After recording a 12" of "Sunshine Smile" (b/w "I’ll Be Your Saint" and "Breathless") that was pressed to be released on record producer Pat Collier’s ‘Money To Burn,’ label the band received a gushing review in the NME. They signed to Creation Records in 1992, and after a UK tour supporting Curve they released their first single, a re-recording of "Sunshine Smile," in May of that year. Distancing themselves from the shoegaze movement by attempting to be more outspoken than traditional shoegazers, Adorable were briefly seen along with other bands Suede and The Verve as being a part of a new movement tagged ‘New Glam,’ a label attributed to Fijalkowski’s assertion that "we want to put the glamour back into pop." "Sunshine Smile" was NME’s Single of the Week, and topped the Indie Singles chart as well as entering the mainstream UK single top 100 charts for three weeks. A backlash in the press against the band’s outspoken image immediately followed, and the band were never to be interviewed in the mainstream UK press after their debut single. The band released "I’ll Be Your Saint," "Homeboy" and "Sistine Chapel Ceiling" (NME single of the Week), which all went into the Top 5 in the Indie charts, but failed to enter the mainstream Top 75. The album Against Perfection, released in 1993, went to #70 in the album charts, and the band toured the USA, Europe, Australia & Japan.
The second album, Fake, was seen as a far more introspective album, which Fijalkowski himself suggests was the result of the band feeling vulnerable. Although two singles ("Kangaroo Court" & "Vendetta") again entered high in the Indie Singles chart, the album failed to dent the mainstream Top 75, and strained relations both within the band and with Creation resulted in the band announcing their split onstage in Brussels in late 1994.
In subsequent years, the band has been re-classified as being part of the shoegaze movement. Bands such as Ash & Oasis have in the past acknowledged their admiration of the band.
Subsequent to the band’s demise Robert Dillam moved to Scotland where he joined The Zephyrs, whilst Fijalkowski went on to form the band Polak, who signed to One Little Indian Records.
Discography
Albums
Against Perfection (Creation / CRE 138) - Mar 1993
Fake (Creation / CRE 165) - Sept 1994
Footnotes - Best Of 92-94 (Cherry Red / CDMRED327) - Jan 2008
Singles
Sunshine Smile (Creation / CRE 127) - Apr 1992
I’ll Be Your Saint (Creation / CRE 133) - Jul 1992
Homeboy (Creation / CRE 140) - Oct 1992
Sistine Chapel Ceiling (Creation / CRE 153) - Jan 1993
Favourite Fallen Idol (Creation / CRE 159) - Apr 1993
Kangaroo Court (Creation / CRE 172) - Apr 1994
Vendetta (Creation / CRE 177) - Sept 1994
A to Fade In
Adorable Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hand in hand, and all alone in silent frustration
And the words he said to me just drifted away in the wind
Like this memory, like the photographs in my father's house
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
Can you see me? I can't see myself
Can you hear me? I can hardly hear myself
And I don't want to be a faded memory
All I want is to be me
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
I want to fade in
The song A to Fade In by Adorable discusses the fear and desire to be forgotten, captured through the perspective of the songwriter's relationship with his father. The first stanza sets the scene of the memory, conveying the loneliness and frustration that the songwriter feels on this walk home. The second stanza delves into the songwriter's fear of being forgotten, expressed through the desire to "fade in" rather than to "fade out" and become a "faded memory." The bridge emphasizes the songwriter's feelings of invisibility and the desperation to simply be seen and heard.
The chorus repeats the desire to "fade in," which can be interpreted as the desire to truly exist and make an impact. The fear of fading away and being forgotten is a common theme in many people's lives and is portrayed effectively in the song through the songwriter's longing to be seen and heard.
Overall, the song A to Fade In is a poignant and reflective exploration of the fear and longing to be remembered and make an impact in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember walking home with my father from the station
Reflecting on a memory where I walked home with my father from the station in silence.
Hand in hand, and all alone in silent frustration
Although we were holding hands, I felt alone and frustrated in silence.
And the words he said to me just drifted away in the wind
I couldn't even remember what my father said to me because it fades away like the wind.
Like this memory, like the photographs in my father's house
The memory of walking home with my father fades away like the old photographs in my father's house.
Can you see me? I can't see myself
I feel invisible and lost, and I can't even see myself.
Can you hear me? I can hardly hear myself
I feel unheard, and I can hardly hear my own voice.
And I don't want to be a faded memory
I don't want to be forgotten and turn into a faded memory.
All I want is to be me
All I want is to be myself without fading away.
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to grow old and turn into faded skin.
I don't want to fade out
I don't want to disappear or fade away from life.
I want to fade in
I want to become visible and present in my own life.
I want to fade in
I want to become visible and present in my own life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KEVIN GRITTON, PIOTR FIJALKOWSKI, ROBERT DILLAM, STEPHEN WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tomas_horn
I remember walking home with my father from the station
Hand in hand, and all alone in silent frustration
And the words he said to me just drifted away in the wind
Like this memory, like the photographs in my father's house
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
I want to fade in
Can you see me? I can't see myself
Can you hear me? I can hardly hear myself
And I don't want to be a faded memory
All I want is to be me
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
I want to fade in
@tomas_horn
I remember walking home with my father from the station
Hand in hand, and all alone in silent frustration
And the words he said to me just drifted away in the wind
Like this memory, like the photographs in my father's house
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
I want to fade in
Can you see me? I can't see myself
Can you hear me? I can hardly hear myself
And I don't want to be a faded memory
All I want is to be me
I don't want to be faded skin
I don't want to fade out
I want to fade in
I want to fade in
@chrishusman5342
such a beautiful song. I had this albulm on cassette in early 90's. I no longer have it.. It's not available in the U.S.
@aitvabingdonindependent9949
This dudes voice. I had so much going on when this album came out. Thank you so much Adorable. Saving me from Myself and others. Oh god how can album mean so much? Xxxxxxxxxx
@sunsetman22
To my old man, who passed away from cancer not long ago
@alistaircooke1156
One of the BEAUTIFUL songs I've ever heard in my life.
@thegoyzilla1
this song evokes so many emotions. this is such an incredible album throughout.
@sears4394
Brings me back to a Time that is faded away....sadly....where is the Time gone where the Bands had a mystery to music....but in this Song it all comes back to me thanks a lot....
@ivanmaresca9947
sweet souvenir..i was a teenager shoegazer
@ItIsWhatItIs1970
This song is sadness and joy rolled into one.
@MrsFish7
...such an incredible song... the tears well every time...