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)
Death By Chocolate
Simple Minds Lyrics
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Irises like glazy stars,
Driving round in rusty cars,
Wheels won't get us there.
Once there you can't come back,
Death by chocolate it's a fact,
Mashima made the final act,
I will follow,
Where you go from here?
I can swallow,
You know I'm so sincere.
The one lie I can concede,
Is how Adam took the fruit from Eve,
Ignoring the cocoa leaf,
Lying on the ground.
But once there was no way back,
Death by chocolate it's a fact,
Marcus has that hidden knack,
Making it feel real.
I will follow,
When you go from here?
I will follow,
In that is crystal clear.
I will follow,
Where you go from here?
I can swallow,
In that I'm so sincere.
I will fall for you,
Like a sailor falls to sea.
I will fall with you,
When you fall for me.
Well now here we are,
Irises like glassy stars,
Driving round in rusty cars,
Wheels won't get us there.
Once there you can't come back,
Death by chocolate it's a fact,
Mashima made the final act,
Too sweet for us to bare.
The lyrics of Simple Minds' song "Death By Chocolate" explore the theme of the pleasure and pain that can accompany indulgence. The song opens with a description of the sensory experience of driving through the night, with the iris-like stars above. The singer and their companion are in rusty cars, emphasizing the grittiness of the journey. The refrain "once there you can't come back, death by chocolate it's a fact" is a metaphor for the consequences of giving in to temptation - once you've indulged, there's no going back, and the pleasure can ultimately lead to pain.
As the song continues, there's a reference to Adam and Eve and the biblical story of the Fall, but with a twist - instead of eating the forbidden fruit, Adam ignores the cocoa leaf, suggesting that our modern temptations are different from those of the ancient world. The song ends on a note of determination - the singer will follow wherever their companion goes, even if it means falling with them.
Overall, the lyrics of "Death By Chocolate" are about the allure of indulgence, but also the knowledge that it can be dangerous. The metaphor of death by chocolate adds a playful touch to an otherwise serious message, and the song ends on a note of ambiguity, with the fate of the singers left unresolved.
Line by Line Meaning
Well now here we are,
We find ourselves in the present moment.
Irises like glazy stars,
Our eyes are shining bright like stars in the night sky.
Driving round in rusty cars,
We are traveling in old and worn-out vehicles.
Wheels won't get us there.
Our means of transportation are not sufficient for our destination.
Once there you can't come back,
If we reach our destination, we cannot return from it.
Death by chocolate it's a fact,
Indulging excessively in sweetness can be fatal.
Mashima made the final act,
The creator or producer brought us to this end.
Too sweet for us to bare.
The level of sweetness is too much for us to handle.
I will follow,
I will accompany you.
Where you go from here?
What is your next step?
I can swallow,
I can accept what you offer.
You know I'm so sincere.
You can trust me to be honest.
The one lie I can concede,
The only falsehood I can acknowledge.
Is how Adam took the fruit from Eve,
The biblical story of Adam and Eve taking fruit from the forbidden tree.
Ignoring the cocoa leaf,
Disregarding the warning signs.
Lying on the ground.
In a vulnerable and helpless state.
But once there was no way back,
After a certain point, it became impossible to turn back.
Marcus has that hidden knack,
Marcus possesses a talent or gift that is not widely recognized.
Making it feel real.
Creating a sense of authenticity in the situation.
I will fall for you,
I will become deeply and emotionally attached to you.
Like a sailor falls to sea.
Like a sailor is drawn to the ocean.
I will fall with you,
I will share in your experiences and emotions.
When you fall for me.
When you become emotionally attached to me.
Contributed by Callie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.