Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 14­

This week forty years ago saw the second July 1986 one-week Number One on the Billboard “Hot 100”. On July 12, 1986 “Holding Back the Years” (video up top) by English pop and soul band Simply Red reached Number One. Released on November 4, 1985, the song was the third of five singles from the band’s debut studio album, Picture Book, which was released on October 11, 1985. The song was written by Simply Red’s lead singer, Mick Hucknall, and Neil Reid.

I remember that when “Holding Back the Years” came out I thought it was one of the most interesting songs I’d heard in ages. I can’t remember for sure, but I think I may have had the album Picture Book, but since my albums didn’t make it to New Zealand when I moved here 30+ years ago, I can’t remember for sure (as I recall, I had a couple hundred vinyl albums when I left Chicago).

However, if I liked Simply Red, it was nothing compared to Nigel, who really liked them. While I don’t remember what he had before we met, I know that we ended up with five of their CDs (including Picture Book, which we got very inexpensively at discount store The Warehouse, where Nigel and I bought a lot of inexpensive CDs and some DVDs). We also bought the band’s 1998 DVD, Simply Red Live In London. I still have all of those, and Simply Red is still among the most-represented acts in our collection. There were times during which Nigel would play little else (something he did with plenty of other artists, too, like Nina Simone, for example). All of which means that, for me, “Holding Back the Years” was one of many Simply Red songs in the soundtrack of my life with Nigel.

“Holding Back the Years” reached Number 16 in Australia, 6 in Canada, 40 in New Zealand (Platinum), 2 in the UK (Gold), and Number One on the USA’s “Billboard Hot 100”, 4 of their “US Adult Contemporary” chart, and 29 on their “US Hot Black Singles” chart. It also reached Number 4 on the Cash Box “Top 100” chart.

The album Picture Book reached Number 6 in Australia (2x Platinum), 7 in Canada, 9 in New Zealand (Platinum), 2 in the UK (5x Platinum), and Number 16 on the USA’s ”Billboard 200”. The album was certified Platinum in the USA.

This series will return in next week, on July 19, with the next Number One song from July 1986.

Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1986” series:

Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 1 – January 18, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 2 – February 15, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 3 – March 1, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 4 – March 15, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 5 – March 22, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 6 – March 29, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 7 – April 19, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 8 – May 3, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 9 – May 10, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 10 – May 17, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 11 – June 7, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 12 – June 14, 2026
Weekend Diversion: 1986, Part 13 – July 5, 2026