Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (commonly referred to simply as "The Lorries") is a post-punk band formed by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney, along with bassist Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown (who would later join The Mission). Sweeney left the band in late 1981 and Reed permanently took over as vocalist, with Martin Fagan joining as a second guitarist. The group's sound, featuring a numbing guitar drone, powerfully throbbing drums Read Full BioRed Lorry Yellow Lorry (commonly referred to simply as "The Lorries") is a post-punk band formed by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney, along with bassist Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown (who would later join The Mission). Sweeney left the band in late 1981 and Reed permanently took over as vocalist, with Martin Fagan joining as a second guitarist. The group's sound, featuring a numbing guitar drone, powerfully throbbing drums, and Reed's cavernous vocal tones, caused the Lorries (as their fans came to call them) to be quickly lumped into the then-developing gothic rock scene by pop journalists, although the band themselves preferred to cite Killing Joke and Wire as influences.
The use of a drum machine seems to have been a determining feature of bands coming out of Leeds, England (the Sisters of Mercy and The Three Johns are other examples).
In 1982, independent record label Red Rhino signed the band based on the strength of some of the group's demos. Their first single "Beating My Head" made a strong appearance on the influential New Musical Express (NME) independent record chart. Fagan and Smith soon departed the band, to be replaced by Dave Wolfenden and Paul Southern respectively. In 1983 and 1984, several more singles would be released by the band (including "He's Read" and "Monkeys On Juice"). In 1985, the band's debut album, Talk About The Weather, was released and reached #1 on the NME indie rock chart. The album received generally positive reviews and sold extremely well for a small label offering. The single "Hollow Eyes" obtained good sales as well, as did follow-up non-LP singles "Chance" and "Spinning Round", the latter of which is generally felt to be the Lorries's strongest song.
The band released one more album on Red Rhino (Paint Your Wagon) in 1986, a single ("Cut Down") and a four track EP ("Crawling Mantra", released as by The Lorries), before signing to Situation Two, an off-shoot of major label Beggars Banquet Records. Two albums followed, 1988's Nothing Wrong and 1989's Blow. These albums proved to be a slight change in direction for the band. The songs here were a little slower, with stronger, more conventional melodies sweetened by occasional female backing vocals. Reed's lyrics were less downbeat, almost optimistic. Overall, Blow is a warmer album than the band's previous, somewhat dour offerings; the Lorries pretty much left their specious gothic rock trappings behind for good. Neither one of the Beggars Banquet albums appeared on any mainstream pop charts. Singles, including "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" and "Open Up" (which upon its release was chosen by NME as the magazine’s Single of the Week), also failed to chart, and the band was subsequently dropped by the label. In 1991, the band released Blasting Off on the tiny Sparkhead label. Despite the relative strength of the song "Talking Back" (released as a single prior to the LP), the album was considered a major disappointment by fans and sold poorly. Reed broke up what was left of the band at that point.
In 2004, Reed revived the band and released four new songs on their website and then toured Europe and a DVD, "Thunder in the Black Cave" soon followed. The band recently announced they will tour again in 2009.
The use of a drum machine seems to have been a determining feature of bands coming out of Leeds, England (the Sisters of Mercy and The Three Johns are other examples).
In 1982, independent record label Red Rhino signed the band based on the strength of some of the group's demos. Their first single "Beating My Head" made a strong appearance on the influential New Musical Express (NME) independent record chart. Fagan and Smith soon departed the band, to be replaced by Dave Wolfenden and Paul Southern respectively. In 1983 and 1984, several more singles would be released by the band (including "He's Read" and "Monkeys On Juice"). In 1985, the band's debut album, Talk About The Weather, was released and reached #1 on the NME indie rock chart. The album received generally positive reviews and sold extremely well for a small label offering. The single "Hollow Eyes" obtained good sales as well, as did follow-up non-LP singles "Chance" and "Spinning Round", the latter of which is generally felt to be the Lorries's strongest song.
The band released one more album on Red Rhino (Paint Your Wagon) in 1986, a single ("Cut Down") and a four track EP ("Crawling Mantra", released as by The Lorries), before signing to Situation Two, an off-shoot of major label Beggars Banquet Records. Two albums followed, 1988's Nothing Wrong and 1989's Blow. These albums proved to be a slight change in direction for the band. The songs here were a little slower, with stronger, more conventional melodies sweetened by occasional female backing vocals. Reed's lyrics were less downbeat, almost optimistic. Overall, Blow is a warmer album than the band's previous, somewhat dour offerings; the Lorries pretty much left their specious gothic rock trappings behind for good. Neither one of the Beggars Banquet albums appeared on any mainstream pop charts. Singles, including "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" and "Open Up" (which upon its release was chosen by NME as the magazine’s Single of the Week), also failed to chart, and the band was subsequently dropped by the label. In 1991, the band released Blasting Off on the tiny Sparkhead label. Despite the relative strength of the song "Talking Back" (released as a single prior to the LP), the album was considered a major disappointment by fans and sold poorly. Reed broke up what was left of the band at that point.
In 2004, Reed revived the band and released four new songs on their website and then toured Europe and a DVD, "Thunder in the Black Cave" soon followed. The band recently announced they will tour again in 2009.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Talk About the Weather
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Lyrics
Well you keep coming up to me
You keep saying that it's up to me
You ain't nothing but a true embrace
You ain't nothing but a hidden face
And you're looking fair enough to me
You just see what you want to see
I want to know if you really care
I want to take you way down there
And stand in the rain and get you wet
You say you love me but not quite yet
I want to go out there to an open space
Those tears to cry and show your face
Oh I'm so soaked to the skin
Yeah I'm so soaked to the skin
You want to talk about the weather
Saturation is a point
There's nothing left you know
Nowhere left for me to hide
Nothing left but still alive
To face it all and here today
There's nothing left in you and me
And I can't show you this inside
If all you want to do is hide
I want to take you out and get you wet
You say you love me but not quite yet
I want to go out there to a sheltered place
Those tears to cry and show your face
Oh I'm so soaked to the skin
Yeah I'm so soaked to the skin
You want to talk about the weather
Sheltered from tomorrow
As though it may never come
You hide behind a wall of stone
And then you fell you're not alone
So face it all it's here today
You love me in your sheltered way
And I can't hold you in my hands
And talk about these hidden charms
I want to take them
You want to talk about the weather
Oh I'm so soaked to the skin
Yeah I'm so soaked to the skin
You want to talk about the weather
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER PAUL REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
creepywhitegurl creepywhitegurl
TOTALLY UNDERESTIMATED BAND. THIS SONG IS MONUMENTAL!
Dominic Hand
Immense band. Brutally intense live. Massively underated.
Peter - UTRBLK
I saw them live in 1985. I had a whitenoise for a couple of days in my ears after that gig. But it doesn't matters, it was a pretty nice gig.
R. ROOKSBY
Great band, one of the most underrated of their era... x
Todd Ouellette
Love this tune. I used to have a huge poster of RLYL over my bed! Still love these guys!
theekrusher
Still one of the best post-punk songs of all time. Makes me want to smash the place up.
Vampireleniore
I freakin' love this song.
shea mcdermott
Post punk poetry. Loud and angst ridden.great stuff
Nick Morris
Saw them live many times, alwas superb, 🔊, powerful & dark. Sadli missed.
1THEDRUID
Saw them in Montreal in the late 80's....Brilliant live