Spandau Ballet are a popular British pop band most prominent during the 80s… Read Full Bio ↴Spandau Ballet are a popular British pop band most prominent during the 80s, at the beginning of which they were forerunners of the British new romantic movement. Its members are singer-songwriter Tony Hadley on vocals, brothers Gary Kemp and Martin Kemp on guitar and bass respectively, with Gary also supplying background vocals, Steve Norman on saxophone, and John Keeble on the drums. Gary Kemp also wrote or co-wrote most of the group's music and lyrics.

Initially formed in 1976 in London, England, they didn't reach a stable line-up or decide on the Spandau name until 1978. Their odd title allegedly came from a piece of bathroom graffiti observed during the members early days. Inspired by a mixture of avant-garde synth pop and slick funk. as typified by their early track "Chant No 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)", also known by other titles such as "Chant # 1", the band commercially broke through with an artistic public image as remarked upon as their music. Said track reached the #2 spot in the U.K. and was notable for inclusion of the horn section from the group Beggar & Co, which proved a fruitful collaboration on record.

Spandau Ballet's first two albums, 1981's 'Journeys to Glory' and 1982's 'Diamond', found them also mining their art rock and glam rock roots as their fan-base expanded, the group looking to the works of David Bowie and Roxy Music for inspiration. Both albums charted in the U.K. top 20 and were later certified gold by the RIAA. Additional popular songs from the band in this era include "To Cut a Long Story Short" and "Freeze" (also known as "The Freeze". The group also notably picked up a semi-friendly rivalry with new wave contemporaries Duran Duran.

After four hits in the U.K. followed by a couple of less successful releases, however, Spandau Ballet's chart career appeared to be on the wane. Yet Instinction, re-ignited their fortunes and became the first of eleven consecutive singles to reach the Top 20

Immensely popular in the UK, the New Romantic group eventually mellowed into a mainstream pop act. As with Duran Duran they 'broke America', albeit briefly - the title track of their 3rd album True peaked in the Top 5 of the Singles charts. The song gained a new life in the 1990's and beyond by being sampled in the songs Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by PM Dawn and N Dey Say by Nelly.

After a split in 1990 and a court case almost ten years later involving Hadley, Keeble & Norman suing Gary Kemp over royalties, they announced in March 2009 a reformation.

To Cut A Long Story Short
Spandau Ballet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Soldier is turning
See him through white light
Running from strangers
See you in the valley

War upon war
Heat upon heat
To cut a long story short

I lost my mind

Sitting on a park bench
Years away from fighting
To cut a long story short
I lost my mind

Standing in the dark
Oh, I was waiting for man to come
I am beautiful and clean
And so very very young
To be standing in the street
To be taken by someone

Standing in the dark
Oh, I was waiting for man to come
I am beautiful and clean
And so very very young
To be standing in the street
To be taken by someone

Questions questions
Give me no answers
That's all they ever give me
Questions questions

Oh, look at the strange boy
He finds it hard existing
To cut a long story short
I lost my mind

Oh, to cut a long story short

I lost my
Mind

Overall Meaning

The song "To Cut a Long Story Short" by Spandau Ballet is a reflection of the struggles of a soldier who has returned from war and is dealing with the physical and emotional toll of the experience. The opening lines of the song describe the soldier turning and seeing himself through white light. This could be interpreted as the soldier having a moment of self-reflection and taking stock of his life, possibly in the presence of medical personnel. He is running from strangers, and this could represent his desire to escape from the memories of the war that are haunting him.

The next lines describe "war upon war/heat upon heat", which suggests that the soldier may have experienced multiple conflicts or battles, each one increasing the level of stress and trauma he experienced. The chorus, "to cut a long story short/I lost my mind", is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the soldier's mental state and the overwhelming nature of his experiences.

The second verse introduces a new character, a young person waiting in the street for someone to take them away. The repetition of the lines "I am beautiful and clean/And so very very young" creates a sense of vulnerability and innocence. The verse ends with a description of the character waiting for someone, adding an element of danger and uncertainty to the narrative.

The final verse returns to the soldier, and the repetition of "questions questions" suggests that he is being bombarded with inquiries about his experiences. The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus, "to cut a long story short/I lost my mind", leaving the listener with a sense of the soldier's ongoing struggle with their mental health.

Line by Line Meaning

Soldier is turning
A soldier is changing direction

See him through white light
Observe him through bright illumination

Running from strangers
Fleeing from unknown individuals

See you in the valley
Encounter you in the low area between mountains

War upon war
Multiple wars occurring sequentially

Heat upon heat
Summer's heatwaves coming one after another

To cut a long story short
In brief

I lost my mind
I became insane

Sitting on a park bench
Relaxing on a bench in a public place

Years away from fighting
Long time since fighting in a war

Standing in the dark
Being in a poorly lit area