Life – Simply Red

Simply RedLife

‘Life’, Simply Red’s fifth studio album, was released on October 9th 1995. Four singles were released from the album: ‘Fairground’, ‘We’re in this Together’, ‘Never Never Love’, and ‘Remembering the First Time’.

‘Fairground’, the lead single, which veered towards a more electronic sound, became Simply Red’s first UK Number 1. The album also reached Number 1 in the UK album charts, and ‘We’re in This Together’ became the official theme song for Euro ’96. The band toured ‘Life’ across the world throughout 1995 and 1996.

Tracklist

1. You Make Me Believe

Sometimes you’re my mama
Sometimes my little baby girl
Occasionally you’re my puttana
But then you’re sweet, sweet sweet love
And it makes me believe
That I should never lose you love
You make me believe

Fulfil all my fantasies
Moisten up all my warmest dreams
Hold my love in silk bandanas
And then just scream, scream it love
Cause it would make me weep
If I should ever lose your love
Cause you make me believe

But then you’re sweet, sweet sweet love
And it makes me believe
That I should never lose your love
You make me believe

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

2. So Many People

Where do you want to go?
Are you sure of the road that you’re on?
Who do you want to be?
All I know is the world deserves to be free
Let’s pretend we’re staring from the moon
Love is not only for the human

Look at the world you know
Do you believe it will go on?
Where do you want to go?
The things we take will only last for so long
In the end you know it’s up to you
Love is not only for the human

Oh man, we are so many people
Living different lives under turbulent times
Oh man, we don’t know good from evil
Looking through our eyes is the burden of our lives

Say can we tell for sure
The North and South will keep their snow on?
Say can the Earth endure
Do you really believe we can go on?
In the end you know it’s up to you
Love is not only for the human

Oh man, we are so many people
Living different lives under turbulent times
Oh man, we don’t know good from evil
Looking through our eyes is the burden of our lives
In the end God is the Universe
And the Universe is you

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

3. Lives And Loves

Lives and loves, don’t tell me about it
To respond to something permanent, you’ve got to be strong
Mmm … lives and loves
Only you know in your heart how the pain felt
How the love made you melt, me and you love
We have a way that seems to brighten up the day
We have our problems
Is the whole world asking is it worth it?
All the lovers in the world, should they go on?
After all, they say you only live once

Lives and loves, only you know in your heart
How the pain felt, how the love made you melt
Me and you love, we have a way
That seems to brighten up the day
We have our problems
Is the whole world asking is it worth it?
All the lovers in the world, should they go on?
On and on and on

Oohhh, lives and loves, don’t tell me about it
Someone always gets hurt in it, you’ve got to be strong
Hey… lives and loves
Only we know in our hearts how the pain felt
Oh your love made me melt, me and you love
We had a way that seemed to brighten up the day
We had our problems
Is the whole world asking is it worth it?
All the lovers in the world, should they go on?
After all, they say you only live once

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

4. Fairground SINGLE

Driving down an endless road
Taking friends or moving alone
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

It’s always friends that feel so good
Let’s make amends like all good men should
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

Walk around, be free and roam
There’s always someone leaving alone
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

And I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if I know we can’t make it
I love the thought of giving hope to you
Just a little ray of light shining through

Love can bend and breathe alone
Until the end it finds you a home
Don’t care what the people may say

It’s always friends that feel so good
Let’s make amends like all good men should
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

And I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if I know we can’t make it
I love the thought of giving hope to you
Just a little ray of light shining through

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd
Fairground contains a sample of “Give It Up” by The Goodmen courtesy of Fresh Fruit Records
Original source “Fanfarra” by Sergio Mendez courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group

5. Never Never Love SINGLE

So now we’ve got our independence
What are we gonna do with it?
Learning to play different games
Already using different names
Cause now our love bears no resemblance
To what we had before
When our love was good it was all that we saw
When our love was good it blinded us before
This real revolution baby
Where you’re not below me anymore

Never never love can never be enough
Never be enough, just ain’t good enough
Never never love can never be enough
Never be enough, oh no

So now we’ve got our independence
What are we gonna do with it?
Building the houses, claiming back the land
Burning the bridges, cleaning up your hands
Cause now our love bears no resemblance
To what we had before

Now our love has something for the future
Now our love will grow the seeds to sow this real revolution
This good revolution baby
Where you’re not below me anymore

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

6. So Beautiful

I was listening to this conversation
Noticing my daydream stimulated me more
I was crumbling with anticipation
You’d better send me home before I tumble down to the floor

You’re so beautiful but oh so boring
I’m wondering what am I doing here
So beautiful but oh so boring, I’m wondering
If anyone out there really cares
About the curlers in your hair
My little golden baby, where have all your birds flown now?

