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chelsea girl
composers
Written by: Kerr / Burchill
publisher
© EMI Music Publishing Limited: (1979 - 2007)
© JKMC-Bucks Music Group Ltd / Hornall Music: (2008 - 2014)
© BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd: (2015 -)
background
Not connected musically with Nico's Chelsea Girls,
Jim used the title as it had atmosphere. It was based on a
Jean Shrimpton character, which was reflected in the artwork of the single.
The riff was stolen from a Lou Reed song called Temporary Thing (Rock And Roll Heart, Arista, 1976).
Both this song, and Pleasantly Disturbed, convinced Arista to sign the band.
"If the Boomtown Rats had recorded it, it would definitely have become a number one hit" - Bob Geldof.
A
live favourite from 1978, it originally clocked in at over six minutes, featuring extra
verses and breaks. This was the version recorded for the band's
second demo tape.
It was during the recording of the demo, that someone stole
Derek Forbes' guitar. He was planning on leaving
Simple Minds to play lead guitar elsewhere, but after the theft, asked to stay on as bass player.
It was recorded for their first album and considered the best song for a single.
But Life In A Day was first issued to whet the appetite before
Chelsea Girl was issued. Great things were expected of it, but it sunk without
a trace.
John Leckie tried to extend the track for a proposed 12" release. He eventually admitted
defeat, feeling the song was in a perfect arrangement already.
It became a live favourite, being featured during all their gigs in 1979.
"Promised You a Miracle was our first true pop hit, but Chelsea Girl
from our debut album was in my opinion the first really good pop song that both Charlie
and I wrote. Again, I recall clearly it coming together in an instant." - Jim.
"It was a rainy March afternoon in April’78 in fact and we were in my parent’s front room with only Charlie’s
acoustic guitar as a tool. We needed a killer "sing-along" to plop into the middle of our burgeoning live set, something that an
audience could grasp and come in on with us from the first hearing. This was "a trick" I observed Steve Harley doing during
Cockney Rebel's period of fame, when I saw them perform a handful of times, and we in turn rather ambitiously wanted to
emulate some of the spirit of the Harley shows."
"The fact that he was playing Wembley Arena type shows while we were playing the basement of a beer cellar in Shawlands, Glasgow,
somehow never managed to deter us from our desired effect, and Chelsea Girl was constructed and put together especially to be our big
throw of the dice. This was the song that we wanted, the one we needed, the call out to anyone listening with a message intact
that said we were not content to be another run of the mill punk outfit with dreams no bigger than securing a mention on the
John Peel show!"
"Did it work? You bet it did, and right off the bat too. We were inundated in fact with requests to play it sometimes two or
three times a night. The confidence it gave us was remarkable and the audience more than joined in on it also. Especially during the
break down where Brian McGee does a great job." - Jim.
The song was dramatically rearranged for the Alive And Kicking Tour of 2003.
The melody was gently toned down; gone was the accusatory questioning of the original, now replaced by a melancholy acceptance.
"I am particularly delighted with the reaction to Chelsea Girl.
The song means a lot to both Charlie and myself, least so in a true sentimental way.
Very much still kids when we wrote it. I recall with absolute clarity the feeling in my my mother's living room, that
afternoon in May 1978 when the song came together. We were convinced right there and then that we had something special on our
hands. That notion was confirmed when we
recorded it as a demo, that then went on to attract much attention
from "record company scouts." Chelsea Girl really stood out during
our live gigs as we played/toured throughout 1978 - 1980. Mick MacNeil's
harpsichord sound made it so. Sadly however, it never did become the "big hit single" that many predicted it would, and by
1981 we had stopped playing it entirely. Destined to be a footnote, a relic of Simple Minds
(amateurish pastimes) I certainly never imagined it would ever be resurrected.
But nothing is predictable within the story of Simple Minds, and I also never imagined that one day we
would be touring Europe/UK/Ireland, playing an Acoustic Tour and having some of the best shows of our lives. While also
witnessing (beautiful little) Chelsea Girl, emerge again as the
"killer song" it always was - and going down a real storm, night after night." - Jim, 21st May 2017
JK: We have a song, it was the first I thought "This is a song, not just a riff" and it was
a song called Chelsea Girl, that we did on
our first album - we did a debut on the Old Grey Whistle Test
and we played it - when we got that done - it's funny because as soon as I say 'that song', not only
do I get the image - this time we weren't sitting in Charlie's bedroom - we
were sitting in my mum's house and we were sitting on the couch and my mum worked in one of the first Greggs
in the UK. Anyway, we're working away, and we think "We got one here" and the door goes and my Mum comes back
from work and she goes "Hey boys! I've brought you strawberry tarts" [laughs] and I was like "No! No! We're working! - Oh, maybe we'll take a break."
I think they were three-day old strawberry tarts and Charlie and I
scoffed everyone. Every time I hear the song, I get kind of nauseous. A bit queasy. But that was the first
song that...
