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).
I'm Gone
The Proclaimers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On John Barleycorn
He's such a physician
His fingers are warm
Of my inhibitions
I have been shorn
And I'm gone, gone, gone
And most of my pain
Ran hand in hand to
Catch the last train
From Waverley station
And while I remain
I'm still gone, gone, gone
Ah whisky head
You're mine to take to bed
Ah whisky head
Young women and men
Please listen to me
They tell you that drinking
Can't set you free
Well here I am standing
And I disagree
‘Cause I'm gone, gone, gone
I'm out of my mind
On John Barleycorn
He's such a physician
His fingers are warm
Of my inhibitions
I have been shorn
And I'm gone, gone gone
Gone...gone…gone
Gone...gone…gone
Aaaaaaahhhhh
The Proclaimers' song "I'm Gone" is a tribute to the effects of drinking, particularly whisky. The singer of the song admits to being under the influence of John Barleycorn, a personification of alcohol, and explains how all of his fears and most of his pain have disappeared. He is now free of inhibitions and has lost his mind to alcohol's intoxicating effects. The warmth of John Barleycorn's "fingers" is probably a metaphor for the pleasurable sensation of electrical impulses on the skin that some people feel under the influence of alcohol.
The song takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the singer standing in Waverley station. He tells young men and women to ignore those who say that drinking can't set you free, citing his personal experience as evidence to the contrary. The chorus repeats the message that he is gone, without clarifying where he has gone or what exactly he means by it. The final "Aaaaaaahhhhh" could be interpreted as a wordless cry of ecstasy, despair or both.
Overall, "I'm Gone" is an honest and unapologetic portrayal of the liberating and destructive aspects of alcohol. While it celebrates the temporary escape from reality that drinking can provide, it also acknowledges that it comes at a cost. The Proclaimers' distinctive Scottish accents and acoustic guitar-driven melody give the song a folksy vibe that matches its themes.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm out of my mind
I am completely intoxicated and not in my right mind.
On John Barleycorn
I am under the influence of alcohol (John Barleycorn is a folkloric symbol for whiskey).
He's such a physician
Whiskey is like a medicine for me, making me feel better and forget about my problems.
His fingers are warm
The warmth of the alcohol is comforting and soothing.
Of my inhibitions
I am no longer held back or restrained by my fears or doubts.
I have been shorn
My inhibitions have been completely removed, allowing me to act freely without hesitation.
And I'm gone, gone, gone
I am completely lost in my drunkenness and disconnected from reality.
All of my fear
I no longer feel afraid of anything.
And most of my pain
Drinking has numbed the physical and emotional pain I usually feel.
Ran hand in hand to
These feelings left me simultaneously or at the same time.
Catch the last train
They left me quickly, as if departing on a train that was about to leave.
From Waverley station
Waverley station is a railway station in Scotland, but in this song it represents my mind.
And while I remain
Although I am still present physically, my mind is elsewhere due to the influence of alcohol.
I'm still gone, gone, gone
I am still disconnected from reality, lost in my drunkenness.
Ah whisky head
This is a direct address to the whiskey, which has taken complete control over my mind and body.
You're mine to take to bed
I am completely devoted to whiskey and have surrendered myself to its effects.
Young women and men
This is an address to the younger generation, warning them about the potential dangers of drinking.
Please listen to me
I am speaking from experience and want to share my insights with others.
They tell you that drinking
Society generally tells us that alcohol is not good for our health or well-being.
Can't set you free
However, I strongly disagree, as drinking has allowed me to feel free and uninhibited.
Well here I am standing
I, the artist, am standing here as proof that drinking can indeed set you free, although it may have its risks and negative consequences.
'Cause I'm gone, gone, gone
I am still completely lost in my drunkenness, unable or unwilling to return to reality.
Gone...gone…gone
I repeat this word to emphasize that I am really gone, consumed by the effects of the alcohol.
Gone...gone…gone
I am gone and there is no turning back, at least not until I sober up and regain my senses.
Aaaaaaahhhhh
This is a vocalization of my pleasure or pain, accompanied by the loss of control that comes with drinking.
Contributed by Alexander O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TV
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.