Something’s glistening in my imagination
Motorvatin’ something close to breaking the law
Wait a mo’ before you take me down to the station
I’ve never known a one who’d make me suicidal before

She was so beautiful but oh so boring
I’m wondering what was I doing there
So beautiful but oh so boring, I’m wondering
If anyone out there really cares
About the colour of your hair
My little golden baby, where have all your birds flown now?

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

7. Hillside Avenue

Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Was the sign I saw when I suddenly thought
Your health is your life

Why why why was I thinking that

Who’s gonna pay when the children start crying
You’ll never never get away
Strange how the air that you’re breathing is dying
It’s gonna get rough, when I get to…

Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Was the sign I saw when I suddenly thought
Your health is your life
Keeps you alive

Why why why was I thinking that

When the rich man lies dying in his bed
He’ll be thinking of the very words I said
When he’s lying there dying in his bed
He’ll be thinking of the very words I said

Repeat!

Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue
Was the sign I saw when I suddenly thought
Your health is your life
Keeps you alive

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

8. Remembering The First Time SINGLE

Remembering the first time we made love
Remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling

Sitting here glad as I am
With your photograph, I hold it in my hands
Aching for a vision of you, you’re right in front of me
Looking at the photograph, and the way you were looking at me

I was just remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling
Remembering the first time we made love
Remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling
Remembering the first time we made love

Sitting here looking at the table
It’s just like a photograph
There’s you and me, fruit, drink, good food
Oh the things we did, the things we did
From the shower we took to the very first look

Remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling
Remembering the first time we made love
Remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling
Remembering the first time we made love

You’re rich, you’re beautiful, you’re in love
How wonderful life can be
Just the way you wanted it to be
Yet I am the colour of the night
I am the colour of the night
If you could only make it right
If you could only make it right

Remembering the first time we made love
I was just recalling
Remembering the first time we made love
Remembering the first time we made love
I will never forget you girl
Remembering the first time we made love
Remembering the first time we made love
Love you, love you, love you girl
Remembering the first time we made love

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

9. Out On The Range

It’s lonely out on the range
That open space they call country
I wanted you, I couldn’t have you
Your pills left you kind of deranged
Hopelessly caged like some monkey
I wanted you, I couldn’t have you

Still into my heart you came
Here’s a message from this lonely boy
Who will never feel the same
I will never feel the same

I read you while holding the page
You’re open at crazy and funky
I needed you, but you weren’t there
Happiness can give you the blues
Especially when it ends
I’m slowing down, can’t turn you round

Into my heart you came
Here’s a message from this lonely boy
Who will never feel the same
I will never feel the same

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

10. We're In This Together SINGLE

All eyes were closed, nobody knows
How the world wasn’t able to see that they were
Washed-up failures
My eyes are open, my love is strong
I am here to stay and it will always be that way

We’re in this together
We’re in this together
Forever
Together

My line is strong, my soul it rolls
Somewhere on the train of universal feeling
My eyes are open, just like the ocean
From the people in need to the sun and the seas

We’re in this together
We’re in this together
Forever
Together
Forever

We’re in this together
We’re in this together
Forever
Together
Forever
Together

Words and music Mick Hucknall
EMI Music Publishing Ltd/So What Ltd

Album Credits

Mick Hucknall – Vocals, Background Vocals, Guitar and Bass Guitar
Fritz McIntyre – Keyboards & Background Vocals
Ian Kirkham – Saxophone, EWI & Keyboards
Heitor T P – Guitars
Dee Johnson – Background Vocals
With special thanks to:
Sly Dunbar – Drums & Programming (appears courtesy of Island Records)
Robbie Shakespeare – Bass Guitar (appears courtesy of Island Records)
Bootsy Collins – Bass Guitar (appears courtesy of Rykodisc and Bootzilla Records)
Ritchie Stevens – Drums
Danny Cummings – Percussion
Hugh Masekela – Flugelhorn (appears courtesy of Umoja Productions)

Produced by Mick Hucknall and Stewart Levine
Engineered and Mixed by Roland Herrington and Femi Jiya
Programming and Keyboards by Andy Wright
Recorded at:
Planet 4 Studios, Manchester, England – Assistant Engineer Aiden Love
Air Studios, London, England – Assistant Engineers Andy Strange & Bernard O’Reilly
Downtown Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa – Assistant Engineer Chris Vermaak
Mixed at Whitfield Street Studios, London, England – Assistant Engineer Jake Davies
Album Co-Ordination – Merv Pearson
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Los Angeles, USA

Umoja Singers Chorale
Kwazi Shange, Janshi Mayo, Lawrence Matshiza, Temba Mkhize, John Hassen, Marilyn Nokwe, Beulala Hashe, Phumzile Ntuli, Stella Khumalo, Faith Kekane, Felicia Marion, Anneline Malebo, Khanya Malphumulo, Tu Nokwe, Tholo Ndlozi, Mandisa Dlanga, Vuyo Mokoena, Victor Rxumalo, Sipho Mbhele, Bongani Masuku, Zamo Mbutho, Luyanda Jezile, Ringo Madlingozi, Vuyisile Dikana, Sipho Mhlambi, Hugh Masekela

The London Metropolitan Orchestra
Conducted by Caroline Dale
Strings arranged by Mick Hucknall, Andy Wright and Caroline Dale

Photography/Art Direction – Zanna
Design/Art Direction – Mat Cook @ Intro
Artwork – copyright 1995 Simply Red
Worldwide representation: Andy Dodd and Elliot Rashman at So What Arts Limited
In association with Lisa Barbaris for So What Arts America
Thanks to Welcome Msomi, Krizia, Nana Bottazzi, Erskine Thompson, Adrian Shaughnessy, Katy Richardson, Paul Smith, Tickle Music Hire, Patti Willis
All tracks used by kind permission of the publishers

28 November 1995
Rotterdam, Holland : Ahoy

29 November 1995
Brussels, Belgium : Foret National

02 December 1995
Barcelona, Spain : Palau Sant Jordi

04 December 1995
Paris, France : Zenith

06 December 1995
Zurich, Switzerland : Hallenstadion

12 December 1995
Hamburg, Germany : Sporthalle

13 December 1995
Frankfurt, Germany : Festhalle

14 December 1995
Munich, Germany : Olympiahalle

16 December 1995
Bologna, Italy : Palasport

18 December 1995 20 December 1995
London, UK : Wembley Arena

04 January 1996 06 January 1996
Birmingham, UK : NEC

08 January 1996 10 January 1996
Birmingham, UK : NEC

12 January 1996 15 January 1996
London, UK : Wembley Arena

17 January 1996 19 January 1996
Glasgow, UK : SECC

21 January 1996 23 January 1996
Manchester, UK : Nynex Arena

25 January 1996 27 January 1996
Newcastle, UK : Newcastle Arena

29 January 1996 31 January 1996
Sheffield, UK : Sheffield Arena

02 February 1996 05 February 1996
London, UK : London Arena

07 February 1996 09 February 1996
Dublin, Ireland : The Point

21 March 1996
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates : Hiltonia Beach Arena

25 March 1996 26 March 1996
Dubai,United Arab Emirates : Hilton Beach Club

30 March 1996
Tokyo, Japan : NHK Hall

02 April 1996
Nagoya, Japan : Geijitso Gekioyo

03 April 1996
Tokyo, Japan : NHK Hall

05 April 1996
Osaka, Japan : Koseinenkin Hall

10 April 1996
Perth, Australia : Entertainment Centre

12 April 1996
Adelaide, Australia : Entertainment Centre

14 April 1996
Newcastle, Australia : Entertainment Centre

17 April 1996 18 April 1996
Sydney, Australia : Entertainment Centre

20 April 1996
Melbourne, Australia : Melbourne Park

21 April 1996 22 April 1996
Canberra, Australia : Royal Theatre

24 April 1996
Brisbane, Australia : Entertainment Centre

26 April 1996 27 April 1996
Auckland, New Zealand : Aotea Centre

30 April 1996
Singapore : Indoor Stadium

15 May 1996
Rotterdam, Holland : Ahoy

17 May 1996
Brussels, Belgium : Foret National

18 May 1996 19 May 1996
Dortmund, Germany : Westfalenhalle

21 May 1996
Kiel, Germany : Ostseehalle

23 May 1996
Bielefeld, Germany : Seidenstickerhalle

26 May 1996
Vienna, Austria : Stadthalle

28 May 1996
Leipzig, Germany : Messehalle

29 May 1996
Berlin, Germany : Deutschlandhalle

30 May 1996
Hannover, Germany : Messehalle

01 June 1996
Stuttgart, Germany : Schleyerhalle

02 June 1996
Frankfurt, Germany : Festhalle

03 June 1996
Munich, Germany : Olympiahalle

05 June 1996
Geneva, Switzerland : Geneva Arena

09 June 1996
Warsaw, Poland : Torwar

11 June 1996
Katowice, Poland : Spodek

13 June 1996
Budapest, Hungary : Sportesarnok

15 June 1996
Innsbruck, Austria :

17 June 1996
Milan, Italy : Forum

20 June 1996
Rome, Italy : Palaeur

22 June 1996
Ancona : Palasport

25 June 1996
Turin, Italy : Palastampat

29 June 1996
Manchester, UK : Old Trafford

02 July 1996
Athens, Greece

10 July 1996
Montreux, Switzerland

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