MacLean was born in Glasgow. A former hairdresser, he was a member of the group The Hairdressers, and then was a founding member of The Suspects in 1979. That band changed its name to The Deserters in 1981, and released two albums, The Deserters and Siberian Nightlife.
Drummer Chris Steffler, who had worked with MacLean in Toronto bands The Next and The Suspects, recruited MacLean to join Platinum Blonde. MacLean was bassist and keyboardist, and songwriter for some songs, on their 1985 album Alien Shores. He was also part of the band for Contact in 1987, and for their 1990 album Yeah Yeah Yeah, when the band was re-named The Blondes. MacLean then released two solo albums in the 1990s, without the backing of major-label financing. In 1990, his solo debut Don't Look Back was released on a new label, Justin, and it won him a SOCAN Award for songwriting, as well as a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Male Vocalist in 1991.
In 2006, MacLean spent time in Saint John, New Brunswick, working as a teacher at the city's new School of Rock and Film. MacLean created the music company hMh Music, and was its artistic director. An academy officially opened in Toronto on September 2, 2008, and featured programs such as audio engineering and DJ arts.
MacLean was found dead on November 24, 2008 of a heart related problem. His third solo CD, Completely, was released at a concert three days before his death.
Discography....
Don't Look Back (1990)
Clear (1995)
Completely (2008)
Don't look back
Kenny MacLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Surrender your heart to the girl
But it's, never enough
There's always something pulling ya
Wander around
Down in the old part of the town
In the streets you used to run
Chased by the sun and moon
How long will you stay here
Don't look back
The paint is faded and cracked, baby
You can't hold on when it's gone
Tell her a lie
Follow that look in her eyes she knows; it's over
The way that you hold her she can tell
Now your days are racing by
There's no more time to wonder why
Kenny MacLean's song "Don't Look Back" is a beautifully written and relatable song about the struggles of moving on and leaving the past behind. It starts with the singer reminiscing about how he promised the world to a girl but it was never enough, and there was always something pulling him away. He wanders around the old part of town, where he grew up, and remembers the streets he used to run on, chased by the sun and moon. Despite finding his way back there, he realizes the futility of living in the past and wonders how long he will stay.
The chorus of the song conveys the message of the song with the line, "Don't look back, the paint is faded and cracked, baby, you can't hold on when it's gone." These lyrics serve as a metaphor for how holding onto the past is like holding onto something that is fading away and will soon be gone. The singer then tries to mend his relationship by lying to his partner, but her widened eyes tell her the truth. Finally, the song ends with the realization that there is no time to wonder why, and the singer must move on with his life.
Overall, "Don't Look Back" is a poignant and thoughtful song about the importance of moving on and leaving the past behind. It is a reminder that holding onto something that is already gone will only lead to pain and heartache. The lyrics are powerful and relatable, and the melody is beautiful and haunting.
Line by Line Meaning
Promised the world
At one point, you were promised everything and you thought you had it all.
Surrender your heart to the girl
You gave your heart to someone, likely a girl, who you thought was your everything.
But it's, never enough
Despite having everything you ever wanted, it was never enough to satisfy you completely.
There's always something pulling ya
There's always something, a force or desire, that is pulling you in a different direction.
Wander around
You aimlessly wander around looking for something meaningful.
Down in the old part of the town
You search for meaning in the familiar streets of your past, in the old part of the town.
In the streets you used to run
You reminisce about the times when you would run around those streets as a kid.
Chased by the sun and moon
Your childhood memories are of a time when you would chase after the sun and the moon.
Now you found your way there
You have finally managed to return to the streets of your childhood.
How long will you stay here
You wonder how long you can stay in this place before you have to move on.
Don't look back
You are advised not to look back, but to move forward.
The paint is faded and cracked, baby
The memories and places of your youth are faded and no longer as perfect as they once appeared.
You can't hold on when it's gone
You can't hold onto the past no matter how much you want to because it's already gone.
Tell her a lie
You tell the girl you're with a lie, likely that you still love her or that everything is fine between you two.
Follow that look in her eyes she knows; it's over
The girl knows that things are not alright between you, and you can see it in her eyes.
The way that you hold her she can tell
The way you hold her reveals to her that something is wrong, and it's likely the end of the relationship.
Now your days are racing by
Time seems to be moving faster, and the days are whipping by at breakneck speeds.
There's no more time to wonder why
There's no time to sit around and wonder why things didn't work out the way you wanted them to. Time waits for no one.
Contributed by Mackenzie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrEdentile
Promised the world
Surrender your heart to the girl
But it's, never enough
There's always something pulling ya
Wander around
Down in the old part of the town
In the streets you used to run
Chased by the sun and moon
Now you found your way there
How long will you stay here
Don't look back
The paint is faded and cracked, baby
You can't hold on when it's gone
Tell her a lie
Follow that look in her eyes she knows; it's over
The way that you hold her she can tell
Now your days are racing by
There's no more time to wonder why
@robdemare8250
This song is an absolute masterpiece; nothing less.
