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."
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Simply Red Lyrics
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I've had mine
You've grown your wings
I've flown mine
The only way out is to
Give you more love
More of my love
Not a girl of my dreams
But two hearts and two minds
The strain that brings
Is ours until the end of time
The only way out is to
Give you more love
More of my love
The opening lines of the song highlight the undeniable fact that both the singer and their romantic partner have had past relationships, experiences, and lovers. However, they overcome these events and feelings and come to understand that what is important is their own relationship. They acknowledge that each one is a separate individual and have their own ways of dealing with things. However, the singer urges to work together as a couple and to give the relationship more love.
The main message of this song is love and commitment, and the importance of working together to make a relationship work. The line "Not a girl of my dreams" may indicate that the singer does not believe in the traditional fairytale love story that everyone finds their perfect match, but that two imperfect individuals with their own unique experiences and backgrounds can come together and make a relationship work through love and effort.
Overall, this song is about embracing the imperfections of a relationship and committing to working through them by giving each other more love. It's a reminder that love isn't always easy, but that it's worth the effort to make it work.
Line by Line Meaning
You've had your flings
You have had your affairs or temporary relationships with others.
I've had mine
I have also had my affairs or temporary relationships with others.
You've grown your wings
You have become independent and explored other opportunities.
I've flown mine
I have also become independent and explored other opportunities.
The only way out is to
The best solution to overcome our current issues is by
Give you more love
Showing you increased affection and care.
More of my love
Providing greater amounts of my affection and attention.
Not a girl of my dreams
You may not be the exact person I have idealized in my mind.
But two hearts and two minds
We are still two individuals with strong emotions and thoughts.
The strain that brings
The stress caused by our differences and challenges.
Is ours until the end of time
We will both continue to face these difficulties together for the rest of our lives.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICK HUCKNALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cureses
As I look into your eyes I see the sunrise
The light behind your face helps me realise
Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines
Maybe the next time I’ll be yours and maybe you’ll be mine
I don’t know if it’s even in your mind at all
It could be me
At this moment in time
Is it in your mind at all
It should be me, it could be me
Forever
Wandering through life will love come home to you
And the love you want forever, will they be true to you
Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines
Maybe the next time I’ll be yours and maybe you’ll be mine
I don’t know if it’s even in your mind at all
It could be me
At this moment in time
Love’s indescribable
It should be me, it could be me
Forever
@jasonchmielewski9453
I fucking love this song. Next stop, Hall and Oates!
@sydneyworley5702
Who grew up listening to this
@dianarodriguez9719
If a man sang this song to me I would be his forever.
@thegreatest8112
hall and oates, i cant go for that
@falconlord9981
Stars and Sunrise are their best songs !!!
@danielnyc20
Don't forget fairground
@mrrattrap1488
u frgot fairground....
@falconlord9981
Ok guys, I forgot fairground,I made a mistake, fairground too is one of their best songs :) Is it fair now? lol
@CandiceMarquette
Thumbs up if still jamming to this in 2015.
@samplermike
One of the best songs made since the year 2000.