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)
Travelling Man
Simple Minds Lyrics
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This is the land of the brave, sad and the lonely
The last ride's
Coming to me I can feel it
A new life
Screaming out and I can't miss it
Travelling man
You get away if you can
My body's shaking, my body's tired
Hookers to the left of me, killers on the inside
The last train
Left this station long ago
The headlights
Shine like diamonds in the snow
Like a travelling man
I'm a travelling man
Run away if you can
Cruel world keeps turning, I'm dead on my feet
From the blue icy mountains to white city heat
Factory fire burns like a phoenix tonight
Spread your wings, come on darling
And your eyes
Search for me but I can't see them
And your sweet mouth
It speaks to me but I can't hear it
And your - your sweet smile
Two thousand miles for your warm kisses
And your sweet child
I got one last chance and I can't miss it
No no no no
Travelling man
Like a travelling man
Well I'm a travelling man
The Simple Minds song "Travelling Man" is a haunting and poignant narrative about a person at a crossroads in life. The singer is stuck in a seedy motel in a seemingly forgotten town, surrounded by hookers and killers, waiting for that final ride that will take them somewhere new. The lyrics are stark and vivid, painting a bleak picture of a world where the harsh realities of life are never far away. The repetition of the phrase "travelling man" gives the song a sense of movement and restlessness, as if the singer is constantly on the move, never able to settle down.
The first two lines of the song set the tone for the entire narrative. The lights of the motel shining on the singer symbolize the harsh and unforgiving world they find themselves in. This is a land of the brave (those who are willing to fight and survive) and sad (those who have lost hope) and lonely (those who are alone and forgotten). The repetition of the phrase "travelling man" reinforces the idea that the singer is always moving, always searching for something new, always trying to escape the past.
The middle verses of the song describe the physical and emotional toll of this journey. The singer's body is shaking and tired, worn down by the constant movement and danger. The world around them is cruel and unforgiving, from the icy mountains to the white city heat. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been through a lot, that they've seen and experienced things that most people wouldn't be able to handle.
Overall, "Travelling Man" is a powerful and relatable song for anyone who has ever felt lost, alone, or trapped. The lyrics are evocative and emotional, capturing the struggles of the human condition in a way that is both universal and uniquely personal.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights of the motel shine on to me
I am currently at a motel and the lights from outside are shining into my room.
This is the land of the brave, sad and the lonely
This place is known for having people who are brave, but also those who feel sad and lonely.
The last ride's
Coming to me I can feel it
I have a feeling that my last ride is coming soon.
A new life
Screaming out and I can't miss it
I hear a new opportunity calling out to me and I can't afford to miss it.
Travelling man
Travelling man
You get away if you can
I am a travelling man and if you have the chance, you should get away while you can.
My body's shaking, my body's tired
Hookers to the left of me, killers on the inside
I am exhausted and physically shaking. There are prostitutes to my left and violent people inside.
The last train
Left this station long ago
The headlights
Shine like diamonds in the snow
The last train left a long time ago and the shining headlights look like diamonds in the snow.
Like a travelling man
I'm a travelling man
Run away if you can
As a travelling man, I advise you to run away if you have the chance.
Cruel world keeps turning, I'm dead on my feet
From the blue icy mountains to white city heat
Factory fire burns like a phoenix tonight
Spread your wings, come on darling
The world can be cruel and unrelenting, I am exhausted from travelling from the icy mountains to the hot city. There's a factory fire burning like a mythical phoenix tonight, don't be afraid to spread your wings.
And your eyes
Search for me but I can't see them
And your sweet mouth
It speaks to me but I can't hear it
And your - your sweet smile
Two thousand miles for your warm kisses
And your sweet child
I got one last chance and I can't miss it
No no no no
You're searching for me with your eyes, but I can't see you. Your sweet words speak to me but I can't hear them. I would travel two thousand miles just for your warm kisses and to see your child. I have one last chance and I can't miss it.
Travelling man
Like a travelling man
Well I'm a travelling man
I am a travelling man, just like any other travelling man out there.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES BURCHILL, JAMES KERR, STEPHEN JAMES LIPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind