Open up the red box - Simply Red

I'm not entirely sure if I would have bought this single if it wasn't a double single. I am just a sucker for special editions. 'Open up the red box' was Simply Red's fifth and final single release from their debut album 'Picture book'. This double single features previous single 'Holding back the years' as a bonus. Smart move, as that one had just reached number 2 in the UK singles chart. On the other hand, most people probably already owned that single - and so 'Open up the red box' stalled at number 61 in that same chart. 

No need to panic: Simply Red continued their success with subsequent albums, with hits right into the new century.

My collection: 7" single no. 7150
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 3 March 2024
Tracks: 'Open up the red box' / 'Look at you now' // 'Holding back the years' / 'Drowning in my own tears'

The right thing - Simply Red

'The Right Thing' was released by Simply Red in 1987. It was taken from their second album 'Men and Women'. It displays more of a funk influence than the group's previous hits, but also retains the soul sound that became their trademark during the '80s. According to some sources, the racy sexually implicit nature of the song caused the album to be banned in Singapore.

The single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart in early 1987, but did not find significant success in the United States, only reaching number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 at a time where the group were at their peak amount of success in the States.

My collection: 7" single no. 5446
Found: unknown
Tracks: 'The right thing' / 'There's a light'

Come to my aid - Simply Red

'Come to my aid' was released as the second single from their debut album 'Picture book'. Five singles were taken from the album, of which this one was the least successful one, peaking at number 66 in the UK singles chart. It did manage to reach number 11 in Italy and number 24 in New Zealand as well, but in other countries, this single did not chart.

According to Wikipedia, 'Picture book' was included in Robert Dimery's '1001 Albums you must hear before you die'. I wouldn't go quite that far, personally, but the singles from this album are nice enough.

My collection: 7" single no. 5444
Found: unknown
Tracks: 'Come to my aid' / 'Valentine'

Love fire - Simply Red

'Love fire' is a single taken from Simply Red's second album 'Men & women'. The single was only made in Germany and Spain, although this probably implies a Europe-wide release. However, this did not earn them any chart success.

Only three of the six singles released from 'Men & women' had some substantial (international) chart success, which was surprising in light of the sales of the album. The band's third album 'A new flame' would yield four hit singles and remains their biggest success.

My collection: 7" single no. 5445
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love fire' / 'Love fire (dub mix)'

If you don't know me by now - Simply Red

If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and recorded by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. The song was originally written for Labelle (a trio led by Patti LaBelle) but they never recorded it.

The song was later covered by the English band Simply Red, also becoming their best-known hit after reaching number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1989. It peaked at number two in the UK Singles Chart. The B-side was recorded live in Manchester on February 22, 1989.

My collection: 7" single no. 5447
Found: unknown
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'If you don't know me by now' / 'Move on out (live)'

Holding back the years - Simply Red

Simply Red rose to prominence with this beautiful ballad in 1985. 'Holding back the years' would turn out to be a classic. Taken from their debut album 'Picture book', it launched a career that was ended only last year when front man Mick Hucknall did a farewell tour with Simply Red.

This 12" single features the full length version of 'Holding back the years', as well as a longer version of 'I won't feel bad'. I only bought the 12" single years after its release because my budget didn't stretch that far in 1985. I wanted to have it since the first moment I heard this longer version.

My collection: 12" single no. 124
Found: Record fair, 1992
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Holding back the years [extended]' / 'I won't feel bad [extended]', 'Drowning in my own tears'

Something got me started - Simply Red

'Something got me started' was the first single released from what would become Simply Red's biggest selling album, 'Stars'. The single eventually made number 11 in the UK and German charts, number 23 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 2005, 'Something got me started' was one of the eight previously released Simply Red songs re-recorded for the album 'Simplified'. It also became the second single release from the album, as a double A-side with a new cover of the Leon Russell song 'A song for you'. This made it the only Simply Red song to date to be released as a single twice.

My collection: 7" single no. 5150
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Something got me started' / 'A new flame'

You've got it - Simply Red

In the autumn of 1989, 'You've got it' was released as the fourth and final single from Simply Red's third album 'A new flame'. The previous three singles had been top 20 hits in the UK, but this single wasn't as successful, peaking at number 46 only.

The B-side of this single features a live acoustic version of their biggest hit, 'Holding back the years', recorded in Australia in August 1989.

My collection: 7" single no. 5174
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'You've got it' / 'Holding back the years (live acoustic version)'

Thrill me - Simply Red

Simply Red were at the peak of their career in 1991/1992, after the release of 'Stars', their fourth album. No less than five singles were taken from the album, of which 'Thrill me' was the fourth. The single was less successful than the previous three, but still managed to get to number 33 in the UK singles chart, number 30 in the Irish singles chart and number 59 in Germany.

The B-side featured a remix of 'Thrill me' by Nellee Hooper, wellknown for his remixes of Massive Attack, Seal and Madonna.

My collection: 7" single no. 5123
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Thrill me' / 'Thrill me (Nellee Hooper mix)'

Your mirror - Simply Red

I wouldn't exactly mind if Margaret Thatcher, the former leader of the UK's Conservative Party, would have a very long, painful and unpleasant death bed. I don't often wish for bad things for people, but that sorry excuse for a woman has caused so much grief in her country, that she deserves nothing less than a revengeful payback.

Thankfully, I am not alone in feeling this way: Morrissey once recorded the very pleasant track 'Margaret on the guillotine' (with the repeated line 'When will you die?') and Simply Red recorded 'Your mirror' on their 1992 album 'Stars'. It is an extended critique of the Thatcherite politics. The song criticises the selfishness, individualism and nationalism (including attachment to nuclear weapons) that typified it. The opening verse references Thatcher's famous 'There is no such thing as society' speech. The song suggests these attitudes are inhuman and unnatural by contrasting them with the human instinct towards sharing, and (more fancifully) with the natural environment - the birds singing their 'faithful song' - and a sense of inner beauty. The single reached number 17 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1688
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, August 1, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Your mirror' / 'Your mirror (live)'

For your babies - Simply Red

In 1991, Simply Red released the album 'Stars'. It was arguably one of their best selling albums, also yielding five singles. The third single was 'For your babies', a midtempo track written and composed by Mick Hucknall.

The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in Ireland. It did not chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1582
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 10, 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'For your babies' / 'For your babies (Edition Français)'

Stars - Simply Red

'Stars' was recorded as the title track from Simply Red's 1991 album. It was released as the second single from the album. The B-side of the single was a remix of the track by PM Dawn.

The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40, but did not chart in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 1561
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, December 21, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Stars' / 'Stars (PM-ized mix)'

Ev'ry time we say goodbye - Simply Red

Cole Porter wrote 'Ev'ry time we say goodbye' in 1944 for the musical revue 'Seven lively arts'. The song became a jazz standard, recorded by classic artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Carly Simon and many others.

Simply Red recorded the song on their 1987 album 'Men and women'. It was released as a single just before the end of the year, reaching number 11 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 596
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 18, 1988
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Ev'ry time we say goodbye' / 'Love for sale'

It's only love - Simply Red

'It's only love' was written by Jimmy and Vela Cameron and recorded by Barry White on his album 'The man' (1978).

In 1988, Simply Red recorded a cover version of the song for their third studio album 'A new flame'. It was released as the album's first single. It reached number 1 in Italy, number 7 in Ireland and number 13 in the UK. In the Dutch Top 40, 'It's only love' reached number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 732
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 4, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'It's only love' / 'Turn it up'

Maybe someday... - Simply Red

Simply Red was pretty successful with their first two albums 'Picture book' and 'Men and women', but occasionally their singles didn't do so well in the charts. 'Maybe someday' is a prime example of this: the video was shown regularly on television in 1987, but I was not able to locate a copy. In the end, I just assumed that it was only released as a single in the USA - especially when I found this copy in 1991: an American promo 7" featuring the same track on both sides.

More recently I found out that the single only charted in the UK, peaking at number 88. Why was this song not more successful? I will never know. It's up there as my favourite Simply Red track.

My collection: 7" single no. 1541
Found: Record fair, October 27, 1991
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Maybe someday...' / 'Maybe someday...'

A new flame - Simply Red

'A new flame' is the title track of Simply Red's third studio album, which was released in 1989. The track was released as the third single from the album, after the cover version of 'If you don't know me by now' which reached number 1 in several countries.

By comparison, this single did a lot worse. It reached numebr 17 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4302
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A new flame' / 'More'

Jericho - Simply Red

'Jericho' was the fourth single release from Simply Red's debut album 'Picture book'. It didn't change much about the troubled chart history of the band up to that point. Although their debut single 'Money's too tight (to mention)' hit number 13 in the UK singles chart, subsequent singles didn't reach the top 40 anymore. This single, too, stalled at number 53.

Things were different in the Netherlands: their third single 'Holding back the years' had reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40, and 'Jericho' got to number 17.

My collection: 7" single no. 410
Found: V&D, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Jericho' / 'Jericho the musical'

Holding back the years - Simply Red

Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall wrote 'Holding back the years' when he was 17, while living at his father's house. The chorus did not come to him until many years later. His mother left him when he was three; the upheaval caused by this event inspired him to write the song. He recorded a version of the song with his first group The Frantic Elevators in 1982, but when he recorded it with Simply Red in 1985 it became a hit.

In the UK, the single came no further than number 51, but in the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 3. In other territories, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 367
Found: Brussels, 1985
Cost: 120 Francs
Tracks: 'Holding back the years' / 'I won't feel bad'