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celebrate


composers
Composers: Kerr / Burchill / MacNeil / Forbes / McGee
Authors: Kerr
(Earlier sleeves simply state:- Lyrics: Kerr: Music: Simple Minds)


publisher
© EMI Music Publishing.
© Bucks Music/Hornall Brothers/EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (Post 2012 credit)
© JKMC-Bucks Music Group Ltd / Hornall Music / EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (Post 2013 credit)


background
"It's funny that when you play the tracks I remember. There's odd different kinds of thoughts that go through your mind because - sometimes I remember walking into the studio that day. And usually if it's those early ones, there will be an element of fear involved, because we didn't have the budgets then - if we didn't get it right we couldn't do it again - it was real hit-or-miss stuff. And also, on those early records, we weren't really selling records but we were under pressure to sell records and at any time the record company was maybe going to pull the plug on us. If you asked if that was in my mind when I walked up to the microphone to record the vocal on Changeling or Celebrate then yeah, it was. Because I can tell you, the lead vocalist - in the case how Simple Minds worked we would construct the songs as a kind of soundscape and I have to say the guys did - if you hear Celebrate without the vocal, it's probably better without the vocal, it sounds immense. And then I had to go up - none of them had heard yet what I was going to do, or they knew there was a working title called Celebrate - but it was like 'I'm taking a penalty here. And I better score.' Not only for the public outside, but the guys in the room - I was working on their ideas. So things like that come back when I listen to those songs." - Jim, Interview with Billy Sloan, 2nd November 2019


First featured on the album's demo tape, Celebrate quickly became a live favourite, prompting Arista to issue it as a single after the band had left the label.


It was recorded at Rockfield, Wales. "Recording 'Celebrate' in Wales 'back in the day'... the band needed 'handclaps'... I was asked to contribute... After about 6 'takes' enough was enough and I was asked politely to... leave the session. Say no more, but it happened often!" - Bruce Findlay, October 2014





lyrics
Act of love,
Is a luxury.
The suit he wears,
Belongs to me.
The road is long,
Seven thousand miles.
Soldier talk,
And uniform.

We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.

We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.

She rag doll,
Keeps him warm.
This negative,
Shows no form.
He salutes the crowd,
"Go west young man".
Run, run, run,
The hollow man.

We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.
We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.

To a distant land,
Sand and sand,
Touch to touch,
A marble man.
The house is glass,
Furniture's chrome,
Soldier talk,
And uniform.

We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.
We can live,
I can live,
Celebrate,
Celebrate.



discography
Edit (2:53)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

Celebrate 7" single Celebrate: The Greatest Hits + Promo CD Celebrate: The Greatest Hits + Promo CD Celebrate: The Greatest Hits + 2CD Celebrate: The Greatest Hits + 3CD Celebrate: The Greatest Hits + Australian Promo 2CD 40: Best Of: 1979 - 2019: Promo 3CD 40: Best Of: 1979 - 2019: Promo CD 40: Best Of: 1979 - 2019: Deluxe CD

Album Version (5:03)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

Empires And Dance LP Empires And Dance MC Themes For Great Cities Promo LP Themes For Great Cities LP Themes For Great Cities MC Celebration Promo LP Celebration LP Celebration MC I Travel Australian 7" limited edition single Empires And Dance LP (Virgin Reissue) Empires And Dance MC (Virgin Reissue) Celebration LP (Virgin Reissue) Celebration MC (Virgin Reissue) Sparkle Through The Years Canadian Promotional LP Sparkle Through The Years Canadian Promotional MC Celebration CD Empires And Dance CD Empires And Dance CD (Virgin Budget Reissue) Empires And Dance LP (Virgin Budget Reissue) Empires And Dance MC (Virgin Budget Reissue) Celebration LP (Virgin Budget Reissue) Celebration MC (Virgin Budget Reissue) Celebration CD (Virgin Budget Reissue) Street Fighting Years Limited Edition MC Box Set Street Fighting Years Limited Edition CD Box Set Compact Collection Celebration Disky CD Themes Volume One Theme One: I Travel CD Theme One: I Travel MC Empires And Dance Remaster Promo CD Empires And Dance Remaster Limited Edition CD Empires And Dance Cacophony Remaster CD Early Gold Promo CD Early Gold CD Early Gold US Promo CD Early Gold US Promo CD Themes 1-4 Promo CDR Themes Volume One - Five X5 Box Set Sampler X5 Empires And Dance Promo X5 The Vinyl Collection (79,84)

