The band’s key member is guitarist/singer/composer Kevin Shields, a reclusive perfectionist and radically inventive guitarist/engineer. The band’s other original member is drummer/studio maven Colm Ó Cíosóig; during their heyday MBV also included singer-guitarist Bilinda Butcher and bassist Debbie Googe. Their band shares its name with a low-budget Canadian slasher film.
MBV influences include The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Cocteau Twins, late-1970s Wire, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and independent artists such as The Pastels. Kevin Shields has also named The Beach Boys and The Ramones as a personal influence.
After leaving Creation Records in 1992 and signing with Island Records, the band fell into a creative black hole. Rumors spread among their fans of albums being recorded and then shelved. Debbie Googe left the band to form Snowpony; she had not played bass on their recordings since You Made Me Realise. Colm Ó Cíosóig eventually left and formed a band with Hope Sandoval, formerly of Mazzy Star, called Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions. Kevin Shields sporadically collaborated with other artists, most notably Experimental Audio Research, Curve, and Primal Scream. He revealed in a fall 2003 National Public Radio interview that Island Records quit financing his My Bloody Valentine endeavors after he spent half a million pounds of their money.
As of 2006, many rumors mentioned the possible reformation of MBV for a new studio album, but none of these were true. On November 15 2007, My Bloody Valentine announced three upcoming live gigs in the UK for 2008. On June 13 and 14, the band played in public for the first time in thirteen years, offering a pair of "Live Rehearsal" presentations at the ICA in London and officially starting their series of comeback performances. The band went on to play a slew of festivals in Summer and Fall of 2008. Following their appearance at the 2008 All Tomorrow's Parties festival, the New York Times reported that Shields was planning to complete the unfinished album.
On 2 February 2013 they self-released the self-titled album m b v as a download with both vinyl and CD copies shipping on 22nd Feb 2013. The Huffington Post reported that it caused such a public stir that the official MBV website crashed when fans attempted to access the site to purchase a copy.
Strawberry Wine
My Bloody Valentine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Close your eyes, crystal eyes
On the darkside let the light shine
Please, please stay with me tonight
These lips will find strawberry wine
I was looking at your window
Lurking there beneath my feet
Cherry apples, long grass meadows
(searching) I, for dreams in sleep
These lips will find strawberry wine
Misty morning in the springtime
Lurking there beneath your feet
On the darkside let the light shine
Think of me, don't let me keep
These lips will find strawberry wine
The lyrics to My Bloody Valentine's "Strawberry Wine" evoke memories of springtime, nostalgia, and just a touch of desperation. The opening lines set the scene: a misty morning in the springtime. The singer asks the listener to close their eyes and let their "crystal eyes" take in the beauty around them. Yet there is a sense of yearning here, a sense that the moment might be brief and fleeting. The singer implores the listener to "please stay with me tonight," as if they know that this idyllic scene will soon come to an end.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes in. The singer declares that "these lips will find strawberry wine." The phrase is repeated several times and takes on a mystical quality. It's not entirely clear what the singer means by "strawberry wine" – is it a literal drink, or a metaphor for something else? However, the phrase is undeniably poetic and adds to the dreamlike quality of the song.
The rest of the lyrics continue to paint a picture of a serene, natural world. The singer references "cherry apples," "long grass meadows," and dreams that they are searching for in their sleep. There's a sense of the singer being lost in this beautiful world, unsure of where they fit in or what they're looking for. Yet they know that somehow, "these lips will find strawberry wine."
Overall, "Strawberry Wine" is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures a specific moment in time. The lyrics suggest a desire to hold onto that moment and make it last, even though the singer knows that it's impossible. It's a song that's open to interpretation, but one thing is clear – there's something magical about that strawberry wine.
Line by Line Meaning
Misty morning in the springtime
Setting the scene of a refreshing and rejuvenating spring morning
Close your eyes, crystal eyes
Encouraging the listener to embrace and enjoy the beauty of the moment
On the darkside let the light shine
Acknowledging that even the darkest aspects of life can have a glimmer of hope and positivity
Please, please stay with me tonight
Expressing a desire for companionship and human connection
These lips will find strawberry wine
Promising to indulge in life's pleasures and enjoy the moment
I was looking at your window
Revealing a yearning to be close to someone and observe them
Lurking there beneath my feet
Eager to explore and discover new experiences
Cherry apples, long grass meadows
Painting a picture of idyllic surroundings and simple pleasures
(searching) I, for dreams in sleep
Admitting to the search for something more in life, possibly in one's subconscious
Misty morning in the springtime
Repeating the opening line for emphasis and a sense of continuity
Lurking there beneath your feet
Highlighting a sense of intrigue and fascination with someone
On the darkside let the light shine
Encouraging optimism and positivity even in dark times
Think of me, don't let me keep
Requesting the recipient to keep the person in mind and maintain communication
These lips will find strawberry wine
Repeating the promise of enjoying life's pleasures and being present in the moment
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kevin Patrick Shields
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind