350) Simple Minds - Once Upon A Time

We reviewed New Gold Dream back in review 57 (https://www.albumsin200words.co.uk/post/57-simple-minds-new-gold-dream) where I felt as they hit the big time we lost a bit of interest in Scotland.

They had emerged in 1979 and their new wave style was given time to develop releasing four albums to moderate success until they broke through with New Gold Dream,  In this day and age not many bands would be given time to develop over several albums but this was their moment and they seized it with both hands.

By the time Once Upon A Time debuted at number one in 1985 they had established themselves as one of the biggest bands in the UK, if not the world however this would be the first record not to feature bassist Derk Forbes, an imaginative bassist and a huge loss to the band, he was replaced by John Giblin as Simple Minds started a revolving door of members, over thirty so far.

We all know this is the record where they went all in on being a stadium band and if that was the point of this album then it’s a 100% success.

It’s nowhere near as good as their previous records but it’s certainly not a bad record.

Eight tracks and four of them were singles , all huge hits, all following a formula, hard hitting drums, layering of synths, Jim dominant, Charlie chopping away (excellent on Ghost Dancing) and the backing vocalist Robin Clark bringing her strong voice to the proceedings.

They are to be fair all excellent singles and although I personally wouldn’t rush to put them on a jukebox if any the four of Ghost Dancing, Alive & Kicking, All the Things She Said and, the best of the lot, Sanctify Yourself came on in the pub there would be no snide comments from me, enjoyable 80s pop.

The title track opens the record, a bit to 80’s synth dominated for me but this has all the pomp they would need to succeed in stadiums across the world, afraid it just passes me by and the synths appear at the start of Oh Jungleland it has a strong chorus and the backing vocals and guitar that appear halfway through elevate the track, a homage to Glasgow seemingly or is Jim just wanting to get his beloved Celtic’s famous Jungle into a song.

I Wish You Were Here is not one you will come back to again and Come a Long Way ends the record on a more samba feel from Gaynor with a choir like chorus and subtlety from Mick MacNeil and Charlie Burchill on synth and guitar.

Sales were huge, the concerts were huge, the band was huge, and they rode their success well for the next ten years before they fell out of fashion although fair play to them as they have re-stablished themselves in recent years. Kerr and Burchill have never given up, and this was part of the reason they propelled themselves to the top.

6.5/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Sanctify Yourself