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."
Do The Right Thing
Simply Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the time is right
Sexily right
I'm gonna do the right thing
I'm feeling hot
I ain't ever gonna stop
To get what you got
I feel it now
Much harder now
More than any old how
Say you feel the pain
Feel I'm getting harder now
(Get off your back four, get on top more)
Feel I'm sinking farther down
(Get off your back four, get on top more)
I told you to stop
You're sleeping out a lot
You told me get lost
Where's your understanding
I feel it now
Much harder than I've ever done now, now
Hey, I'm gonna do the right thing
Feel I'm getting harder now
(Get off your back four, get on top more)
Feel I'm sinking farther down
(Get off your back four, get on top more)
In the middle of the night
When the time is right
Sexily right
I'm gonna do the right thing
I'm on fire now
You know I'm on fire now
You know I told you
That I would never dream of leaving now
If I did it right
The lyrics to Simply Red's "The Right Thing" tell the story of someone who is in the mood for some intimate moments with their partner in the middle of the night. The singer is letting their partner know that they are ready to do the right thing by making the most of the opportunity. They feel that they are ready to take things to the next level and are eager to please their partner. However, the partner seems resistant and instead of reciprocating the passion, the partner tells the singer to leave them alone. The singer expresses their frustration and inability to comprehend the partner's lack of understanding about their intentions.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be about a moment of passion between two people that is not mutually felt. The singer is eager to take things further, while the partner seems unwilling or uninterested. This dynamic creates tension and frustration between the two, leading to an unresolved situation.
Line by Line Meaning
In the middle of the night
The singer is emphasizing the timing of their actions; it's happening at night.
When the time is right
The singer knows this is the right time to do what they're going to do.
Sexily right
The feeling the singer is experiencing is very sexual and enticing.
I'm gonna do the right thing
The artist feels confident that their actions are the right choice.
I'm feeling hot
The artist is feeling very turned on at the moment and ready to act.
I ain't ever gonna stop
The singer is determined to continue on this path with no hesitation.
To get what you got
The singer wants to have what the other person has, in this case sexual satisfaction.
You better take what I bring
The artist is offering their best effort and expects the other person to reciprocate.
I feel it now
The artist is aware of strong feelings in the moment.
Much harder now
The artist is experiencing heightened passion that is more intense than before.
More than any old how
The singer is not just going through the motions; there is greater depth to the experience.
Say you feel the pain
The artist acknowledges that what they're doing might cause some discomfort to the other person.
Feel I'm getting harder now
The singer is becoming more aroused and ready to act.
(Get off your back four, get on top more)
The singer is providing direction to the other person to change positions so the experience is more enjoyable.
Feel I'm sinking farther down
The singer is as deeply committed to this experience as they possibly can be.
I told you to stop
The artist isn't interested in things being calmed down or ending prematurely.
You're sleeping out a lot
The other person isn't putting in as much effort as the artist would like and is potentially losing interest.
You told me get lost
The other person is expressing disinterest in the situation and wants it to end.
Where's your understanding
The singer is frustrated that the other person is not willing to put in the effort to make the experience more enjoyable.
I'm on fire now
The artist is still feeling incredibly aroused and turned on by the experience.
You know I'm on fire now
The artist is affirming that their heightened state of arousal is still present.
You know I told you
The artist has communicated their expectations and desires to the other person regarding the experience.
That I would never dream of leaving now
The singer is so committed to this experience that they would never consider stopping or leaving now.
If I did it right
The artist knows that if they do everything they're supposed to, the experience will be amazing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL JAMES HUCKNALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Darcal2
Their best song imo. Mick's performance is outstanding, the backing vocals are great and I love the little guitar riffs. I also love the way the song builds up and up. A true classic.
@tomstickland
Whatever you think of Simply Red or Mick Hucknall you can't diss this song. It's a gem.
@tigerblue35
The best band ever, why don't we have music like this anymore?
@LilyIglesias
I grew up listening to Simply Red. My parents are big fan of them. I love this song 😍😍😍😍
@jorgemendoza3602
Uno de los mejores grupos de los 80 y un tema inolvidable
@ericflournoy2067
Those last seven, eight bars is some of the best stuff ever recorded. The vocal harmony, bassline, the whole arrangement... Mind BLOWN!!!
@gleidsonlima7688
tenho 26 anos mas sou muito grato por poder ver e sentir a nostalgia de uma música de qualidade, sensacional.
@amybeth5776
I've loved this song for 30 years, today as much as back then. Where does the time go?
@xabi1966
Música elegante interpretada por músicos elegantes...
@neofit0
the armony change in 3:05 must be one of the most wonderfull musical composing device in pop music that I have ever listened in my whole life. This is a classic