Skids were a Scottish punk rock and new wave band, formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1977 by Stuart Adamson (guitar, keyboards, percussion and backing vocals), William Simpson (bass guitar and backing vocals), Thomas Kellichan (drums) and Richard Jobson (vocals, guitar and keyboards). Their biggest success was the 1978 single "Into the Valley" and the 1980 album The Absolute Game.
Skids played their first gig on 19 August 1977 at the Bellville Hotel in Pilmuir Street, Dunfermline, Scotland. Within six months they had released the Charles EP on the No Bad record label, created by Sandy Muir, a Dunfermline music shop owner turned manager. The record brought them to the attention of national BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. This led to a local gig supporting The Clash. Virgin Records then signed up Skids in April 1978. The singles "Sweet Suburbia" and "The Saints Are Coming" both made commercial inroads, before "Into the Valley" reached the UK Top 10 singles chart in early 1979. The band released their debut studio album, Scared to Dance, the same year. It was recorded at The Townhouse Studios in London, England with production and keyboards by David Batchelor. Adamson walked out towards the end of the sessions before all the guitar overdubs were completed. Session guitarist Chris Jenkins was chief maintenance engineer at Townhouse studios and completed the album using Adamson's studio set up, adding additional guitar to four tracks – "Into the Valley", "Integral Plot", "Calling the Tune" and "Scared to Dance". In the meantime Adamson returned to Scotland while the recording was finished. He rejoined the band for the live concert tour promotion of the album. The record included "The Saints Are Coming", which was later covered in late 2006 as a charity single by U2 and Green Day.
I casted out the image from my mind
Where did the mission say to leave a sign
On the tables, books of Paris, start to shine
Oh, the world ensembles as we dine
Let`s talk of Jackals and drink sweet wine
Peaceful times, Rome and Paris, are so fine
Oh, I`m sure I`d like to move on soon
Egyptian girls hide by the moon
Stand by monumental toys
Stand by me and cure turmoil
Stand by me exquisite boys
Stand by me and feel new soil
I sacrificed the methods of my dreams
On the latter, these new poets, stole the scene
Oh, I`m sure they feel I can`t betray
Egyptian girls can only say
In peaceful times, new writers flow
In peaceful times, new writers know
In peaceful times, new winds can blow
In peaceful times, new winds can grow
Oh, winter and the palaces and vines
My these messages that sweep the mind
Oh, I`m sure that I must carry on
Egyptian girls don`t last for long
Stand by me, the snow has come
Stand by me, Oh, do not run
Stand by me, the summer is fun