True

“True” is the eighth track from English new wave Spandau Ballet and their third studio album of the same name. The song was written by lead songwriter, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Garry Kemp, with producers Jolley & Swain in charge of production.

“True” was composed by Kemp wrote the song while he was living in his parent’s house and it has multiple meanings. The first is that Kemp wanted to pay tribute to Motown artist Marvin Gaye in a part of the song. Speaking to Fox News in May 2015, Kemp expanded on his version of tribute: “I think I wanted to write a song that was a bit like a Marvin Gaye, Al Green song, a blue-eyed soul song. It was at a time when it was me concentrating on melody first rather than the sort of riff and the groove.” The track was also rumoured to be about Kemp platonic relationship (but also unrequited love) with Altered Images band member Clare Grogan. In 2014, Kemp spoke to The Daily Telegraph about “True” and its main message: “’True’ became a song about writing a love song. Why ‘Why do I find it hard to write the next line? I want the truth to be said?’ Because I didn’t want to write it down—because there’s nothing more embarrassing.”

The music video was released in 1983 and was uploaded to YouTube in March 2009. Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the video features Spandau Ballet singing the track in a plain room with a white piano and water reflecting on the wall behind the group (who are also all in tuxedos). As of late July 2020, the video has 138.6 million views and 715 thousand likes.

Release Date: 15th April 1983

Songwriter: Garry Kemp

Producer/s: Jolley & Swain

Label: Chrysalis

Music Video Release Date: 1983

Music Video Director: Russell Mulcahy

Chart Rankings & Awards: In its year of release, “True” charted at #4 in Australia, #9 in Belgium, #5 and #1 in Canada, #13 and #17 on various charts in France; #9 in Germany, #1 in Ireland, #39 in Italy, #3 in the Netherlands and New Zealand, #21 in South Africa, #3 in Spain, #5 in Switzerland, #1 in the UK, and #4 and #1 on different charts in the US. In 2011, the track received a BMI award as it was one of the most played songs in US history with a total of 4 million airplays.

The lyrics to “True” can be accessed here: LINK