don’t know how you hold on, holding on’s like holding rain" suggests a struggle to maintain control and stability in life. Holding rain can be seen as futile since it slips through your fingers, much like trying to hold on to something intangible.

The walk in the woods represents an attempt to find solitude and clarity. The singer wants to be alone, away from the noise and distractions of the world, in order to find themselves. The phrase "try to find our way home" implies a search for belonging and a sense of purpose. It suggests that the journey is not only physical but also an inner exploration, a quest for self-discovery.

The second verse continues the theme of letting go and embracing change. The night symbolizes darkness and uncertainty, while the morning signifies a new day and a chance to release the past. The line "How you hold on for ever, how you hold on to everything" conveys a sense of awe and admiration for those who can endure and hold on to everything that life throws their way.

Overall, "A Walk in the Woods" explores themes of searching for meaning, finding solace in nature, and the struggle to hold on to hope and stability. It encourages us to take the time to reflect and find our own way home amidst life's challenges and uncertainties.

Line by Line Meaning

Took a walk to the morning
We embarked on a journey towards a new beginning

To the morning at last we came
Finally, we reached a place of hope and renewal

I don’t know how you hold on
I am uncertain how you manage to persevere

Holding on’s like holding rain
Clutching onto something intangible or fleeting is challenging and futile

We took a walk in the woods
We sought solace and solitude amidst nature's embrace

Just to find ourselves alone
In order to discover our true selves, devoid of distractions and outside influences

To try to find our way home
In an attempt to rediscover a sense of belonging and security

The night is done, now comes the morning
The darkness and struggles of the past have passed, making way for a brighter future

Time to let go, time to change
It is necessary to release the past and embrace transformation

I don’t know how you hold on for ever
I am baffled by your ability to persist indefinitely

How you hold on to everything
How you manage to cling to every aspect of your life