Extended (6:48)
Producer: Leckie
Engineer: Jones

Celebrate 12" single The Platinum Collection CD X5 Empires And Dance Promo X5

Live Version (5th January 1985) (5:43)
Recorded: Barrowlands, Glasgow, UK
Mixed by: Callum Malcolm and Simple Minds

Promised You A Miracle Live MC Promised You A Miracle Live 12" Promised You A Miracle Live US Promo 12" Themes Volume Three Theme Fifteen: Promised You A Miracle CD Theme Fifteen: Promised You A Miracle MC Themes 15-17 Promo CDR Themes Volume One - Five

Demo (4:24)
Producer: Leckie
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
Silver Box Promo CDR #1 Silver Box

Live Version (10th June 2011) (6:05)
Recorded: Bedgebury Pinetum And Forest, Gouldhurst, Kent, UK
Mixed By Concert Live

Simple Minds Live Triple CD Simple Minds Live Double CD

Live Version (16th June 2011) (5:36)
Recorded: Hampton Court Palace Festival, London, UK
Mixed By Concert Live

Simple Minds Live Triple CD Simple Minds Live Triple CD Simple Minds Live Limited Edition Double CD

Live Version (25th June 2011) (5:28)
Recorded: Cannock Chase Forest, Near Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK
Mixed By Concert Live

Simple Minds Live Triple CD

Live Version (16th July 2011) (5:29)
Recorded: City Rocks, Inverness, UK
Mixed By Concert Live

Simple Minds Live Triple CD

Live Version (25th July 2012) (5:17)
Recorded: Riviera Rock Festival, Gould Arena, Antibes, France
Recorded by: Olivier Gerard
Mixed by: Olivier Gerard
Engineered by: Rudy Coclet
ISRC: GB01A1201421

5X5 Live Promo CD #1-1 5X5 Live Promo CD #2-1 5X5 Live 5X5 Live Irish Promo CD 5X5 Live LP 5X5 Live Export LP 5X5 Live LP 5X5 Live Export LP

Live Version (30th November 2012) (5:24)
Recorded: Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
Produced by: Zach Bair
Recorded and Mixed by: Matt Dever

Live 2012: Melbourne

Live Version (4th December 2012) (5:23)
Recorded: Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia
Produced by: Zach Bair
Recorded and Mixed by: Matt Dever

Live 2012: Perth

Live Version (9th December 2012) (5:26)
Recorded: Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, Australia
Produced by: Zach Bair
Recorded and Mixed by: Matt Dever

Live 2012: Mount Cotton

Live Version (12th December 2012) (5:24)
Recorded: Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Australia
Produced by: Zach Bair
Recorded and Mixed by: Matt Dever

Live 2012: Wollongong

Live Version (24th October 2018) (5:44)
Recorded: Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
Recorded by: Olivier Gerard
Produced by: Andy Wright
Mixed by: Gavin Goldberg
Assisted by: Lewis Chapman

Live In The City Of Angels 4xCD Promo Live In The City Of Angels 4xCD Limited Edition




sessions
Studio Davout: February 1982



demo discography
Demo Version (4:24)
Producer: Leckie



live history
Real To Real Cacophony Tour: 1979-1980
Empires And Dance Tour: 1980
Empires And Dance Tour: 1981
Sons And Fascination Tour: 1981
Sons And Fascination Tour: 1982
New Gold Tour: 1982-1983
Barrowlands: 1985
Greatest Hits Forest Tour: 2011
Australia: 2011
5X5 Tour: 2012
Festival Tour: 2012
Australia: 2012
A Concert In The Gardens: 2012
Big Music Winter Tour: 2015
Walk Between Worlds: 2018
Walk Between Worlds North And South American Tour: 2018
40 Years Of Hits Tour: 2020
40 Years Of Hits Tour: 2022