Now I know many aren’t going to with my choice of Mellow Monday this week,but, you have to understand that I love Simply Red. This band for me epitomise my childhood, yes my childhood even if i was born in ’96, they were my soundtrack, amidst other band. I have fond memories of 4 hour drive down to the Cornwall coast with my family, repeating the life out of the Stars and Home albums. We literally sang the whole journey there and back.

Now many people dislike Simply Red because they dislike Mick Hucknall, they loathe his attitude and just general aura when he’s off stage. However, I have never met the man, nor will I probably ever, but his on stage presence and his music gives me chills, so I won’t disregard his status as a musician.

Something about their music just brings a smile to my face, so today I share with you one of my favourite Simply Red songs, Fairground. My mum always makes me chuckle when we binge listen to their discography, because no matter what she is doing, as soon as this song starts, she starts swaying about – the last time was literally about 5 minutes before I started writing this post, stopped mid walk and was just having a little jig on her own in the middle of the walk. I personally can’t fault this song, the only thing is the music video has some sultry hip action by someone in tight red pants and it always has me in tears.

I have had the privilege of seeing this band play live. I was truly a wonderful last minute thing – My parents were supposed to go with a friend of theirs and her son, but the son had to pull out last minute. So the day before the show I was asked if I wanted to go and I almost threw my phone. Over-exaggeration? Potentially. Worth it? Hell yes! The set-list was incredible, although I did have to leave mid-encore because work beckoned me – I was grateful enough they would let me miss the first half of my shift and about 30 minutes of the second part because I practically begged them to let me have this one thing.

Well, I’m going to end this post now simply because I could take for hours about this group, their music, and the fond memories I have with each song. But below I shall list a few other songs by them that you should check out:

• Sunrise – For anyone who loves the original version by Hall & Oates ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) which sections of that song were sampled for this.
• Stars – because it’s just a beautiful song
• Home
• Holding Back the Years – Their original version as the Frantic Elevators, and the reprise in a sense as Simply Red
• A New Flame

Okay, I really am done before i just post a link to their entire discography.

Write soon !