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".
Christine
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put you off more than twice
Coz your step and smile fooled′m
You're really twice the size
And ya saw them taking yer picture
Taking shots of you and me
Well i hope they like this message
Your the godess, we′re still free
Ooh Christine your name was perfect
Ooh Christine god only knows it
Well i'm gonna drive you north now
Drive you nearer to me
I want the light in your eye girl
Shiney shine and still be free
Free free free free
One chance fluke
You might be gone
But i want you still free
Ooh Christine your name was perfect
Ooh Christine god only knows it
Ooh Christine your name was perfect
Ooh Christine god only knows it
Mm Ooh Christine your name was perfectOoh Christine god only knows it
(End)
The lyrics of Deacon Blue's song Christine tell a story about a woman named Christine who is being judged and underestimated by others. Despite this, she remains confident and strong, winning the admiration of the song's narrator. The opening line "They laugh now down at the turnstyle, put you off more than twice" highlights how others are making fun of Christine, perhaps judging her appearance or behaviour. But the singer sees through this facade and recognizes that Christine is "twice the size", or twice as strong and capable as others give her credit for.
The verse "And ya saw them taking yer picture, taking shots of you and me, well I hope they like this message, you're the goddess, we're still free" can be interpreted in a few different ways. It could suggest that the media or people in power are trying to control or manipulate Christine, but she remains true to herself and maintains her freedom and independence. Alternatively, it could be a more personal message from the singer to Christine, reassuring her that he sees her as a goddess and that they are still free to be themselves. Either way, the chorus "Ooh Christine your name was perfect, Ooh Christine god only knows it" reaffirms the singer's admiration and love for Christine.
The final verse "One chance fluke, you might be gone, but I want you still free" is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and relationships. The singer recognizes that their time together might be fleeting, but he still wants Christine to maintain her sense of freedom and individuality. The repetition of "Free free free free" at the end of the song reinforces this sentiment, and suggests that despite the challenges they may face, they are determined to hold onto their independence and identity.
Line by Line Meaning
They laugh now down at the turnstyle
People are mocking and making fun of Christine at the turnstile.
Put you off more than twice
This behavior has occurred more than once and it's bothering her.
Coz your step and smile fooled′m
The people who are making fun of Christine have been tricked by her confident walk and smile.
You're really twice the size
Christine is way more important than they think, hence 'twice the size.'
And ya saw them taking yer picture
They also took pictures of her along with the mockery.
Taking shots of you and me
The picture is taken to include anyone related to the incident, her and the other person (the singer of the song here).
Well i hope they like this message
The singer is hopeful that those who mocked Christine took an important message from this incident.
Your the godess, we′re still free
Christine represents freedom, the singer and Christine are free, and people mocking them are stuck in their mundane lives.
Ooh Christine your name was perfect
The singer admires Christine and feels that her name is a perfect fit for the kind of person she is.
Ooh Christine god only knows it
The singer acknowledges that only God knows how wonderful Christine is.
Well i'm gonna drive you north now
The singer wants to take Christine under his protection and keep her safe.
Drive you nearer to me
The singer wants Christine to be closer to him.
I want the light in your eye girl
The singer wants to give Christine the chance to be happy again, to have the light in her eyes back.
Shiney shine and still be free
He wants her to keep shining and still be free, even after what happened.
Free free free free
Reinforcing the importance of freedom, he repeats the word free.
One chance fluke
He believes that they only got one chance at what they have now and it might be by chance, or a fluke.
You might be gone
He fears that Christine might leave, or be taken away from him.
But i want you still free
Nevertheless, he always wants her to be free.
Writer(s): Ricky Ross
Contributed by Caden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nigel Smith
on Long Window To Love
This whole explanation is completely wrong. The song is about the Labour Party not winning a general election