SIMPLE MINDS - I TRAVEL

Released: October 17, 1980

Album: Empires and Dance

“I Travel” is a song by the Scottish band Simple Minds, released in 1980 as a single from their third album “Empires and Dance”. The track is a fast-paced, electronic-driven post-punk/new wave song with strong influences from Krautrock, disco, and early electronic music.

“I Travel” captures Simple Minds’ early experimental brilliance, blending post-punk energy with emerging electronic influences. Driven by Derek Forbes’ futuristic basslines and a pulsating rhythm, the track reflects the band’s experiences touring Europe, where the grandeur of historic cities contrasted with the tensions of the Cold War.

Lyrically, Jim Kerr paints a vivid picture of a continent marked by cultural richness and political unrest, referencing bombings and militant groups like the Red Brigade and Baader-Meinhof. His sharp, urgent vocals enhance the song’s sense of movement and unease. 

Inspired by Berlin’s club scene and influenced by artists like Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, I Travel signaled the band’s shift toward a more electronic and danceable sound, signaling their emergence as a force in post-punk music. Although it wasn’t a big hit at the time of release, “I Travel” has since become a cult favorite and is often regarded as a precursor to the synth-driven sound that dominated the 1980s. It remains a staple in Simple Minds’ live performances.

“Empires and Dance” was released on September 12, 1980 through Arista Records. Recorded at Rockfield Studios and the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, the album blends structured, danceable tracks like I Travel, This Fear of Gods, and Thirty Frames a Second with more experimental pieces such as Constantinople Line, Twist/Run/Repulsion, and Kant-Kino. Lyrically, Jim Kerr adopts the perspective of a traveler moving through central Europe, observing its political and social climate. The album charted modestly, peaking at number 41 on the UK Albums Chart.