The band originally consisted of David Sterry (lead vocals/guitar), Richard Zatorski (violin/keyboard), Alan Johnson (bass) and Danny Simcic (drums). Steve Williams (keyboard) replaced Zatorski in 1986, who was then replaced by George Pappas in 1996 after a long hiatus of band activity.
Real Life released their second and final album with the original lineup in 1985 titled Flame, which spawned minor hits "One Blind Love" and "Face To Face" although neither the album nor the singles repeated their previous success. The first single "No Shame" failed to chart, a video was shot for the second single "Face to Face" and it got airplay in Australia but nothing in the way of success. In 1986, they recorded the controversial song "Babies", which was even less successful, for a new North American release Down Comes the Hammer. "Babies", was the first new recording by the band that was not written by David Sterry and Zatorski. There were two other new songs and a re-mix of "Send Me an Angel". Incredibly this was to be the first of three best of albums after the band had only recorded two studio LPs. Zatorski left the band due to management pressure and attended law school and is now a practising lawyer in Melbourne.
At some stage Zatorski formed a new band called Zatorski, and recorded an updated version of "Send Me an Angel". In 1989 Real Life released a new version of "Send me an Angel", titled "Send Me an Angel '89", which fared slightly better than the original in the United States. The video for the 1989 version was identical to the original except Zatorski was edited out of all shots. The Australian video of "Send Me An Angel '89" was shot in Ormond College, The University of Melbourne, with Steve Williams on keyboard. In 1990, they released Lifetime, their first album of all-new material in five years, which spawned minor hits with "God Tonight" and "Kiss The Ground".
Steve Williams (keyboard) was the post Zatorski musician and was followed by George Pappas. A falling out occurred between Sterry and the remaining two original members Simcic and Johnson.
In 1998, they released Happy, which was followed in 2004 by Imperfection, this time featuring only David Sterry and George Pappas. In November of 2005, George announced his departure from the band. David has continued to carry the band name on his own. In 2004 toured the West coast of the U.S. to promote the album Imperfection with additional member Scott Ingram on drums. For this tour the band consisted of David Sterry, George Pappas and Scott Ingram.
In 2006, a new album of new mixes Send Me an Angel was released, bring the total number of versions of the song to approximately seventeen, including: * 1983: the original recording * 1983: the extended version * 1986: "Down Comes the Hammer" version * 1989: 4 versions in remix form on the "Send Me an Angel 89" single * 2006: 10 versions in remix form on the Send Me an Angel album which has the same cover as the 2004 release Send Me an Angel - Real Life's Greatest Hits, which has two 1989 versions of the song.
In spring 2008 Real Life (David Sterry) performed live for the first time in the Philippines along with When in Rome and A Flock of Seagulls as part of the Lost 80's Tour in Manila.
In 2009 they released a sixth album of covers of 80s songs called Send Me an Angel - '80s Synth Essentials.
In 2020 they released their seventh album Sirens.
There is another artist with the same name:
2. A performer by the name of Castle uses the moniker "Real Life" on the NinjaTune label (and its sublabel NTone) where they have released several 'space-bass' electronic works, including "Leysh" which featured vocals by Natasha Atlas. These songs are generally in a mid-tempo ambient-dub style.
Fade to Grey
Real Life Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Devenir gris
One man on a lonely platform
One case sitting by his side
Two eyes staring cold and silent
Show fear as he turns to hide
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Un homme dans une gare isolée
Une valise a ses cotés
Des yeux fixes et froids
Montre de la peur lorsqu'il
Se tourne pour se cacher
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Sent la pluie comme un été Anglais
Entends les notes d'une chanson lointaine
Sortant de derriere d'un poster
Espérant que la vie ne fut aussi longue
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Feel the rain like an English summer
Hear the notes from a distant song
Stepping out from a back shop poster
Wishing life wouldn't be so long
Devenir gris
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Devenir gris
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Devenir gris
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Devenir gris
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The lyrics of Real Life's song "Fade to Grey" take us on an emotional journey of someone who is feeling lost and hopeless. The opening lines of the song "Devenir gris, Devenir gris" (becoming grey, becoming grey), immediately set the sombre tone for the song. The first verse describes a man sitting on a lonely platform with a suitcase by his side, as he turns to hide in fear. The chorus, "Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)" is repeated, and serves as a reflection of the man's fading hope and resignation to the bleakness of his life.
The second verse paints a picture of the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the man, with "rain like an English summer" falling and the distant sound of a song playing. The man is stepping out from behind a poster, perhaps as a metaphor for coming out of hiding, and wishing that life wouldn't be so long. The song ends with more repeated choruses, emphasizing the man's fading hope and loss of vibrancy.
The lyrics of "Fade to Grey" convey a sense of loneliness, fear, and despair, but also a glimpse of hope found in the longing for something more. The metaphor of "fading to grey" is representative of the gradual loss of color and vitality in one's life, but perhaps also an indication that there is still a spark of life left to be rekindled.
Line by Line Meaning
Devenir gris
Becoming gray
Devenir gris
Becoming gray
One man on a lonely platform
A man standing alone on a platform
One case sitting by his side
A case sitting next to him
Two eyes staring cold and silent
His eyes staring silently and coldly
Show fear as he turns to hide
He shows fear as he turns to hide
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Un homme dans une gare isolée
A man in an isolated train station
Une valise a ses cotés
A suitcase next to him
Des yeux fixes et froids
His eyes fixed and cold
Montre de la peur lorsqu'il Se tourne pour se cacher
He shows fear as he turns to hide
Sent la pluie comme un été Anglais
Feels the rain like an English summer
Entends les notes d'une chanson lointaine
Hears notes from a distant song
Sortant de derriere d'un poster
Coming out from behind a poster
Espérant que la vie ne fut aussi longue
Wishing that life wasn't so long
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Devenir gris
Becoming gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Devenir gris
Becoming gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Devenir gris
Becoming gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Aaah, we fade to grey (fade to grey)
The feeling of fading to gray
Writer(s): Billy Currie, Chris Payne, Midge Ure
Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Romina Bisio
amazing and brilliant cover!
Michelle Glen
Not a real fan of covers, but it this case Real Life's version is as good as the original!!!
Ed Van
great song, awesome !
M RENTERIA
VISAGE WAS GREAT.. BUT I DO AGREE WITH THE BASE SYNTH IS INCREDIBLE.. LOVE THIS BAND..
Andrea Maerz
Great Song..i like it
Mark E
Pretty damn good, I prefer the original version music just a bit, but prefer the singer here for sure.
electronic80s
Sounds better than the original....Almost (love that bass synth) :)
Natalie SW
Wow! Different, but awesome.
Larry Howell
light years above current music
74goldenjet
Never liked this song... Untill now. :)