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".
Cover From The Sky
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will love you when the moon is riding high
I will love you when we only have pretending
When our home becomes a cover from the sky
Well my eyes have seen the dust and then the ashes
And the lowland and white sky of your home
And the rain that washed mascara from my lashes
And nothing gave us cover from the sky
And it`s then that I see it's then that I know why
If the days become the walls you never wanted
Our years will give us cover from the sky
From the sky
Well we've been among the saints and the angels
And we don`t want to wait until we die
So we`ll stand among the ruins of our temples
And pray to god for cover from the sky
Deacon Blue's song Cover From The Sky is a beautiful and poignant love song that celebrates the unconditional and enduring nature of true love. The song's lyrics convey a sense of comfort, protection and refuge that one finds in the arms of their beloved, particularly during tough times when life seems unbearable. The opening verse, "I will love you when the morning is ascending / I will love you when the moon is riding high" sets the tone for the whole song as the singer promises his love's constant and unconditional presence in both good and bad times.
The chorus of the song, "When our home becomes a cover from the sky", speaks to the idea of finding solace in each other's love and building a home together that is a safe haven from the storms of life. As the song progresses, the lyrics delve deeper into the trials and tribulations that the couple may face together, but ultimately the promise of lifelong love and support remains steadfast. The final verse speaks to the notion that the couple will stay together even when all they have is each other, "So we'll stand among the ruins of our temples / And prey to god for cover from the sky."
Overall, Cover From The Sky is a moving and deeply emotional song that celebrates the power and resilience of love in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I will love you when the morning is ascending
I will love you in the morning when the sun is rising, and everything is beginning anew
I will love you when the moon is riding high
I will love you when the moon is at its highest point in the sky, and the night is at its darkest
I will love you when we only have pretending
I will love you even when we are pretending or putting on a façade for others
When our home becomes a cover from the sky
When we are together in our home, it becomes a safe haven from the tumultuous outside world
Well my eyes have seen the dust and then the ashes
I have witnessed the destruction and demise of things, from their beginning until their end
And the lowland and white sky of your home
I have seen the bleak and pale sky of your home, which is nestled in a low-lying area
And the rain that washed mascara from my lashes
I have experienced the rain that has washed away the makeup from my eyes
And nothing gave us cover from the sky
Despite our efforts, we were still exposed and unprotected from the forces of nature
When you're gone I notice all your tiny touches
I become aware of all the small ways you showed me love when you are no longer here
And it's then that I see I'ts then that I know why
It is in those moments of absence that I realize the depth and meaning of our love
If the days become the walls you never wanted
If our lives become constricting and oppressive, like unyielding walls that we never desired
Our years will give us cover from the sky
Our shared experiences and time together will provide us with protection and solace from the outside world
Well we've been among the saints and the angels
We have experienced extraordinary things, and perhaps even come into contact with the divine
And we don't want to wait until we die
We are eager to experience more of life's wonders while we are still alive
So we'll stand among the ruins of our temples
We will remain steadfast in times of great turmoil and destruction
And prey to god for cover from the sky
We will turn to some higher power, or plead with the universe, for protection from the unpredictable and chaotic forces in the world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICKY ROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyn W
Used to sing this for my dad... he was an original rocker... he loved this... sang it aged 15 at his funeral... now aged 40 I sing it for my little girl... still chokes me up ♡
Gerald McNulty
That's nice. Keep singing, love!
MrKorkyst3
Lyn W stay strong I would love to hear your version, I’m sure your dad is proud.....
31011962singapore
Beautiful song. Sung by a beautiful singer.
Colincor Corcoran
Cover from the sky is so touching as it has that traditional Scottish Celtic feeling that takes us back to our roots and Lorraine mckintosh sings so well and what a lovely harmonic voice she has indeed I love her singing materials one of the best Scottish singers in my opinion keep it coming Lorraine you are the best xxxxColin Corcoran
Matthew Horton
My wife and I had this as our first dance song at our wedding.
myob
That voice! I cannot get over the raw singing ability and range of this ladies cut glass voice. I wish there were more songs of hers to listen to.
roy case
My late wife used to sing this to me, I had it played at her funeral and still sing it to myself now.
John Diamond
Lorraine has a wonderful voice, and was a big part in deacon blues success .
Aj Benne
Amazing voice.beautiful song.