MAILING LIST SIGN UP
Sign up to the mailing list for all the latest Simply Red news and updates.
Sign Up Now
RECOLLECTIONS
Simply RedJericho
From Simply Red’s debut album Picture Book, ‘Jericho’ was released as a single in February 1986. Written by Hucknall and produced by Stewart Levine, the track critiques the power of money and the division in our society between rich and poor.
Reviewing the 1996 re-release for Q Magazine, Nick Duerden described Picture Book as “the most accomplished debut of its year”, with the timeless message of ‘Jericho’ now rejuvenated for 2025 for the new Recollections recording.
RECOLLECTIONS
SINGLE CREDITS
WEA
Released: February 1986
YZ63 7″
1. Jericho
2. Jericho (The Musical)
YZ63R 7″ Limited Edition Red Vinyl
YZ63T 12″
1. Jericho (Extended Remix)
2. Jericho (The Musical)
3. Money’s Too Tight (live)
4. Heaven (live)
Words and music Mick Hucknall
CBS Songs/So What Ltd
LYRICS
Listen boy, I’ll tell you a thing
I’ll make you a career in the business I’m in
I’ll make you rich, I’ll make you a toy
I’ll make you turn over into my little boy
Y’see I’m going somewhere
I don’t know what I’m gonna do when I get there
I know money’s a thing – your only inspiration
And your only meaning
You must think that all I do
Is spend my time making pretty pictures of you
You can fall when I will climb
But I’ll be falling over just by having you in my mind
1st chorus
Mend that fight – oh listen to them
Kickin’ up a ball inside a jericho wall
Mend that fight – it’s all twisted through them
If you ain’t rich then you won’t go to the ball
Having mercy and licking up love
And moving through your ocean like I’ve never had enough
Y’see you ain’t all I want
You’re everything and more that I have ever hoped for
You must think that all I do
Is spend my time making pretty pictures of you
You can fall when I will climb
But I’ll be falling over just by having you in my mind
1st chorus Mend that fight – oh listen to them
Kickin’ up a ball inside a jericho wall
Mend that fight – it’s all twisted through them
I’m rich, you ain’t, so you won’t go to the ball
2nd chorus
You won’t go to the ball
You won’t go to the ball
You won’t go, you won’t go
You won’t go to the ball
(repeat)
You must think that all I do
Is spend my time making pretty pictures of you
You can fall when I will climb
But I’ll be falling over just by having you in my mind
1st chorus
Mend that fight – oh listen to them
Kickin’ up a ball outside a no. 10 wall
Mend that fight – it’s all twisted through them
I’m rich, you ain’t, so you won’t go to the ball
No more!
2nd chorus
You won’t go to the ball
You won’t go to the ball
You won’t go, you won’t go
You won’t go to the ball
(repeat)
Outro:
Yeah, if you ain’t got nothing
You’ll never go there
(repeat)
I tried to make you see
I tell you I’d had enough
Money was a thing, money was a thing
Money was a thing that I believed in
(repeat)
Jericho (Official Video)
LISTEN
LIVE PERFORMANCES
BUY RECOLLECTIONS
Simply Red’s latest release, ‘Recollections’, features 40 new recordings of Simply Red classic songs, to celebrate their incredible 40 year legacy, and is available to buy now.
The album includes beautiful but faithful versions of ‘Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)’, ‘Holding Back The Years’, ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’, ‘Stars’, ‘Fairground’ and 35 other fan favourites.
‘Recollections’ is available in three physical formats – a 4 LP vinyl, a 3 CD (both featuring all 40 tracks), and a cut-down double vinyl featuring 20 of their top tracks. All formats include a special booklet containing iconic and rare photos from 1985 onwards.
