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)
Christine
Simple Minds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Personality changes behind her red smile
Every new problem brings a stranger inside
Helplessly forcing one more new disguise
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine-banana split lady
Christine-the strawberry girl
Singing sweet savages lost in our world
This big eyed-girl sees her faces unfurl
Now's she's in purple
Now's she's the turtle
Disintegrating
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine-banana split lady
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine sees her faces unfurl
Now's she's in purple
Now's she the turtle
Disintegrating
Christine,Christine
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine-banana split lady
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine sees her faces unfurl
Christine,Christine,Christine,Christine turn into faces
Disintegrating
Christine,Christine,Christine
Disintegrating.......
The lyrics of Simple Minds' song "Christine" depict the struggle of a person named Christine who undergoes multiple personality changes, each time a problem arises, and finds herself on the verge of disintegration. The song talks about Christine's kaleidoscope-style personality, which changes behind her red smile, and how these changes force her to wear newer and newer disguises, making her helpless in the face of her own identity crisis.
The refrain "Christine - the strawberry girl, Christine - banana split lady" portrays the changing personalities of Christine, as she transforms into different people with each new problem that she faces. The lyrics also describe Christine's loss of identity as she sees her faces unfurl before her eyes, and how she disintegrates in the end, unable to maintain her sense of self.
Overall, the song "Christine" is a poignant commentary on the struggle of people who face mental health issues and an exploration of the complications that arise from a fragmented sense of self. The haunting melody and Jim Kerr's powerful vocals make it a memorable and emotionally-charged song.
Line by Line Meaning
She tries not to shatter, kaleidoscope style
Christine is trying not to break apart like a kaleidoscope, where every movement or problem leads to a new facet of her personality.
Personality changes behind her red smile
Her happy and confident smile hides her true feelings and personality, which are subject to constant changes.
Every new problem brings a stranger inside
Every time she faces a challenge or problem, a new and unknown personality takes over her usual persona, making her feel helpless.
Helplessly forcing one more new disguise
Unable to control the transformation, she's forced to wear a new disguise to deal with each situation she faces.
Christine-the strawberry girl
Christine-banana split lady
The two contrasting and colorful descriptions of Christine highlight her unpredictable and fragmented nature.
Singing sweet savages lost in our world
Christine is singing with innocence and spontaneity, but at the same time feeling lost in a world that doesn't understand her.
This big eyed-girl sees her faces unfurl
The big-eyed Christine can witness all her many new faces as they 'unfurl' and manifest themselves outside of her control.
Now's she's in purple
Now's she's the turtle
Disintegrating
Christine is disintegrating into different identities, losing control of who she is and who she might become.
Christine,Christine
The repetition of her name highlights Christine's struggle to keep her identity and avoid becoming lost in a sea of new faces.
Christine sees her faces unfurl
Disintegrating
Christine can see all her different identities manifesting and tilting increasingly towards fragmentation and disintegration.
Christine,Christine,Christine,Christine turn into faces
Disintegrating
Christine's identity dissolves completely as she once again sees new 'faces' emerge.
Disintegrating
The song ends with the word 'disintegrating', emphasizing how Christine's identity is crumbling and falling apart in front of our eyes.
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.