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".
Chocolate Girl
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He only thinks in numbers
He only drinks in restaurants
Where the girls are fully covered
And he can't trust his yearnings
And he doesn't like pretending
His tempers stretched so much by work
He calls her the chocolate girl
Cause he thinks she melts when he touches her
She knows she's the chocolate girl
Cause she's broken up and swallowed
And wrapped in bits of silver
Alan doesn't understand this
He says he's only human
So he still lights up with old flames
As if to try and prove it
And he doesn't like emotion
He's not certain of their ardor
If pouting causes so much fun
Then breaking hearts is harder
He calls her the chocolate girl
Cause he thinks she melts when he touches her
She knows she's the chocolate girl
Cause she's broken up and swallowed
And wrapped in bits of silver
Alan doesn't understand her
He thinks it's getting harder
So he spends the night with old friends
Underneath the covers
And he talks about the chocolate girl
And how he thinks she melts when he touches her
And that she knows she's the chocolate girl
Cause she's broken up and swallowed
And wrapped in bits of silver
And he calls her the chocolate girl
Cause he thinks she melts when he touches her
And she knows she's the chocolate girl
Cause she's broken up and swallowed
And wrapped in bits of silver
Deacon Blue's song "Chocolate Girl" tells the story of a man named Alan who struggles to understand his lover, referred to as the "Chocolate Girl". Alan only thinks in numbers and drinks in restaurants where the women are fully covered. He can't trust his yearnings and doesn't like pretending. His work has stretched his temper so much that his heart needs gentle mendings. He sees the Chocolate Girl as someone who melts when he touches her, but doesn't understand her on a deeper emotional level. Alan still lights up with old flames and doesn't like showing emotion. He spends the night with old friends and talks about the Chocolate Girl, the one he calls the chocolate girl because he thinks he can melt her with his touch. She knows she's the chocolate girl because she's broken up and swallowed and wrapped in bits of silver.
Line by Line Meaning
Alan doesn't understand her
Alan doesn't comprehend the chocolate girl
He only thinks in numbers
Alan is logical and analytical
He only drinks in restaurants
Alan only drinks when he is out in public
Where the girls are fully covered
He only frequents places where women are modestly dressed
And he can't trust his yearnings
Alan is unsure about his desires
And he doesn't like pretending
He dislikes putting on a facade
His tempers stretched so much by work
Alan is under a lot of work-related stress
His heart needs gentle rending
He needs an emotional release
He calls her the chocolate girl
Alan refers to her as the chocolate girl
Cause he thinks she melts when he touches her
Alan believes he has an irresistible effect on her
She knows she's the chocolate girl
She is aware that she is the object of Alan's affection
Cause she's broken up and swallowed
She is hurt and consumed by their relationship
And wrapped in bits of silver
She tries to dress up her brokenness to appear sparkling and attractive
He says he's only human
Alan excuses his behavior because he is human
So he still lights up with old flames
He still engages in romantic relationships with past lovers
As if to try and prove it
He tries to demonstrate that he is still capable of love
He doesn't like emotion
Alan dislikes feelings
He's not certain of their ardor
He is unsure of his own emotions
If pouting causes so much fun
Alan questions why someone would enjoy pouting
Then breaking hearts is harder
He believes that hurting others is more difficult than being hurt
So he spends the night with old friends
Alan spends time with old acquaintances to forget about the chocolate girl
Underneath the covers
He goes to bed with them
And he talks about the chocolate girl
Alan discusses the chocolate girl with his friends
And how he thinks she melts when he touches her
He reiterates his belief that he has an alluring effect on her
And that she knows she's the chocolate girl
He assumes that she is aware of her place in their relationship
And she's broken up and swallowed
He is still oblivious to the pain he has caused her
And wrapped in bits of silver
She continues to conceal her agony beneath a glamorous facade
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICKY ROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@384dave
Lorraine vocals gets me every time beautiful
@1127r
Shes got the most beautiful eyes
@andynightingale7335
A generation of 40-odd year olds on here travelling back to the mid-late 80's...come join us!
@mattybuividas1625
only 26 mate dad showed me this about 15 years back love it
@drdrumbeat3010
Maybe with good reason; it's a shame when you have to continually look back for music to trigger something within you. I guess we all reminisce as we get older, but I keep asking myself "Could it be true that music really was better then?" or is it just me being another 'boring old fart'? Probably the latter, I honestly don't know ... either way, I do know this is a beautiful song.
@deadpaul6415
41 I’m onboard mate ✌🏼
@anthonycummins9558
Im on board
@hush3956
I'm 14 but I mean I love the 80s
@user-to3cb1ku6t
So So underated still listening in 2024 ❤❤❤❤
@Mors_Inimicis
Beautiful song and that lass has lovely eyes .