CB: She thought it was a hit.
JK: She said, "That song's a hit!" And it wasn't a hit, but it got us a record deal. We would play it live...
JE: And the Whistle Test as well?
CB: Yeah - and we screwed it up on the Whistle Test [Laughs]
JK: We still screw it up. But it got us going and we played it on
the Acoustic Tour and I'm always amazed going back to those
early songs because we think they're - well, we think we're much more sophisticated now and we didn't know
what we're doing there - but, when you go back, there's already craft there. But I think that came through
listening to records and emulating and... we wouldn't know what a 'bridge' was, we wouldn't know it was called
a 'bridge' - but there was that little bit that needed to go in there - so it was all handmade and still
is homegrown.
Interview with Jamie East
Virgin Radio
17th November 2019
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lyrics
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And now the sound of time is getting fast,
It's getting late,
Don't know if I can take much more.
The way you talk I often wondered,
If I heard the words somewhere,
Someplace before.
I got so nervous when I called,
And found that lately,
You had gone and changed your name.
But I've got something on my mind,
I want you here,
I want you now,
You better explain.
Is it true you're running round?
Now is it true they're calling you the Chelsea Girl?
Is it true you're running round?
Now is it true they're calling you the Chelsea Girl?
Your best friend never calls you up,
But you don't mind,
'Cause lately things are all the same.
Ain't it strange how people always seem,
To know your face,
But just don't know your name?
Well I don't care there's no-one there,
That even turn around and say get out of this place.
Last night I saw a shooting star,
When morning comes,
She hides away,
A real disgrace.
Is it true you're running round?
Now is it true they're calling you the Chelsea Girl?
Is it true you're running round?
Now is it true they're calling you the Chelsea Girl?
Oh Chelsea Girl,
You got me caught up in a whirl,
I want you here now Chelsea Girl.
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discography
Edit (3:55)
Producer: John Leckie
Engineer: John Leckie
Arrangement: Simple Minds/John Leckie
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Album Version (4:33)
Producer: John Leckie
Engineer: John Leckie
Arrangement: Simple Minds/John Leckie
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Demo Version (6:15)
Producer: Lex McEwan and Simple Minds
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Live Version (27th Mar 1979) (4:42)
Recorded: Old Grey Whistle Test
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Live Version (8th September 1979) (4:52)
Recorded: Paris Theatre, London, UK
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
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Live Version (24th November 2009) (4:13)
Recorded: Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (3rd December 2009) (4:47)
Recorded: MEN, Manchester, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (5th December 2009) (4:52)
Recorded: Arena, Sheffield, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (6th December 2009) (4:51)
Recorded: CIA, Cardiff, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (9th December 2009) (4:50)
Recorded: 02, Dublin, Ireland
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (11th December 2009) (4:52)
Recorded: SECC, Glasgow, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (12th December 2009) (4:56)
Recorded: AEC, Aberdeen, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (17th December 2009) (5:07)
Recorded: Popcentrum, Tilburg, Netherlands
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (23rd February 2012) (4:03)
Recorded: Cirque Royal, Brussels, Belgium
Recorded by: Olivier Gerard
Mixed by: Olivier Gerard
Engineered by: Rudy Coclet
ISRC: GB01A1201429
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Acoustic (4:27)
Producer: Andy Wright, Gavin Goldberg and Simple Minds
Recorded By: Gavin Goldberg
Mixed By: Gavin Goldberg
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Acoustic Live (10th November 2016) (4:23)
Sound Engineer: Olivier Gerard
Audio Mixed By: Olivier Gerard assisted by Rudy Coclet
Mastered By: Alan Ward
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demo discography
videography
Album Version (4:33)
Producer: John Leckie
Engineer: John Leckie
Arrangement: Simple Minds/John Leckie
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Live Version (27th March 1979) (4:42)
Recorded: Old Grey Whistle Test
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Acoustic (4:27)
Producer: Andy Wright, Gavin Goldberg and Simple Minds
Recorded By: Gavin Goldberg
Mixed By: Gavin Goldberg
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Acoustic Live (10th November 2016) (4:23)
Sound Engineer: Olivier Gerard
Audio Mixed By: Olivier Gerard assisted by Rudy Coclet
Mastered By: Alan Ward
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sessions
downloads
Live Version (24th November 2009) (4:13)
Recorded: Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (3rd December 2009) (4:47)
Recorded: MEN, Manchester, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (5th December 2009) (4:52)
Recorded: Arena, Sheffield, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (6th December 2009) (4:51)
Recorded: CIA, Cardiff, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (9th December 2009) (4:50)
Recorded: 02, Dublin, Ireland
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (11th December 2009) (4:52)
Recorded: SECC, Glasgow, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (12th December 2009) (4:56)
Recorded: AEC, Aberdeen, UK
Mixed By Concert Online
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Live Version (17th December 2009) (5:07)
Recorded: Popcentrum, Tilburg, Netherlands
Mixed By Concert Online
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live history
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