Simply Red are a British soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985. The band is led by singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall, who, by the time the band initially disbanded in 2010, was the only original member left. They have released thirteen studio albums, spanning from Picture Book (1985) through Time (2023), all of which have peaked within the top ten on the UK Albums Chart; with the albums A New Flame (1989), Stars (1991), Life (1995) and Blue (1998), along with their Greatest Hits (1996) album, reaching number one. Their 1991 album Stars is one of the best-selling albums in the United Kingdom.
"Something Got Me Started" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released in September 1991 by East West Records as the first single from their fourth album, Stars (1991). It was released in several forms: a 7-inch single, a 12-inch single, and a CD single, that includes a remix by Perfecto.
Stars is the fourth album by British-based pop/soul/jazz band Simply Red, released in September 1991. Five singles were released from the album, including the UK top ten hits "Stars" and "For Your Babies". The album was a worldwide success, particularly in the band's home country where it has been certified twelve times platinum and was the best-selling album of the year in the UK for both 1991 and 1992, the first album to be the best-seller in two consecutive years since Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water in 1970–71. As of July 2016 it is the 14th best-selling album of all time in the UK.
"The Magic Friend" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in August 1992 as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release once again omitted Ray Slijngaard's rap, which lasted for 16 bars three times through, but did include some of the vocals from Anita Doth, with the "mocking chorus echoes" being abandoned as only Ray's part remains, thus leaving Anita's sole vocals as "disembodied whispers" during the middle eight. The single experienced chart success in many European countries, including Finland, where it topped the chart. The Dutch leading afternoon radio program on national pop outlet Radio 3 FM/Hilversum renamed itself "The Magic Friend", after the single.
Greatest Hits is the first compilation album released by British pop and soul group Simply Red, which contained material from their first five studio albums and included a newer track, a cover of Aretha Franklin's 1973 classic, "Angel".
"I Wanna Sex You Up" is a song by American R&B group Color Me Badd, released in March 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, C.M.B. (1991). The song was produced by Dr. Freeze and was also featured on the soundtrack to the 1991 film New Jack City, starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Chris Rock and Judd Nelson. The single, released by Giant, Reprise and Warner Bros. achieved commercial success in the United States. It spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and topping both the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart. "I Wanna Sex You Up" also enjoyed international success, peaking atop the charts of New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by American director Lionel C. Martin.
"Your Mirror" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red. Written by Mick Hucknall, it was released in July 1992 as the fifth single from their fourth album, Stars (1991), and reached number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was later included on the band's compilation albums, Greatest Hits in 1996, Simply Red 25: The Greatest Hits in 2008 and Song Book 1985–2010 in 2013.
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philadelphia soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. It became their first hit after being released as a single in September 1972, topping the US R&B chart and peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Holding Back the Years" is a song by the British soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the third single from their debut studio album, Picture Book (1985). The ballad reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart. "Holding Back the Years" had initially been released in the UK the year before, reaching number 51. The song was nominated in the category of Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Let the Beat Hit 'Em" is a song by American urban contemporary band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, released as the first single from their fourth and final studio album, Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen (1991). The song spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart in the week of September 14, 1991, and also reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the US dance charts, it was the third and final number-one for the group. It also peaked at number-one on the Canadian RPM dance chart.
"Sunshine on a Rainy Day" is a song by British pop singer and songwriter Zoë, released by M&G and Polydor as the first single from her debut album, Scarlet Red and Blue (1991). The song, written by Zoë and Youth, received positive reviews from music critics, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart in September 1991. It also charted within the top 40 in Ireland, Luxembourg, Sweden and Zimbabwe, where it reached number-one. Three different music videos were produced to promote the single, one of them was filmed in India and another for the US market. In 2008, Zoë re-recorded the song with her folk band Mama. This version is available on their debut CD, Crow Coyote Buffalo.
The discography of Simply Red, a British soul band, consists of thirteen studio albums, six compilation albums, one extended play, fifty-three singles and a number of other appearances.
"Stars" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released in November 1991 as the second single from their fourth album of the same name (1991). Written by lead singer Mick Hucknall and produced by Stewart Levine, it became the first single from the album to enter the UK top 10, reaching number eight in December 1991. Outside the UK, "Stars" reached the top 10 in Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, and Zimbabwe. In the United States, it climbed to number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's last appearance on the listing.
"Fairground" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released on 18 September 1995 by EastWest as the first single from the band's fifth album, Life (1995). Co-written and co-produced by frontman Mick Hucknall, the song makes extensive use of a sample of Dutch duo the Goodmen's 1993 hit "Give It Up". It became Simply Red's first and only No. 1 single on the UK Singles Chart, staying at the top for four weeks in September and October 1995, and was also a chart hit in mainland Europe and Australia but failed to generate long-term success in North America. The accompanying music video for "Fairground" was directed by Michael Geoghegan and filmed in Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire.
"Touch Me (All Night Long)" is a 1984 song by American singer Fonda Rae and American band Wish. It was a minor hit for Rae and the band, and was featured in the 1985 slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. In the original, it is alternately spelled as "Tuch Me (All Night Long)" or simply just "Tuch Me".
"It's My Life" is a song by Nigerian-Swedish recording artist Dr. Alban. It was released by SweMix in February 1992 in Sweden as the first single from his second studio album, One Love (1992). Produced by Denniz PoP, who also co-wrote the song with Alban, it was a hit in most of the European countries where it was released, peaking at number one in Sweden, Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium and number two in the British countries. In France, the song was marketed twice: first in 1992, then in 1993 because the song was used in a TV advert for Tampax tampons, thus giving to the single a second career. The song had enough airplay on US college radio stations to chart on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1992. "It's My Life" was re-released in 1994 in Australia, following the success of "Sing Hallelujah!".
"Fake" is a song written and recorded by British soft rock group Simply Red. It was released in July 2003 as the second single from the album, Home. It was the next single after their international smash hit "Sunrise". It reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play for the week of 14 February 2004.
"For Your Babies" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red. Written by Mick Hucknall, it was released in January 1992 as the third single from the band's forth album, Stars (1991). The song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart in February same year. It also reached the top 20 in Ireland and the top 30 in Austria and Belgium. The track was included on the band's compilation albums, Greatest Hits in 1996, Simply Red 25: The Greatest Hits in 2008 and Songs of Love in 2010. It was also featured on the band's acoustic album Simplified in a new version.
"Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" is a song by Zambian-born Zimbabwean singer Rozalla, released in August 1991 as the second single from her second album, Everybody's Free (1992). It had been a staple in the clubs in Ibiza and Mallorca in the summer of 1991, and hordes of recovering ravers were delighted to find "that tune about being free to feel good and stuff" was available to buy back home. Upon its release, the song reached number two in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, while entering the top 10 in Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number six, and in Zimbabwe, it peaked at number four. It also topped the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Several music videos have been made to promote the song. It is widely regarded as one of the biggest dance anthems of the 1990s and it has been remixed and re-released several times.
"A New Flame" is a song by the British soul and pop band Simply Red, released in June 1989 by Elektra and WEA as the third single from the band's third studio album by the same name (1989). The song was written by Mick Hucknall and produced by Stewart Levine. It was a top-20 hit in the UK, peaking at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, and reached the top 30 in Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton directed its music video.
