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)
Room
Simple Minds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In your room
Silent man
Once again
The razor's song
The razor's song
Wear the mask
Another fave
In your room
City red
City red
Wear the mask
Wear the mask
A private hell
A secret sin
A friend of mine
Waiting for
A western man
Waiting for
New kind of glory
A view of glory
From this room
I only live here
I only live here
A fragile man
Waiting Waiting
Echoes
I only live here
Echoes
In this room
Echoes
The lyrics to Simple Minds' song "Room" depict a character who has isolated themselves in a room, alone with their thoughts and struggles. The repeated phrases "in your room" and "wear the mask" imply a sense of confinement, suggesting that the person is hiding something from the world. The line "the razor's song" alludes to the pain and emotional turmoil that the person may be experiencing, which they are unable to express outside of the confines of their room. The line "a friend of mine waiting for a western man" seems to suggest that the person may be waiting for some sort of external validation or salvation.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of internal vs. external perspective. The line "a view of glory from this room" implies that the person sees something worthwhile or valuable within themselves, despite their struggles. However, the repetition of the phrase "echoes" suggests that this internal perspective may be distorted and that the person may be trapped in their own thoughts.
Overall, the lyrics to "Room" convey a sense of introspection, isolation, and inner turmoil. The repeated phrases and imagery create a haunting mood that speaks to the experience of struggling with one's own demons.
Line by Line Meaning
In your room
The singer is addressing someone who's hiding in their room.
In your room
The singer repeats the line, emphasizing the person's isolation.
Silent man
The person in the room is quiet and possibly withdrawn.
Once again
This person has retreated to their room before, indicating a pattern of behavior.
The razor's song
The artist imagines the person in their room cutting themselves, as if the razor is singing a tune of self-harm.
The razor's song
The repetition of the line shows the singer's concern about the person's behavior.
Wear the mask
The singer thinks the person is hiding behind a metaphorical mask, possibly pretending to be okay or happy.
Another fave
The artist knows that the person has other favorite things in their room besides the razor that sings to them.
In your room
Repeating the line once again shows that the person is isolated and alone in their room.
City red
The artist is describing a cityscape which is colored in red, possibly symbolizing danger or violence.
City red
Repeating this line may suggest that the person is imagining this dangerous city outside their room, contributing to their feelings of isolation and vulnerability.
Wear the mask
Repeating the line highlights the idea that the person is hiding behind this mask of false emotions.
Wear the mask
This line is repeated again to emphasize the person's attempts to hide their true self.
A private hell
The singer is referring to the person's inner turmoil and agony.
A secret sin
The singer implies that the person is ashamed of something they have done or feel, keeping it hidden from others.
A friend of mine
The person the artist is referring to is their friend, although they are unsure if the person considers them a friend as well.
Waiting for
The artist thinks the person is waiting for something or someone, possibly a way out or a connection to others.
A western man
The singer thinks the person is fascinated with western culture, possibly escaping to fantasy worlds in their mind.
Waiting for
Repeating this idea suggests that the person is still waiting for something to happen, despite the passage of time.
New kind of glory
The person is hoping for a different kind of recognition or satisfaction, possibly beyond their current circumstances.
A view of glory
The person's belief in this new kind of glory is like a distant view that they can see but can't reach.
From this room
Despite their isolation, the person believes that this new kind of glory could come from this very room, a place where they've spent so much time alone.
I only live here
The singer clarifies that they only live in this room, emphasizing their isolation and disconnection from the larger world.
I only live here
Repeating this line emphasizes the idea of being stuck in one place with limited options.
A fragile man
The singer sees themselves as vulnerable and breakable, possibly reflecting the person they are describing in the song.
Waiting Waiting
The singer is still waiting, suggesting that they're stuck in a rut or feeling powerless to change their circumstances.
Echoes
The repetition of echoes suggests a sense of emptiness or hollowness, possibly reflecting the singer's sense of isolation.
I only live here
This line is repeated again to emphasize the idea of being stuck and isolated.
Echoes
Repeating this line suggests that the artist is trapped in their own thoughts, with nothing to break through the emptiness but echoes of their own emotions.
In this room
The song ends with this line, emphasizing the idea of being stuck and isolated in one physical space.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES BURCHILL, JAMES KERR, MICHAEL JOSEPH MAC NEIL, DEREK FORBES, BRIAN MC GEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind