Was it something that you dreamed of?
Something that you prayed
Your name in lights
Prepare the tissues…Simple Minds have returned with Your Name in Lights, a striking new single co-written with producer Paul Statham (B-Movie, Peter Murphy), drawn from the soundtrack to their acclaimed documentary Everything Is Possible. For longtime Simple Minds fans, especially those who cherish 1979’s Reel to Real Cacophony, this track feels like a poignant homecoming, a full-circle moment that reclaims the band’s early magic.
Simple Minds sought to echo the film’s reflective tone while channeling the youthful exuberance of their beginnings. Frontman Jim Kerr describes the feeling as revisiting “when we were wee boys playing around with our synthesisers, proudly wearing our Kraftwerk and Brian Eno influences on our sleeve.”
The poignant lyrics delve into ambition and resilience, exploring the allure of fame—“your name in lights”—and the bittersweet realization of its impermanence. It’s a meditation on the interplay between aspiration and the inevitability of time, wrapping hard-earned wisdom in a shimmering melody.
The track unfolds like a dialogue between dreamer and muse, the muse embodied by Sarah Brown’s exquisitely velvety vocals. Her delivery, inspired by the soulful spirit of Aretha Franklin, brings a wistful power, hitting you squarely in the chest. It’s both nostalgic and fresh, a reminder that ambition and artistry always walk hand in hand with time.
Listen below:
The Documentary Everything Is Possible traces the extraordinary trajectory of Simple Minds, from their humble beginnings in late 1970s Glasgow to the heights of global stardom in the ’80s, followed by the trials of their later years and their triumphant resurgence in the last decade. The documentary unfolds like a mosaic of ambition and endurance, capturing the band’s early innovations, stratospheric success, and enduring creative spirit. At the heart of the film lies the enduring friendship between Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, the foundation upon which Simple Minds’ extraordinary journey is built. Their bond, first forged atop a sandcastle in a Glasgow housing scheme in 1967, has withstood the test of time, stretching across seven decades. It remains the steadfast core of the band’s remarkable story.
Candid interviews bring depth to this chronicle, with founding members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill sharing reflections on their journey. The film also features a remarkable ensemble of voices—Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Bob Geldof, Molly Ringwald, Trevor Horn, The Specials, and more—each offering unique perspectives on the band’s influence and legacy. Through these voices and stories, Everything Is Possible becomes a vibrant portrait of a band that dared to dream big and endure through the years.
Everything Is Possible is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Scotland channel.
Listen to Your Name In Lights via Spotify below or your streaming service of choice here:
Simple Minds will play a series of UK and Ireland summer shows performing their 1985 album Once Upon A Time, along with a selection of greatest hits. Special guests will include Future Islands, KT Tunstall and Hamish Hawk.
Tour dates:
27 June at Bellahouston, Glasgow
28 June at Lincoln Castle
29 June at Southampton Summer Sessions
01 July at Trinity Summer Series, Dublin
03 July at Bedford Summer Sessions
06 July at Lytham Festival, Lytham St. Annes *Already on sale
07 July at Live At Piece Hall, Halifax
08 July at Derby Summer Sessions
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