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".
Goin' Back
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the things I learned so well in my youth,
I think I'm returning to
The days when I was young enough to know the truth
Now there are no games
To only pass the time
No more coloring books, No Christmas bells to chime
But thinking young and growing older is no sin
And I can play the game of life to win
I can recall a time,
When I wasn't afraid to reach out to a friend
And now I think I've got
A lot more than a skipping rope to lift
Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide
Then everyday can be my magic carpet ride
And I can play hide and seek with my fears,
And live my life instead of counting my years
Let everyone debate the true reality,
I'd rather see the world the way it used to be
A little bit of freedom, all we're left
So catch me if you can
I'm goin' back
I can recall,
I can remember
I can recall,
I can remember
I can recall,
I can remember
The lyrics of Deacon Blue's song "Goin' Back" express the desire to return to a state of innocence and youthful idealism. The singer reminisces about a time when life was simpler and full of wonder. He longs to connect with others in a meaningful way, free from worry and the constraints of adult life. He realizes that growing older does not have to mean losing touch with the core values and beliefs of our youth.
The first stanza of the song sets the tone for this nostalgic journey, as the singer reflects on his past and the things he learned in his youth. The second stanza contrasts the simplicity of childhood with the complexity of adulthood, highlighting the challenges that come with age. However, the singer remains optimistic and determined, believing that he can still "win the game of life" despite the difficulties.
The final stanza is a call to action, urging the listener to turn away from the cynicism and disillusionment of the present and embrace a simpler way of living. The line "let everyone debate the true reality, I'd rather see the world the way it used to be" sums up the song's central message: that the key to a fulfilling life is to hold on to the childlike wonder and curiosity that we too often leave behind as we grow older.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I'm goin' back
I am returning to the things I learned and knew so well in my youth.
To the things I learned so well in my youth,
Returning to the things I mastered in my early days.
I think I'm returning to
I am going back to
The days when I was young enough to know the truth
The time when I was naive, but had a better understanding of the real world.
Now there are no games
I am no longer engaging in child's play or activities.
To only pass the time
To entertain and kill the time.
No more coloring books,
The activities I engage in are more advanced and complex.
No Christmas bells to chime
I don't engage in activities that mark a specific season or holiday.
But thinking young and growing older is no sin
There is nothing wrong with maintaining a youthful mindset despite getting older.
And I can play the game of life to win
I see life as a game I can win or lose, and I am determined to emerge victorious.
I can recall a time,
I have a memory of a specific period in my life
When I wasn't afraid to reach out to a friend
A time when I was more confident and extroverted, not afraid to seek help from friends.
And now I think I've got
Presently, I'm confident that I have the ability or resources to accomplish anything I set out to achieve.
A lot more than a skipping rope to lift
I am now capable of engaging in more sophisticated or difficult challenges in life.
Now there's more to do
I am currently busy or have a lot more responsibilities and opportunities to engage in than before.
Than watch my sailboat glide
I now have more engaging activities to occupy my time than just watching a sailboat glide on water.
Then everyday can be my magic carpet ride
Every day can be an exciting adventure and an uplifting experience.
And I can play hide and seek with my fears,
I can face my fears and overcome them.
And live my life instead of counting my years
I would rather enjoy life's moments and experiences than focus on how long I have lived.
Let everyone debate the true reality,
I'm uninterested in debates surrounding what is or isn't reality.
I'd rather see the world the way it used to be
I desire to see the world with the same innocence, wonder, and simplicity that I saw it in my youth.
A little bit of freedom, all we're left
In life, the only thing we have control of is a small measure of freedom.
So catch me if you can
I'm on an adventure in life, so try to keep up.
I'm goin' back
I am returning to my youthful ways of living and experiencing life.
I can recall,
I remember
I can remember
I have the ability to recall specific memories or moments in my life.
I can recall,
I am remembering
I can remember
I have the ability to bring to mind specific memories or moments in my life.
I can recall,
I can reflect on a specific memory, thought, or experience.
I can remember
I have the ability to recollect or call to mind past experiences or memories.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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