Simply Red’s Lead Singer Was Just 17 Years Old When He Wrote This Big Hit
Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years” became the band’s first US No. 1 in 1986, a year after its initial release failed to chart on radio. The song’s reflective lyrics grew from an exercise in writing by stream of consciousness, begun by singer Mike Hucknall when he was 17.
Hucknall said he wrote the song in 1978 after an art teacher described how artists can become absorbed in their work. He later added the chorus when forming Simply Red, explaining that the song is about knowing it is time to leave home while fearing the outside world. Although guitarist Neil Moss is credited as a co-writer, Hucknall said Moss did not write it; he gave his old friend credit in memory of their shared years in Frantic Elevators.
In short
- Hucknall began writing “Holding Back the Years” at 17.
- A 1986 re-release became Simply Red’s first US No. 1.
- Hucknall said credited co-writer Neil Moss did not write the song.
Explained simply
Simply Red are a British soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985, with singer Mike Hucknall as their frontman. Before the band, Hucknall sang with Frantic Elevators, whose members included his friend Neil Moss.
“Holding Back the Years” began as writing Hucknall did as a teenager and later became one of Simply Red’s best-known songs. Its lyrics reflect the difficult step from home into adult life, and its success helped introduce the band to a large audience.
Americas Entertainment Music World