Thursday, January 19, 2012: Simple Minds - See The Lights

In 1985, Simple Minds exploded onto the charts with Don't You (Forget About Me). Written by Keith Forsey (who won an Oscar for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling") and Steve Schiff (guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band), Keith actually offered the song to Billy Idol, Bryan Ferry and The Fixx (remember them?) before handing it over to Simple Minds, a Scottish band who had been playing and recording in form or another since the late 70's.

Simple Minds actually refused the song as well, but some pressure from their record label led to the band finally recording it. The session took about three hours, and the band didn't think the song would amount to anything.

Instead, it became an iconic song and forever attached to an iconic 80's movie, The Breakfast Club.

That song, and maybe Alive and Kicking, are probably the songs that come up first when you think about Simple Minds, which is a shame because they are one of the rare bands from the 80's that, for my money, had a very accomplished discography. These guys were far more than just the one (or two) hit wonders that, I fear, pop music history will eventually categorize them as.

Today's CSOTD is evidence making the case for going out and buying Glittering Prize NOT for Don't You (Forget About Me).

Or, maybe, not for that song alone.  See The Lights is a slice of pure pop magic, an elegant and complex mix of the sacred and the sensual which flows out of the speakers like fairy dust tossed off the roof of a criminal-infested skyscraper by Bruce Willis.  It really is that good.

Enjoy