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."
Love for Sale
Simply Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Billie Holiday, Cole Porter
When the only sound in the empty street,
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
That belong to a lonesome cop
I open shop.
When the moon so long has been gazing down
On the wayward ways of this wayward town.
I go to work.
Love for sale,
Appetizing young love for sale.
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled,
Love that's only slightly soiled,
Love for sale.
Who will buy?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who's prepared to pay the price,
For a trip to paradise?
Love for sale
Let the poets pipe of love
in their childish way,
I know every type of love
Better far than they.
If you want the thrill of love,
I've been through the mill of love;
Old love, new love
Every love but true love
Love for sale.
The lyrics of the song Love for Sale, by Billie Holiday and Cole Porter, are an expression of the nature of prostitution and the commodification of love. The song suggests that the love that is for sale is artificial and only slightly soiled, which emphasizes the commercial nature of the transaction. The idea of selling unspoiled love suggests that the love that is for sale is not genuine, but rather a product that has been created for the purpose of satisfying a demand in the market.
The lyrics also suggest that the person selling love is experienced in the ways of love, having been through the mill of love. This implies that the seller of love is not the naive, innocent person typically associated with love, but rather a savvy and knowledgeable individual who understands the value of love as a commodity in the market. The song’s title, Love for Sale, underscores this idea, as it suggests that love is something that can be bought and sold like any other good or service.
Ultimately, the song offers a cynical view of love, portraying it as a product that can be bought and sold like any other commodity. The song’s lyrics are powerful in their ability to evoke a sense of sadness and desperation, as they capture the emptiness and soullessness of the human experience in the face of the commodification of love.
Line by Line Meaning
When the only sound in the empty street,
In a silent and lonely place with no noise around.
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
Only the sound of footsteps of a police officer is heard.
That belong to a lonesome cop
The patrolman walking alone on the street.
I open shop.
I start my business of love.
When the moon so long has been gazing down
In this town where the moon has been shining for a long time.
On the wayward ways of this wayward town.
Watching the indecent behavior of the people in this town.
That her smile becomes a smirk,
The smile on the moon turns into a sarcastic grin.
I go to work.
Then I get ready to work.
Love for sale,
I am offering love for people to buy.
Appetizing young love for sale.
Above all, I am offering young and attractive love.
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled,
The love I am selling is new and not yet damaged.
Love that's only slightly soiled,
The love I am selling is slightly tainted.
Love for sale.
Overall, I am selling love.
Who will buy?
Who is interested in purchasing love?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who is willing to try what I have to offer?
Who's prepared to pay the price,
Who is willing to pay the cost of the love?
For a trip to paradise?
For an experience of blissful joy (like paradise)?
Love for sale.
Once again, I am selling love.
Let the poets pipe of love
Let the poets talk about love,
in their childish way,
even if they talk about it in a naïve manner.
I know every type of love
I know all kinds of love,
Better far than they.
Better than the poets know about love.
If you want the thrill of love,
If you want the excitement of love,
I've been through the mill of love;
I have experienced different types of love already,
Old love, new love
I've experienced both old and new versions of love;
Every love but true love
However, I never experienced true love
Love for sale.
As has been stated before, I am selling love.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Word Collections Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ritahernanzd3199
Mágico leyenda genio prodigio carisma fuerza cercanía único irrepetible nunca ha desafinado perfecto maravilloso...fuerza en la voz...en el escenario....🤗
@margaretdavies1009
I simply love this performance, how could it be improved upon, because it surely cannot. Pure class. Wonderful.
@davidkavanagh9551
One of the best vocals i think I've ever listened to
@ceciliamoncloadextre3644
Magnífico, Perfecto, TÚ VOZ ES DE LA MEJOR MÚSICA QUE HE OÍDO, son muy pocos los cantantes capaces de hacer semejante BELLEZA VOCAL. Magnificent, Perfect, YOUR VOICE IS OF THE BEST MUSIC I HAVE EVER HEARD, very few singers are capable of making such a VOCAL BEAUTY
@drea14.8
Waoooooo ❤️🎶 siempre eterno SR.. Que hombre 😍 y una banda fabulosa 🙏🏽 2023
@ceciliamoncloadextre3644
Incredible the instrument of HIS VOICE fills EVERYTHING, he needs nothing but his precious and unmistakable voice.
@driherrera5474
Isso me mata! flecha fatal no meu coração. Que privilégio pode ouvir uma voz tão linda, thanks M. Hucknall
@davidkavanagh8175
One of the best voices ever in my book 👍👍🤘
@gracielalasry9337
Hay que cantar asi a capela!!! Que extraordinario manejo de la voz!!!
@tonato17
El tipo es un tocado , increible musico