Friend
Andy Bell feat. Shelter Lyrics
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The punks were never cool
But we didn't care anyway
And even in the scene
When it was cool to be mean
We walked the other way
Rebels from birth this world had no worth
But then you went astray one day
That you gave up the fight
And walked away; you ran away
We could of made that change,
We could of set this world,
This world on fire
What happened to your desire
How did you think that I would feel?
Didn't you think I was for real?
I know it's been so long since then
But It's time I sent this letter to my friend
We had dreams and schemes
That they laughed about
But we didn't care anyway
I feel hurt and confused
When I think of you
Where do you stand my friend is it too late?
We stayed up all night and talked about life
We seemed so sober those days
We stood side by side
And I don't know why you threw it away
What can you say?
Well I'm gonna make that change
I'm gonna set this world
This world on fire
Whou cares about your pretty desires
Andy Bell's "Friend" is a song about two friends who bonded in their teenage years as outcasts in school due to their punk lifestyle. The lyrical story recounts their shared experiences, their hopes and dreams, their loyalty to one another, and how they looked with disdain to the social standards. Bell sings of disillusionment as his former friend decided to abandon this way of life.
In the first stanza, Bell draws a contrast between himself and his friend: they both could never identify with the mainstream's idea of "cool," but only Bell remains loyal to their punk ethos. Bell expresses his disappointment when his friend left the scene and "walked away"; the world around them is worthless if they abandon their values, he believes. Bell questions his friend's decision and asks how he could have thought Bell would not feel conflicted by his choices. Their dreams and schemes, the ones that they were so passionate about, the things their peers ridiculed, are now lost.
In the chorus, Bell's lead-vocal pleads to his friend, conveying how he's hurt and confused about their relationship. He extols the beauty of their friendship, which they both cherished, and wonders if it's too late for it. Nonetheless, he resolves to bring back the passion they once shared and light a spark in a world that doesn't see any value in it.
Line by Line Meaning
We were friends since school
We became friends during our school days.
The punks were never cool
Punks were never considered cool by society.
But we didn't care anyway
We didn't let society's opinion affect our friendship.
And even in the scene
Even in the social hierarchy of the punk genre.
When it was cool to be mean
Where being mean was considered fashionable.
We walked the other way
We decided not to conform to the social norms of the genre.
Rebels from birth this world had no worth
We were rebels from the beginning and didn't think much of the world.
But then you went astray one day
But one day, you changed and did something unexpected.
And I don't think it's right
And I don't believe it was the right decision.
That you gave up the fight
That you gave up fighting for what you believed in.
And walked away; you ran away
And left without any explanation, almost as if running away.
We could of made that change,
We had the potential to make a difference.
We could of set this world,
We had the power to change the world.
This world on fire
To ignite a passion in others to make a change.
What happened to your desire
What happened to your motivation and drive?
How did you think that I would feel?
Did you not consider my feelings in your decision?
Didn't you think I was for real?
Did you not take our friendship seriously?
I know it's been so long since then
It has been an extended period since our last conversation.
But It's time I sent this letter to my friend
But I feel it's time to reach out to you with this letter.
We had dreams and schemes
We had aspirations and plans.
That they laughed about
That others ridiculed.
But we didn't care anyway
But we pursued them regardless of what others thought.
I feel hurt and confused
Your actions have left me feeling upset and uncertain.
When I think of you
When I reflect on our past and present.
Where do you stand my friend is it too late?
What's the current status of our friendship, and can it be mended?
We stayed up all night and talked about life
We had deep conversations about matters that impacted our lives.
We seemed so sober those days
We appeared mature and responsible in our discussions.
We stood side by side
We supported each other.
And I don't know why you threw it away
And I'm unsure why you gave up on our friendship.
What can you say?
What explanation do you have for your actions?
Well I'm gonna make that change
I'm going to take the initiative to fix our relationship.
I'm gonna set this world
I'm going to create an impact in this world.
This world on fire
I'm going to ignite a passion in people.
Whou cares about your pretty desires
Who cares about your superficial wants when there are significant issues that require attention.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRAHAM LAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RainbowBiz Limited
How fabulous, the lovely Mr Bell supporting the Shelter boys once again! We are feeling the love here today :-)
Joanne-Lorraine Smith
Classic 'Shelter', 'Andy Bell', 'Vince Clarke', 'Erasure', 'Yazoo', 'Alison Moyet', 'Depeche Mode', 'VCMG' with 'Apple Music' I can't go wrong:))))