Simple Minds have achieved 24 top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart, including eight top 10 and one number one, and 26 albums on the UK Albums Chart, including 22 top 40 albums, 12 top 10 albums and five number one albums: Sparkle in the Rain (1984), Once Upon a Time (1985), Live in the City of Light (1987), Street Fighting Years (1989), and Glittering Prize 81/92 (1992). They have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, and were the most commercially successful Scottish band of the 1980s. Simple Minds have also achieved considerable chart success in the United States, Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy and New Zealand. Despite various personnel changes, they continue to record and tour.
In 2014, Simple Minds were awarded the Q Inspiration Award for their contribution to the music industry and an Ivor Novello Award in 2016 for Outstanding Song Collection from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors (BASCA). Other notable recognitions include nominations for both the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction and MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" in 1985, nomination for the Brit Award for British Group in 1986 and for the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group in 1987. "Belfast Child" was nominated for the Song of the Year at the Brit Awards 1990.
The nucleus of Simple Minds consists of the two remaining original members, Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (electric and acoustic guitars, occasional keyboards after 1990, saxophone and violin). The other current band members are Ged Grimes (bass guitar), Cherisse Osei (drums), Sarah Brown (backing vocals), Gordy Goudie (additional guitar and keyboards) and Berenice Scott (keyboards). Notable former members include Mick MacNeil (keyboards), Derek Forbes (bass guitar), Brian McGee and Mel Gaynor (drums).
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Minds
Discography
Life in a Day (1979)
Real to Real Cacophony (1979)
Empires and Dance (1980)
Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call (1981)
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982)
Sparkle in the Rain (1984)
Once Upon a Time (1985)
Street Fighting Years (1989)
Real Life (1991)
Good News from the Next World (1995)
Néapolis (1998)
Our Secrets Are the Same (1999/2004)
Neon Lights (2001)
Cry (2002)
Black & White 050505 (2005)
Graffiti Soul (2009)
Big Music (2014)
Acoustic (2016)
Walk Between Worlds (2018)
Direction of the Heart (2022)
Changeling
Simple Minds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underground
Pulsating through
Street Parade
Day arcade
No cloning you
Uniform
Won't conform
Find a boy
Kill a toy
Get no reply
Changeling
Well changeling for you
They're coming out of you
Vision
Lost
Out of control
Lost
Down in the club
Beau bells can ring
Look good in blue
Help me to sing
Expose
Fade away
Contact erased
Call a friend
Tailor made
Do as I say
Changeling
Well changeling for you
They're coming out of you
Vision
Lost
Out of control
Lost
Overground
Underground
Overground
Underground
Down in the club
Down in the club
Down in the club
Club
The song "Changeling" by Simple Minds is a post-punk, new wave track that speaks to the idea of change and transformation. The lyrics present a sense of chaos and disorientation, with references to both the overground and the underground, the pulsating energy of a street parade, and the feeling of being lost and out of control. The title of the song, "Changeling," refers to a mythical creature that shapeshifts and takes on various forms - this serves as a metaphor for the constant state of flux and transformation that is a central theme.
The imagery in the lyrics is striking, with references to uniforms and conformity, juxtaposed with the idea of a hero dying, and the need to "kill a toy" - perhaps suggesting the need to destroy childish things to embrace a new identity. There is also a sense of detachment and isolation, with lines like "get no reply" and "contact erased," hinting at a breakdown in communication and a sense of emotional distance.
Overall, "Changeling" is a powerful song that speaks to the universal experience of transformation and finding one's place in the world. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but the energy and urgency of the music make it a classic piece of post-punk/new wave history.
Line by Line Meaning
Overground
The world above us, where people go about their daily lives.
Underground
The hidden world beneath us, where secrets and desires are kept.
Pulsating through
Energy and excitement flowing through everything around us.
Street Parade
The lively and colorful spectacle of life in the city.
Day arcade
A bustling and stimulating environment filled with activity, like an amusement park.
No cloning you
You are unique and cannot be copied or replicated by anyone else.
Uniform
The expectation of conformity and sameness in society.
Won't conform
Refusal to conform to societal norms or expectations.
Hero who dies
The tragic hero who sacrifices everything but ultimately fails.
Find a boy
The search for meaning and identity, often associated with youth.
Kill a toy
The act of abandoning childish or meaningless pursuits in favor of more serious ones.
Get no reply
Rejection or lack of response from the world around us.
Changeling
A person who is constantly changing or evolving.
Well changeling for you
This constant change is something that affects and applies to you specifically.
They're coming out of you
These changes are a part of who you are and cannot be separated from you.
Vision
The ability to imagine or see something beyond the immediate present.
Lost
The feeling of being directionless or unsure of one's purpose or path.
Out of control
The feeling that circumstances or emotions are spiraling beyond one's ability to manage them.
Down in the club
A space where people gather to escape their everyday lives and let loose.
Beau bells can ring
The allure and glamour of a hedonistic lifestyle, which can distract from deeper issues.
Look good in blue
The idea of presenting oneself in a uniform or restrained way, in order to fit in or appear respectable.
Help me to sing
The desire for a sense of community or shared experience.
Expose
The act of revealing one's true self or hidden desires and motivations.
Fade away
The eventual decline or disappearance of something that was once important or meaningful.
Contact erased
The loss of connection or communication with someone or something that was once significant.
Call a friend
The hope for support or guidance from someone who understands and cares.
Tailor made
Something that is personalized or customized to fit one's specific needs or desires.
Do as I say
The idea that there are expectations or rules to follow in order to conform to society or achieve success.
Overground
The repeating of the earlier refrain, emphasizing the contrast between everyday life and hidden desires.
Underground
The repeating of the earlier refrain, emphasizing the importance of the hidden world.
Down in the club
The repeating of the earlier refrain, emphasizing the importance of escape and community.
Club
The final line, indicating the end of the song and suggesting that the same themes will continue to play out in life outside of the music.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES BURCHILL, DEREK FORBES, JAMES KERR, MICHAEL MACNEIL, BRIAN MC GEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind