Simply R… Read Full Bio ↴Simply Red is an English pop band, formed in the mid 1980s.
Simply Red's roots originate from the notorious 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Manchester art student Mick Hucknall was one of the many young music fans present (along with original members of The Fall, Joy Division, The Smiths and Buzzcocks) who was inspired to form a band after witnessing that gig. The first incarnation of the band was a punk group called The Frantic Elevators. This band existed for 7 years, with limited releases on local labels, but split in 1984 with only limited local attention and critical acclaim for their final single, "Holding Back the Years".
After the demise of the Frantic Elevators, Hucknall linked up with manager Elliot Rashman. By early 1985 Hucknall and Rashman had assembled a band of local session musicians and began to attract record company attention. Around this time the group adopted the name Simply Red (after Hucknall's nickname, which denoted hair color, football allegiance to Manchester United and left-wing political affiliation). They signed to Elektra in 1985, with the somewhat changeable line-up of Hucknall, Tony Bowers (bass), Fritz McIntyre (keyboards), Tim Kellett (brass), Sylvan Richardson (guitar) and Chris Joyce (drums). Their first single, released in 1985, was "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)", a cover of a soul standard originally recorded by The Valentine Brothers. This single had moderate success, reaching the UK Top 20.
In 1986 the band re-recorded "Holding Back The Years", the Frantic Elevators' biggest hit, in a more accessible pop style with adjustments in lyrics and instrumentation. The tune became a major hit, peaking at #2 in Great Britain and later #1 in the United States, and established Simply Red as a household name. Their debut album, 'Picture Book', which had been released previously in 1985, began to sell more copies, and it became an international hit album, with multi-platinum certification.
Their second album, 1987's "Men and Women", saw the band adopting a more sober and professional image, with bowler hats and colorful suits replacing their earlier ragamuffin look, and the introspection and social commentary of their debut replaced by a blue-eyed soul sound with funk influences. Around this time Hucknall became a tabloid personality, drawing attention and criticism for his alleged womanising, and gaining a reputation as "a lecherous loudmouth" and bien pensant. Despite Hucknall's bad reputation and the album's bad reviews, or perhaps as a result of them, Men and Women was a commercial success.
With their third album "A New Flame", Simply Red adopted a yet more mainstream populist sound aimed for commercial rather than critical success, typified by their cover of Harold Melvin's pop classic "If You Don't Know Me By Now", which became their second U.S. #1 hit and one of the biggest singles of the year internationally. Hucknall was by this time an international superstar, being photographed with models and Hollywood celebrities. This seemed to harm the band's coherence as a unit, with Hucknall declaring in 1991 that Simply Red was "essentially a solo project".
The band's popular career peaked later that year with the release of "Stars", which became the best-selling album for two years running in Europe and the UK (though notably had far less success in the US than their previous albums). "Stars" mixed Hucknall's anti-Thatcherite political lyrics with an easy-listening lounge-jazz sound, apparently to avoid alienation of their existing fanbase.
After touring and promoting "Stars" for two years, Simply Red returned in 1995 with "Fairground", a dance-influenced track featuring prominently a sample from Zki & Dobri's Goodmen project. A massive radio hit, "Fairground" went on to become the band’s first British #1, amid critical panning. Its parent album 'Life' sold more than a million copies in the UK alone, making it the fourth-biggest seller of the year. The band followed this up with cover heavy 'Blue' in 1998 and 'Love and the Russian Winter'. After 'Love and the Russian Winter' they left EastWest and Hucknall set up his own record label simplyred.com where he released "Home" in 2003, a mixture of mostly original songs and covers, including a version of The Stylistics song "You Make Me Feel Brand New". "Simplified" followed in 2005, mainly an album of stripped down versions of their Classic hits.
The single "Oh! What A Girl!" released in September 2006 from their album Stay, their 10th, released on 12 March 2007. This was preceded by the single “So Not Over You”, released on 5 March 2007. The third single from the album was the title song "Stay", released on 28 May 2007. The fourth and the last single of Simply Red single , "The World And You Tonight", was released in November 2007.
Mick Hucknall announced that the band were due to split in 2009, after a farewell tour.
"I've kind of decided that the 25 years is going to be enough, so I intend that the 2009 will be the last Simply Red tour."
"I've just recorded an album that is a tribute to Bobby Bland, a blues and R'n'B artist. It's a solo project and I've really enjoyed it so much that I feel the time has come now to just put a book-end to the story and the album Stay will be the last Simply Red studio album."
Close To You
Simply Red Lyrics
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This land is there for all to see
You're standing there so cold and calm
You stand so close to me
And you out there can keep away
There's nothing owed to you
All I want's to lose myself and stay so close to you
The river is cruel its pipes are sprayed with long forgotten names
Big boys now with kids whose lives will never feel the same
If you out there don't get what I say, there's nothing owed to you
To feel that way is born inside no matter what you do
I wonder how my fortune fell
When everything began to melt
The case I had for wasting that
That never came
I want to walk away again
Away again
Away again
There to wonder how those things will never be
Searching for that grand illusion fools have called the key
If you don't care just keep away, how can I give hope to you
Nearer now are both our futures, me, our hearts and you
And yet all I want is to lose myself and stay so close to you
All I want is to stay so close to you
The song "Close To You" by Simply Red is a poignant and reflective piece about the complexities of love and longing. The beginning of the song sets the scene with the singer describing the world we live in - this land is real, real as the next man, and it is there for all to see. However, as the chorus proclaims, the singer's focus is on the person standing close to him - "All I want is to lose myself and stay so close to you". This person is of utmost importance to him and he wants nothing more than to be with them. The second verse speaks to the roughness of life as represented by the river, cruel and unforgiving, and the memories that cannot be erased once they are etched into one's consciousness. The singer states that those who do not understand his desire to be with this person should keep away as he cannot hope to explain the deep yearning he has to be close to them.
The final verse is a reflection on the past as well as the future - "I wonder how my fortune fell when everything began to melt" - but despite the uncertainty, the singer's desire remains the same. He wants to walk away from the pain and confusion, away again, and simply be close to that one special person. It is a song that speaks to the fundamental human desire to connect with others, and to find that sense of belonging and closeness that makes life bearable.
Line by Line Meaning
This land is real, real as the next man
The land is real and exists just like any other place on earth.
This land is there for all to see
Everyone has the ability to see and experience the land.
You're standing there so cold and calm
You appear to be emotionally distant and composed.
You stand so close to me
Physically, you are positioned near me.
And you out there can keep away
Those who are not interested can stay away.
There's nothing owed to you
There is no obligation to involve those who are not interested.
All I want's to lose myself and stay so close to you
I desire to immerse myself in your presence and stay close to you.
The river is cruel its pipes are sprayed with long forgotten names
The river is harsh and its channels are marked with names that have been forgotten over time.
Big boys now with kids whose lives will never feel the same
The grown men now have children whose lives will never be the same after experiencing the hardships of the river.
If you out there don't get what I say, there's nothing owed to you
If you do not understand what I am saying, I do not have an obligation to explain it to you.
To feel that way is born inside no matter what you do
The feeling comes from within and cannot be changed no matter what actions are taken.
I wonder how my fortune fell
I am curious about how my luck changed.
When everything began to melt
When everything started to fall apart.
The case I had for wasting that
My reasoning for wasting that opportunity.
That never came
The opportunity never presented itself.
I want to walk away again
I desire to leave once more.
There to wonder how those things will never be
To ponder how things will never occur.
Searching for that grand illusion fools have called the key
Looking for the elusive solution that others have called the answer.
If you don't care just keep away, how can I give hope to you
If you do not care, you should stay away as I cannot give you hope.
Nearer now are both our futures, me, our hearts and you
Our futures are now closer and intertwined.
And yet all I want is to lose myself and stay so close to you
Despite everything, all I want is to be near you and lose myself in your presence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL JAMES HUCKNALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kay
on Picture Book
Ive always heard it was a reference to the list of names of African Americans who were allowed to go to the cinema in around the desegregation era.
Lowell
on Wonderland
In my opinion this song is a commentary, and criticism, of British life under Margaret Thatcher, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, when this tune was released. "The end of an era / our future no clearer / my people no stronger / the blame I lay on her" might suggest disappointment with Thatcher's promised reforms of British government. The refrain "wonderland, wonderland / it's beautiful" sounds like a political slogan, promising a new life for all "...until tomorrow comes to haunt us all".