Glittering Prize Explained

Glittering Prize
Cover:Glittering Prize.jpg
Alt:Single by Simple Minds
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Simple Minds
Album:New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)
B-Side:Glittering Prize Theme
Recorded:
Genre:
Length:4:02
Label:Virgin
Producer:Peter Walsh
Prev Title:Promised You A Miracle
Prev Year:1982
Next Title:Someone Somewhere In Summertime
Next Year:1982

"Glittering Prize" is a 1982 hit single by the Scottish rock group Simple Minds, the 2nd released from their fifth studio album New Gold Dream, released the same year.

The song reached number 16 in the United Kingdom, but was more successful in Australia, New Zealand and Norway, where it reached the top 10.

A compilation album, released by Simple Minds in 1992, is named after the song, and is entitled Glittering Prize 81/92.[2]

Music video

The video continuously alternates between two main stages. The first one is set in a golden room where the band members (Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, and Mick MacNeil only), all dressed in black, perform the song. The other stage is set in a dark, museum-like room, under the surveillance of a napping security guard, and featuring hanging portraits of the band members' faces made of gold. A story unfolds in this latter stage as a young woman in a bikini and whose body is all painted in gold, stealthily penetrating the room and reaching out to a sarcophagus within which lies a pharaoh version of Kerr. After having touched his face and brought the other band members back to life she then drives away with them in a car. As the guard realises the burglary, the woman, now in the golden room, rests in a long chair and sips on a cocktail before the video ends.[3]

Chart positions

Chart (1982)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 9
United Kingdom (CIN)[5] 16

Notes and References

  1. Book: Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra. Robert . Dimery . 2016 . . Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84). . London . 491.
  2. Glittering Prize 81/92 Cassette Sleeve Notes by Brian Hogg, 1992
  3. Web site: Simple Minds – Glittering Prize (video). YouTube. 2016-10-30. 13 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160113221344/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucw0twciNGk. live.
  4. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 275. 0-646-11917-6.
  5. Web site: Official Charts > Simple Minds. The Official UK Charts Company. 23 April 2019. 22 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190322103600/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28243/simple-minds/. live.