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".
Silverlake
Deacon Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No plan to hand just tearing a hole
To get the water out
Got together on a phone-in show
Oh how we love that talk radio
No one else say's it like that
Here we are now a-singing songs
We all know where it all went wrong
Oh yeah
One night up at silverlake
John the taxi and Willy the brake
Said all the things that needed said
We named and shamed
And stuck it out on the web
Sorted it at silverlake
Try some of these and turn down all the lights
You might find love unusually nice
More if you care for her
I went on the TV twice
Once for the money and once for advice
I tell it like it is
Come up and see us
One night up at silverlake
The place was jumping, people goin' ape
All the paper and the news
Was waiting for us to say
Let the oil trucks roll away
Won't forget us in a hurry
All the boys down at silverlake
One night up at silverlake
John the taxi and Willy the brake
Said all the things that needed said
One night up at silverlake
John the taxi and Willy the brake
Said all the things that needed said
We named and shamed
And stuck it out on the web
Sorted it at silverlake
One night up at silverlake
John the taxi and Willy the brake
Said all the things that needed said
We named and shamed
And stuck it out on the web
Sorted it at night at silverlake
The song "Silverlake" by Deacon Blue discusses the power of the media and its ability to bring people together to effect change. The opening lines of the song introduce the metaphor of "forty men in a paper boat," suggesting that the people involved in this movement may seem small and powerless but that they are united in their efforts to address a problem. The line, "here we are now a-singing songs," implies that the movement has grown and people are now joining in to sing for change.
The second verse describes a gathering at Silverlake where John the taxi and Willy the brake are named as key figures in the movement. They are said to have "said all the things that needed saying," suggesting that they were able to communicate the issues in a way that resonated with people. The song also references the web, implying that the internet and social media played a role in spreading the message and mobilizing people to take action.
The final verse of the song suggests that the movement was successful in achieving its goals, with the line "sorted it at Silverlake" implying that the problem was resolved through the collective efforts of those involved. The reference to "all the boys down at Silverlake" suggests that the movement was not led by any one person or group, but rather was a collective effort.
Overall, "Silverlake" is a powerful commentary on the role of media, communication, and collective action in social change.
Line by Line Meaning
Forty men in a paper boat
A large number of people taking a risk without a plan, hoping to fix a problem
No plan to hand just tearing a hole
Lacking a clear strategy, just attempting to remove the source of an issue
To get the water out
To solve a problem or mitigate a negative situation
Got together on a phone-in show
Assembled through communication and coordination
Oh how we love that talk radio
Expressing appreciation for a platform dedicated to open discussion and debate
No one else say's it like that
Finding unique and valuable perspectives in the conversation
Here we are now a-singing songs
Acknowledging the present moment and a shared experience
We all know where it all went wrong
Recognizing a problem or mistake that needs to be addressed
We're going to put it right
Committing to making things better and finding a solution
One night up at silverlake
Referring to a specific event or location
John the taxi and Willy the brake
Naming specific individuals who played a role in the situation
Said all the things that needed said
Communicating clearly and openly about the problem and proposed solutions
We named and shamed
Holding individuals or organizations accountable for their actions
And stuck it out on the web
Sharing information and opinions online to hold others accountable
Sorted it at silverlake
Finding a solution or resolution to the problem at the location of the event
Try some of these and turn down all the lights
Suggesting a mood or atmosphere for a specific activity
You might find love unusually nice
Implying that love can be enjoyable or rewarding
More if you care for her
Hinting that a deeper level of emotional investment may result in greater benefits
I went on the TV twice
Referencing personal experiences for the sake of establishing credibility
Once for the money and once for advice
Elaborating on previous statement to provide context and additional information
I tell it like it is
Being straightforward and honest in communication
Come up and see us
Extending an invitation to spend time together
The place was jumping, people goin' ape
Creating a vivid scene and atmosphere
All the paper and the news
Referencing the media and their coverage of the situation
Was waiting for us to say
Acknowledge the importance of making a public statement or taking action
Let the oil trucks roll away
Proposing a specific solution to a problem that may have caused negative impacts
Won't forget us in a hurry
Creating a lasting impression or impact
All the boys down at silverlake
Referring to a specific group of people who are involved in the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MILLER PRIME JAMES, RICKY ROSS
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