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".
Fergus Sings The Blues
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In bars of twelve or less
I'm a stranger
To the land
To this wilderness
All
Things are possibleBut happen less and less
This
Is my country
These
Are my reasons
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
Home
Sick James
My biggest
Influence
Tell
Me why
James and Bobby Purify
I'm lost
In musicSweet
Soul music
This
Is my country
These
Are my reasons
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Yes I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
From the north coast
To the uplands
Stay on the left side of the white lines
From the Campsies
Over Christmas
I still dream of Memphis
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
I got the blue blue world
And I see
The blue blue sky
I got
I got the blue blue ocean
In
My blue eye
So tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
The song "Fergus Sings the Blues" by Deacon Blue is a contemplative piece about identity and artistic authenticity. It tells the story of Fergus, a white musician who sings the blues in bars, and his quest for validation as a singer of a genre generally associated with African American culture. The verses are sung in a melancholic tone, with Fergus acknowledging his isolation from his own land and the diminishing possibility of making his dreams come true. The chorus is an introspective moment where Fergus looks at himself in the mirror and wonders if he can truly sing the blues, if he can embody the struggles and emotions that define the genre. The lyrics are a mix of self-doubt, longing for recognition, and love for the music that Fergus is drawn to.
The song is an exploration of the complexities of cultural appropriation and artistic expression. Fergus is not only an outsider in the land where he lives but also in the culture he chooses to embrace. He is aware of the cultural and social power dynamics that play a role in his desire to sing the blues and tries to reconcile his love for the music with the recognition that he will never fully understand or experience the struggles that originated it. The repetition of the chorus reflects Fergus's inner turmoil and the impossibility of finding a clear answer to his doubts.
Line by Line Meaning
Fergus sings the blues
Fergus is a musician who plays blues music.
In bars of twelve or less
Fergus plays blues music in small, intimate venues.
I'm a stranger
Fergus feels like an outsider in society.
To the land
Fergus doesn't feel a connection to the place where he lives.
To this wilderness
Fergus sees the world as a harsh and unforgiving place.
All
Things are possible
Anything can happen.
But happen less and less
Good things are becoming more scarce.
This
Is my country
Fergus believes he belongs in his country.
These
Are my reasons
Fergus has specific reasons for his beliefs.
Cause I look
In the mirror
Fergus is reflecting on his own identity.
And it throws
Back the question
His reflection makes him question himself.
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
He isn't sure of the answer to his own question.
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
He's asking if his race should prevent him from playing blues music.
Home
Sick James
He feels a strong connection to the blues musician Homesick James.
My biggest
Influence
Homesick James has had a big impact on Fergus's music.
Tell
Me why
James and Bobby Purify
Fergus is curious about other blues musicians.
I'm lost
In music
Fergus feels deeply connected to music.
Sweet
Soul music
He is specifically interested in soul music.
From the north coast
To the uplands
Fergus is probably from Scotland.
Stay on the left side of the white lines
Drive safely.
From the Campsies
Over Christmas
The Campsie Hills is a range in Scotland.
I still dream of Memphis
He aspires to leave Scotland for the heart of blues music.
I got the blue blue world
And I see
The blue blue sky
He sees the world in terms of the color blue.
I got
I got the blue blue ocean
In
My blue eye
His own physical makeup is blue, metaphorically.
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
Again, he questions whether his race should prevent him from playing blues music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIM PRIME, RICKY ROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickstocks3986
Fergus sings the blues
In bars of 12 or less
I’m a stranger
To the land
To this wilderness
All things are possible
But happen less & less
This is my country
These are my reasons
‘Cause I look 👀
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Tell me
Can this write man 👨 sing 🎶 the blues
Homesick James
My biggest influence
Tell me why
James & Bobby Purify
I’m lost in music 🎶
Sweet soul music 🎶
This is my country
These are my reasons
(Chorus)
From the North coast
To the uplands
Stay on the left side of the white lines
From the campsies
Over Christmas 🎄
I still dream of Memphis
(Chorus)
I got the blue blue world 🌍
And I see The blue blue sky 🌌
I got the blue blue ocean 🌊
In my blue eye 👁
So tell me can this white man 👨 sing 🎵 the blues
@arabellasheridan3013
Fergus sings the blues
In bars of twelve or less
I'm a stranger
To the land
To this wilderness
All
Things are possible
But happen less and less
This
Is my country
These
Are my reasons
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
Home
Sick James
My biggest
Influence
Tell
Me why
James and Bobby Purify
I'm lost
In music
Sweet
Soul music
This
Is my country
These
Are my reasons
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Yes I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
Tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
From the north coast
To the uplands
Stay on the left side of the white lines
From the Campsies
Over Christmas
I still dream of Memphis
Cause I look
In the mirror
And it throws
Back the question
And I whisper in words
That beg
An answer
I got the blue blue world
And I see
The blue blue sky
I got
I got the blue blue ocean
In
My blue eye
So tell me
Can
This white man sing the blues
@johngogarty945
The most underated band of the 1980s....Fergus sings the blues genius 🎉...
@user-nd5jc8xv8v
im an older guy lets say genesis early n yes camel but ffs what a band these were. just look at a concert. Great wee band from Scotland
@PeterOsullivan-xd3jb
Feel young every time I listen
@stylogirl97
at 3:17 the older guy in the background talking to the band with the glasses is my papa :)
@DafyddBrooks
awww man, he's very lucky. thanks for telling us that. was he a part of the tour or something??
@Cyclone718
Thats awesome, am I right in thinking he was a mayor or something similar at the time?
@chriswilliams2771
Sick tha
@guffroofing
Brilliant x
@IrishRose
Lovely
@HappyDaysManchester
"This is my country" always gets me going.🏴PROUD🏴