Rocktrospectiva: The Global Reach "Once Upon A Time" Turns 40

Released on 21 October 1985 "Once Upon A Time" was the 7th., studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, the album spawned four singles "Alive and Kicking", "Sanctify Yourself", "All the Things She Said" and "Ghost Dancing", it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and peaked at No. 10 on the US Billboard 200.

The album paired the group with producer Jimmy Iovine, who had worked with artists featuring an aggressive guitar-based sound, including singer-songwriters Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Nicks, and he brought that approach to the band. Iovine pushed frontman Jim Kerr to deliver more energetic vocals.

Although already successful in their native UK and abroad, Simple Minds had also recently become popular in the US on the strength of the number one single "Don't You (Forget About Me)", and featured on the soundtrack for The Breakfast Club. Kerr and the band had recorded the song reluctantly and did not feel that it was worthy of inclusion on the album.  Anyway but "Once Upon A Time" would do more than cement their fame, it would define the sound of mid-80s stadium rock and mark the band’s full transformation from cult heroes to global icons.

The album arrived at the perfect moment, combining the band’s art-rock roots with a newfound commercial polish never seen before on their career. The lead single Alive And Kicking was an uplifting tone and gospel-inspired chorus captured the band's newfound optimism and global reach. Next was "Sanctify Yourself" while "All The Things She Said" and "Ghost Dancing" finished to achieved the mission and also these two singles in a gesture of conscience reflecting their political awareness, the proceeds were donated to Amnesty International.

Another highlight was "Oh Jungleland" was originally slated as a single but was replaced by Sanctify Yourself at the last minute. However, alternate mixes later appeared as B-sides to Ghost Dancing, a reminder of how much material the band had ready during this prolific period. Upon release, Once Upon A Time featured two interchangeable covers – one showing the band’s faces in profile, the other reversed – designed to fit together as a visual set. 

Critically, Once Upon A Time had certain split opinion. Some praised its ambition and emotional sweep, while others accused it of overblown grandiosity. Yet even detractors acknowledged its impact – this was the sound of a band stepping onto the global stage, unafraid to match U2 and Springsteen in scale and sincerity at the time, but despite those certain negative comparison and critics, the album had a raw energy and a solid composition that wasn't showed on the band's earlier albums, definitely the band was at their prime powers 40 years ago. 

 

Once Upon A Time Track List:

 

1. Once Upon A Time

2. All The Things She Said

3. Ghost Dancing

4. Alive And Kicking

5. Oh Jungleland

6. I Wish You Were Here

7. Sanctify Yourself

8. Come A Long Way