@brianjensen1196
I've loved it all a long 😊
@billmccormick5052
I knew kenny around the last couple years of his life. I met his son in highschool and one day his dad was coming to take him out for lunch. I was invited along and I knew who he was but my friend didn't tell me who his dad was. I got in and recognized him but didn't say "you look like that Toronto based musician who played with platinum blonde for a while. .." we had a wonderful lunch and against my wishes my friend invited Kenny to a battle of the bands I was playing at. I wanted him to see us and hear us but our name at the time was Whiskey Blonde and I didn't want that mentioned because of the blonde part. our music wasn't the same at all though. But he actually showed up and was impressed with us. he offered us lots of support and wanted to work with us. he was so generous towards local upcoming musical talent and really knew the business and he knew how to produce and record. he was a master musician. I got to hear him in his apartment pick up an old guitar from the corner and just play away with no pressure. he told me many stories about travelling and recording. I was deeply saddened that I wasn't at that last show and even more saddened when I learned of his passing. he was gentle, caring, funny, patient and he was very proud of his son. I have lost touch with his son who had a beautiful soul much like his father. Kenny left behind a legacy I believe that is in his sons heart and I think all that gentle kindness was passed down. he must have gotten many invitations to see bands perform and people wanting to show off and impress him and the fact he came out to see me when it should have been the other way around says alot. We came in second that night because of a strong bias as the band who won were students at the college in which the competition was held and had a mediocre performance at best. but we really actually won that night because Kenny Maclean said so and that meant more to us than a few students helping their friends win. after that kenny wanted to help us with production and recording which was huge. when Kenny wanted you to work with him it meant he was genuinely interested in furthering your career. he never tried to influence the direction of our music. he liked it. unfortunately there was an issue within the band. our guitar player wasn't pulling his weight with helping us finance our band and equipment. bickering and showboating, by throwing leads picks in every chance he could get even over the vocals at times started to become more frequently intrusive to the songs. arguments started to take place daily and eventually the guitarist was ejected. with many meetings following this catastrophe we had many plans laid out that simply never evolved into music. the band officially disbanded.
the following summer I was at kenny house in Toronto playing one of his old acoustics on the porch. I was playing all my original material and his son was listening to some of my ideas and Kenny was in the doorway listening which I didn't know. he wanted to work with me on my own projects. I am very shy and intimidated for some reason when it comes to my writing. but he said he liked it. I was very excited and got to work immediately at my house on getting things down better and working on my finger picking and such. by the time I was ready to call Kenny back up and let him know I was ready to produce something I had heard the news about the show coming up at the mod club. knowing he would be far too busy to take on a new young upcoming guitar guy I waited and waited. now I'm just thinking back wondering what would have happened to my life if I was more proactive in getting this man to do for me what he really wanted to do for me. he gave me so much hope and it made my playing alot better. when the night of the show was happening I opted out of going to see the performance. I wish I hadn't done that obviously. all I know is that I can honestly say Kenny died happier that night than he probably had felt in a long time. he was very excited to perform with those guys gain. when I heard the news my project was put on a shelf and became a dust collection. I've recently started playing the songs again and expanded on the ideas I had and I'm playing my guitar again. all I can say is that Kenny would have done everything in his power to have my voice be heard. he was the most supporting man in the business. and aside from the music, he was generous to everyone. The few times i joined him and his son (whose name I'm leaving out on purpose) for lunch in Markham main streets T and T Bakery, he refused to let me pay my way and made sure I had all the extras for my breakfast and was always cheerful. he was so full of life. Thanks to all of those who were surrounded by this great dude and who extended their friendship and courtesy my way when our paths had crossed. Kenny Maclean is and always will be a Canadian icon.
@robdemare8250
Hi Bill, glad that you got to meet Kenny...great analysis; loved the story! Yes, Kenny was a Master Craftsman at his trade, hence his undearing support for local musicians.
@natalieisaac1459
Knew nothing of this artist. Thanks for sharing.
The language of genuine kindness is an incredible story. Thanks.
All the best.
@mrheal420
This guy was my neighbour when I was 5 and it's so cool I can grow up to enjoy his music so much. Rip Kenny. You will be missed.
@karicarey5229
😥💔
@djscottyp1
he was my mums cousins boy great artist RIP
@cherylcarney9286
He was so talented, I love this song…..the lyrics are brilliant ❤ Rest in Power Kenny ♥️
@thistime1483
My radio station plays this from time to time. Amazing under rated song.