Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to space rock and shoegazer music, by the mid-1990s the band had released several EPs and two acclaimed records. They also endured name and lineup changes, breakups, health problems, drug abuse and various lawsuits. The band's commercial breakthrough was Urban Hymns and its single Bitter Sweet Symphony, which became a massive worldwide hit.
Soon after this commercial peak, the band quit amid creative struggles within, and Ashcroft went onto a successful solo career. Tong briefly joined Blur as a replacement for Graham Coxon. It is rumored that Simon Jones did a studio album with Ari Pap of the Floor Monks called 'Aint Nothing To It' and was never released because they both had bigger projects going on at the time. Close family and friends assure us its a fabulous indie/rock/alternate album and they really wish it would have been released.
The Verve were chosen to close the 2008 Glastonbury festival which they did with a set based on the classic 1997 album 'Urban Hymns'.
Discography:
A Storm in Heaven • 21 June 1993 • #27 (UK)
A Northern Soul • 3 July 1995 • #13 (UK)
Urban Hymns • 29 September 1997 • #1 (UK) #23 (US)
Forth • 25 August 2008 • #1 (UK) #23 (US)
Love Is Noise
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walk on soles that are made in China?
Feel the bright prosaic malls
In the corridors that go on and on and on
Are we blind - can we see?
We are one - incomplete
Are we blind - In the shade
Waiting for lightning - to be saved
Cause love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again
Will those feet in modern times
Understand this world's affliction
Recognise the righteous anger
Understand this world's addiction?
I was blind - couldn't see
What was here in me
I was blind - insecure
I felt like the road was way too long, yeah
Cause love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm feeling again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again, again, again, again
Cause love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that you're feeling again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again
Will those feet in modern times
Walk on soles made in China?
Will those feet in modern times
See the bright prosaic malls?
Will those feet in modern times
Recognise the heavy burden
Will those feet in modern times
Pardon me for my sins
Love is noise
Come on
The opening line of The Verve's Love Is Noise questions if our 21st-century feet will walk on soles made in a country like China, where mass-production is rife. With the next line, the song paints a picture of bright and monotonous shopping malls that stretch as far as the eye can see. The lyrics could be interpreted as a warning about the homogenization of modern urban spaces and the loss of individuality. The following lines ask if we are blind to these changes and whether we can really understand the problems facing the world today, such as addiction and anger.
The chorus of the song repeatedly asserts that love is noise and love is pain. Love is something that makes us feel the blues, which could symbolize sadness, heartbreak, or loneliness. The repetition of this line could suggest that, despite the monotony of modern life, or the challenges we face as individuals, love remains a constant source of joy and debilitation without which life would be incomplete.
The second verse of Love Is Noise takes listeners on a more personal journey, where the lyrics discuss how one's blindness to their own talents or potential can prevent them from making the most of life. The line, "I felt like the road was way too long" suggests that people may feel overwhelmed by their goals, or they may lack self-belief, which can hinder progress. The repetition of the chorus, seeing love as a source of pain and noise, subtly suggests that love might come in the form of self-love and acceptance, a concept that is reinforced by the final line, "Pardon me for my sins."
Overall, The Verve's Love Is Noise is a compelling reminder that, despite the world's problems and our individual struggles, love can still bring us joy and pain. It suggests that the key to finding happiness and fulfillment lies in accepting who we are and embracing love in all its forms.
Line by Line Meaning
Will those feet in modern times Walk on soles that are made in China?
In this modern world, will people walk on soles of shoes made in distant nations like China?
Feel the bright prosaic malls In the corridors that go on and on and on
Experience the monotone atmosphere of malls with endless aisles and no soul.
Are we blind - can we see? We are one - incomplete
Are we unaware of our true selves? Are we part of a greater whole but still feel incomplete?
Are we blind - In the shade Waiting for lightning - to be saved
Are we lost in the darkness and waiting for a sign, a spark of hope to be saved?
Cause love is noise and love is pain Love is these blues that I'm singing again Love is noise and love is pain Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again
Love is a tumultuous affair that brings both euphoria and heartbreak, and I keep singing about it again and again.
Will those feet in modern times Understand this world's affliction Recognise the righteous anger Understand this world's addiction?
Will people in this modern era truly comprehend the suffering and pain in the world and recognize the need for change?
I was blind - couldn't see What was here in me I was blind - insecure I felt like the road was way too long, yeah
I was completely unaware of what was inside of me, and my insecurity made me feel like my journey was too daunting.
Cause love is noise and love is pain Love is these blues that I'm singing again Love is noise and love is pain Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love continues to cause me both joy and sorrow and makes me keep singing about it again and again.
Cause love is noise, love is pain Love is these blues that you're feeling again Love is noise, love is pain Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again
Love is a rollercoaster that you are also experiencing, and I will continue to sing the blues about it again and again.
Will those feet in modern times Walk on soles made in China? Will those feet in modern times See the bright prosaic malls? Will those feet in modern times Recognise the heavy burden Will those feet in modern times Pardon me for my sins Love is noise Come on
Once again, will people in the modern era comprehend their role in the world, or simply walk through it numbly, and will they forgive me for my own shortcomings? All the while, love persists as an unpredictable force driving us all forward.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: NICK MCCABE, PETER SALISBURY, RICHARD ASHCROFT, SIMON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind