Craig Reid and Charlie Reid were born in Leith, Scotland in 1962, and grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty. After several punk rock bands at school they formed The Proclaimers in 1983.
The pair came to public attention when an Inverness based fan sent their demo to the British band The Housemartins, who were impressed enough to invite The Proclaimers on their 1986 UK tour. The exposure of the tour won them a January 1987 appearance on the British pop music television programme The Tube on Channel Four; "Letter from America" peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, whilst the album This is the Story went gold. The follow-up album Sunshine on Leith featured "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" and "I'm On My Way". They had a hit with their EP King of the Road, which reached number 9 in UK in 1990.
In March 2007 they recorded a new version of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" with television comedy characters Andy Pipkin (played by Matt Lucas) and Brian Potter (Peter Kay) for the Comic Relief charity. A long list of celebrities were featured in the music video for this new version, including David Bellamy, Rod, Jane and Freddy, Paul O'Grady, David Tennant, Frank Sidebottom and many more. This new version of the song reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart.
The band was one of The B-52s' touring partners on their Funplex tour in Australia and New Zealand in November 2009, alongside Mental as Anything.
The brothers are fans of Hibernian Football Club, and "Sunshine on Leith" has become a theme song for the club, being played at home matches for important fixtures, such as the Edinburgh derby versus Heart of Midlothian FC, the club's city rivals. Charlie and Craig Reid appeared at their Easter Road stadium for the 'Hands Off Hibs' campaign in 1990 when Wallace Mercer, a wealthly Edinburgh businessman with direct connections to Hearts FC, attempted a takeover of the club but was defeated by fan pressure.
They are also well-known supporters of Scottish independence and have at various stages of their lives been activists for the Scottish National Party, expressing such views during their promotional tour of Britain in March 2007. However in April 2007 Charlie Reid announced that he had switched his allegiance to the Scottish Socialist Party in protest at the Scottish National Party's receipt of funding from big business. Many of their songs reflect their political views, such as "Letter from America" and "Cap in Hand".
On 16 May 2006 the twins announced their participation in a campaign to free a fellow Scot, Kenny Richey, from his death row sentence in Ohio, including an appearance at a charity concert. Also, in 2010 they participated with Billy Bragg in a show supporting Reprieve, charity that fights the death penalty. The Proclaimers also support other charities such as The Lighthouse Foundation (addiction victims), AICR (cancer research), Drake Music Scotland (help disabled people through music) or 500 miles (amputees or disabled people in Africa).
Come On Nature
The Proclaimers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to read a book or talk about the world
Come on nature,
I just want to spend some time being boy to the girl
Come on nature,
let me show the way that I've been feeling all along
Come on nature,
just because I don't feel weak don't mean I feel so strong
I've been known to ask a few more favours than I should of you
And in time I'm sure I'll still want things that you could never do
If she wasn't mine, if I was stepping out of line,
But she's mine and I'm in line and she's the best I've ever seen
Come on nature,
let me show the way that I've been feeling all along
Dark brown hair, green eyes and white skin
You perfect every colour that she's in
Come on nature,
I don't want to read a book or talk about the world
Come on nature,
I just want to spend some time being boy to the girl
Her and me, I could be complete if you could let it be
My desire, is to stretch myself inside her body's fire
If I stumbled in then I could say that I had been to the
Chamber where your greatest work of art was on display.
The Proclaimers' song "Come On Nature" is a love song that pleads with nature to let the singer be with the girl he loves. The singer does not want to read a book or talk about the world, but just wants to spend some time being a boy with the girl. He implores nature to let him show the way he has been feeling all along, even though he does not always feel strong. The singer admits to asking for more favors than he should, but he is sure he will always want things that nature can never do for him.
The singer's desire to be with the girl is clear from the way he describes her physical appearance. She has dark brown hair, green eyes and white skin, and she perfects every colour that she's in. The singer feels that he and the girl could complete each other if nature would let them be together.
The song ends with the singer saying that he wants to stretch himself inside her body's fire and visit the chamber where nature's greatest work of art is on display. Overall, the song is a passionate plea to be with the one he loves, and the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on nature,
The singer is calling upon nature to provide an escape from mundane activities like reading or discussing worldly affairs.
I don't want to read a book or talk about the world
The singer is expressing a desire to disconnect from intellectual pursuits and instead seek solace in nature.
Come on nature,
The singer is again calling upon nature to provide an outlet for relaxation and escapism.
I just want to spend some time being boy to the girl
The artist wants to indulge in innocent, youthful activities with a romantic partner.
Come on nature,
The artist repeats the request for nature's assistance in achieving a desired emotional state.
Let me show the way that I've been feeling all along
The singer desires to express their internal feelings through their interactions with nature.
Just because I don't feel weak don't mean I feel so strong
The singer acknowledges that they may not feel entirely satisfied with their current emotional state.
I've been known to ask a few more favours than I should of you
The artist admits to sometimes demanding too much from nature.
And in time I'm sure I'll still want things that you could never do
The artist recognizes that nature cannot always fulfill their desires.
If she wasn't mine, if I was stepping out of line,
The artist imagines a hypothetical situation where they may act irresponsibly in a relationship.
But she's mine and I'm in line and she's the best I've ever seen
The singer expresses their devotion to their partner and acknowledges their good fortune.
Dark brown hair, green eyes and white skin
The artist describes physical attributes of their romantic partner.
You perfect every colour that she's in
The singer emphasizes the attractiveness of their partner.
Her and me, I could be complete if you could let it be
The singer suggests that their relationship is the missing piece in their life.
My desire, is to stretch myself inside her body's fire
The singer desires physical intimacy with their partner.
If I stumbled in then I could say that I had been to the
The artist desires a memorable experience with their partner that they can brag about.
Chamber where your greatest work of art was on display.
The artist sees their partner as a masterpiece and wants to be intimately connected with them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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on Role Model
"Lower set of lips" is not making reference to lips on the face, but those in the lower part of her body.