🎶
I love songs born of a simple idea made into a fully-blown, multicolored thing.
Simple Minds are from Glasgow and yes, this song bears more than a passing resemblance to vintage U2 (the bands were friendly and this song was debuted at a 1983 live gig in Dublin with Simple Minds having been invited to open for.… wait for it…. U2.)
This composition comes from the band’s bassist playing one repeated note (in D) throughout the entire track. The lyrics were written by the band’s frontman, Jim Kerr, inspired by a walk along the River Clyde observing his city’s native shipyard industry in decline.
A song of hope and rebirth from one of the finest live bands I’ve ever witnessed, as the video (also shot at a gig in Glasgow) makes clear. 🏴
Simple Minds: they’re so much more than just a hit track from an 80s John Hughes teen movie!
Feb 4, 2025
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I can’t decide which is more perfect:
The Roblox-looking video
Or the “I fell in love to that song” summertime perfection of the tune itself?
(Which seems to be about starting over/turning a life page, appropriate for a band that hasn’t released an album in six years)
On auto-repeat in my head rn 🎶
Jul 8, 2024
In this case the song. Britpop is usually more of a fall affair for me but this one is so fun and springy.
This part of the song gets me every time:
I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too
It gives me a sense of enormous well-being
(Parklife)
And then I'm happy for the rest of the day
Safe in the knowledge there will always be
A bit of my heart devoted to it
Link to this part because the accent is crucial
Apr 4, 2024
🎶
Best band name of recent vintage.
Not a blues song.
But definitely a song about having the blues because of love things. 💙
Feb 8, 2024
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The man responsible for dozens of Teenage Symphonies to God
"Sad songs about happy things" (the first time, as a kid, I can recall the sweet/sour combo of melodies that could make you cry attached to songs about endless, bottomless love)
I've long since lost track of how many weddings and funerals I've attended that have featured this song; suffice it to say, "a lot."
God only knows what we'd been without him 🙏🏻
4d ago
May 22, 2025
Hey tyler hopefully this doesn’t violate some PI.FYI golden rule
But after nearly two years of writing, editing and arguing, my book about the EP is coming out in May and can be preordered here:
https://hozacrecords.com/product/aifl/
The book is about the origins, history and cultural impact of the EP since these little objects first started coming out in the 50s.
Over 50 of my music biz friends then helped me shape the list and review the top 200 ever released, according to us (ha).
For those of you who are into this kind of geekery/snobbery, I can’t wait to hear what you think. A labor of love, as all books are! ❤️
Mar 27, 2024