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."
How Could I Fall
Simply Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Funny how the things that you can never have
Need you more
Tired of standing in the rain
Praying for sunshine again
I remember your eyes
How could I fall
If I could
Our love was like the wind
We blew it away
Tired of dealing with your games
Praying I'll never need you again
I remember your eyes
Wish I could see through them
We could have loved so much
Why didn't we try make it right
Would it have been enough
If I could
I remember your eyes
Wish I could see through them
How could I fall
If I could
The song "How Could I Fall" by Simply Red is about a failed relationship that left the singer confused and hurt. The lyrics describe how the singer fell for someone who turned out to be superficial and unworthy of their love. The singer is left wondering how they could have fallen for someone like this and lamenting the fact that they did. At the same time, they remember the good times they shared with this person and wonder what could have been.
The first couple of lines of the song, "How could I fall for someone so superficial / Funny how the things that you can never have / Need you more" describe how the singer was drawn to this person despite their flaws. The lines "Tired of standing in the rain / Praying for sunshine again" suggest that the singer had been waiting for things to get better, but eventually gave up hope.
The chorus "I remember your eyes / Wish I could see through them / How could I fall / If I could" indicates that the singer is looking back on the relationship with hindsight and regrets falling for this person. However, they also acknowledge that it wasn't easy to see through the person's facade and that they had been blinded by their feelings.
Overall, the song is a reflection on love, relationships, and the difficulty of knowing when to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
How could I fall for someone so superficial
Expressing confusion and regret for falling in love with someone who is only concerned about shallow things without deeper substance.
Funny how the things that you can never have
Reflecting on the irony that often times the things we want the most are the things we can never actually attain.
Need you more
Admitting to still feeling a strong emotional connection with the person despite their superficial nature and past failings.
Tired of standing in the rain
Feeling disillusioned and fed up with constantly enduring emotional hardships and difficulties associated with the relationship.
Praying for sunshine again
Expressing hope and desire to find happiness and joy once more, and return to a more positive, fulfilling state of being.
I remember your eyes
Recalling a specific memory of a past romantic encounter or situation with the person.
Wish I could see through them
Expressing a desire for deeper insight and understanding into the person's true thoughts and feelings, which may have been concealed behind their outward appearance.
Our love was like the wind
Comparing a past romantic relationship to the wind, suggesting it was fleeting and transient, with little substance and stability.
We blew it away
Acknowledging that both parties played a role in ending the relationship, and that it was ultimately unable to stand the test of time and withstand the challenges faced.
Tired of dealing with your games
Expressing annoyance and frustration with the other person's manipulative behavior and tendency to play mind games in the relationship.
Praying I'll never need you again
Expressing a desire to move on from the relationship and never again feel the need or desire for the other person's companionship or love.
We could have loved so much
Reflecting on the potential for a deeper and more meaningful love between the two people, despite the challenges and obstacles that ultimately led to its demise.
Why didn't we try make it right
Questioning why both parties didn't work harder to address the issues and problems that arose in the relationship, and potentially salvage what was lost.
Would it have been enough
Pondering whether even with effort and dedication, the love between the two people would have been strong enough to overcome their differences and problems.
If I could
Expressing a desire to go back in time and potentially do things differently to save the relationship, if it were possible or realistic.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL JAMES HUCKNALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marileemaraugha6864
I'm so HAPPY people are
Responding to
SOME Simply Red.
We can't let his music go
It was his whole life on
A road in the Air on
A Stage in a studio.
Just making more music.
Maybe SOME young
People that never heard of him will catch on...
@user-tn5gm4gg2z
Siempre escuché la canción del cd , hoy es mi primera vez que la escucho en vivo , lo cierto es que Mike tiene una voz majestuosa
@sxzero8
Oh man, what an underrated song, this song made my days.
@wxt8768
I've always thought the same thing.....since 1992
@Saturdaykids
Devastating.
@toddgabe3553
A sax solo six seconds into the song... simply amazing!
@mariapisco4460
I like this song very much!Mick is so nice! The saxophone musician is excellent! Simply red band is still in my mind and in my soul!I love it forever and ever
@drea14.8
Tienes razón... Still 2023 🎶🎶👏🏾💯❤️
@plotinoster
Excelente apresentação! Mick Hucknall é um dos melhores vocalistas do mundo.
@dalvamelodeoliveira6092
Eu AMO esta música!
Letra , melodia e a interpretação perfeita na voz maravilhosa de Mick Hucknal !
Que som perfeito da banda Simply Red !
😍😍😍❤
@MariaSantosAraujo
I can listen to this music for several times and never get tired of it!! Mick's voice and Heitor's guittar interacts pretty well in this song and Ian's sax is the ingredient that can't never be missed in all SR's songs!! My love for SR is everlasting💗💕💗💕😍