The Communards formed in 1985 after singer Jimmy Somerville left his earlie… Read Full Bio ↴The Communards formed in 1985 after singer Jimmy Somerville left his earlier band Bronski Beat to team up with classically-trained musician Richard Coles. Though mainly a pianist, Coles played a number of instruments and had been seen previously performing the clarinet solos on the Bronski Beat hit "It Ain't Necessarily So". They were joined by bass player Dave Renwick who had also played with Bronski Beat. Somerville was well-known for his falsetto singing style, and that he was openly gay during a period of increasing socio-political debate and conflict in the UK regarding homosexuality.

The band had their first UK Top 30 hit in 1985 with the piano-based #30 single "You Are My World". The following year they had their biggest hit with an energetic cover version of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' soul classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" (in a version inspired by Thelma Houston's cover) which spent four weeks at number one and became the UK's biggest selling single of 1986. It also made the US Top 40. It featured Sarah Jane Morris as co-vocalist, taking advantage of the contrast between Morris' deep and rounded contralto and Somerville's soaring falsetto. Morris performed both backing and co-lead vocals on many of the Communards' other recordings, and appeared in group photos as an unofficial third member.

Later that year The Communards had another UK Top 10 hit with the single "So Cold the Night," which reached number 8. In 1987, they released an album titled Red, which was partly produced by Stephen Hague. Red featured a cover version of the Jackson 5's hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" (in a version inspired by Gloria Gaynor's cover), which the Communards took to Number 4. Their last released single was "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" in 1988, which reached Number 20 and was, consequently, their final Top 20 hit.

They split in 1988 and Somerville began a solo career. Coles followed his Christian leanings and, after periods as a journalist for the Times Literary Supplement and Catholic Herald, he was ordained in the Church of England, spending time as the curate of St Botolph's (The Stump) in Boston, Lincolnshire. He is now the assistant priest at St Paul's Knightsbridge and Chaplain to the Royal College of Music and is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio 4.

La Dolarosa
The Communards Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Boy you and I should hide away
As far as love will let us stray
We will dance for ever and a day
Be together for eternity

We shall bloom in our spring affair
Steal a kiss beneath the golden moon
Run hand in hand without a care

And flourish in the summer sun

I love you

Autumn's breeze blows gently
through your hair
To you I give my heart completely
And as winter days grow dark and cold
I'll keep warm in the glow of your love

I love you, yes I do
I love you, yes I do

I love you
I love you

Overall Meaning

The Communards’ song “La Dolarosa” is a beautiful and romantic ballad that explores the deep passion and devotion between two people in love. The lyrics describe the desire to hide away from the world with the beloved, and to dance and be together forever. The words convey a sense of joy and freedom that comes with being in love, and the belief that their love will continue to bloom and flourish in every season.

The song begins by painting a picture of the couple sneaking away to be alone, away from prying eyes and the constraints of society. They dance, carefree and happy, and the promise of eternity is laid out before them. The lyrics then move on to describe the changing of the seasons, and how the evergreen love between them will persist through all of them. Even in the depths of winter, the warmth of their love will sustain them.

The poetic phrases and affecting chorus of “I love you” serve as a reminder of the power of love to overcome all obstacles. The song is timeless, its message of love as relevant today as it was when the song was written. It is a beautiful salute to the transformative nature of love and the joy it can bring to the human experience.

Line by Line Meaning

Boy you and I should hide away
We should keep our love a secret and away from judgmental eyes

As far as love will let us stray
We will go as far as our love takes us

We will dance for ever and a day
We will dance together for all eternity

Be together for eternity
We will spend the rest of our lives together

We shall bloom in our spring affair
Our love will blossom during the spring of our relationship

Steal a kiss beneath the golden moon
We will share a stolen moment together under the moonlight

Run hand in hand without a care
We will run free and without worry while holding hands

And flourish in the summer sun
Our love will thrive and flourish under the warmth of the summer sun

I love you
I have a deep and meaningful affection for you

Autumn's breeze blows gently through your hair
During the fall, the gentle breeze touches your hair

To you I give my heart completely
I am giving you my heart wholeheartedly