Th… Read Full Bio ↴Aztec Camera was a Scottish Indie pop/New Wave band from Glasgow.
The line-up of the band changed several times over the years, but the constant member had been guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Roddy Frame. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums). Ex-Bluebells bassist Craig Gannon was a member from 1983 through 1985, before joining The Smiths. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K and Orange Juice) also joined in 1983, and appeared on the Knife album.
Aztec Camera first gained recognition as part of the Scottish post-punk scene along with bands like Orange Juice and Josef K, all of which released singles on the influential Glasgow-based label Postcard records. The band's first UK 7" single was released by Postcard in 1981, containing the songs "Just Like Gold" and "We Could Send Letters". The latter was included on the NME's C81 compilation, which pointed strongly towards the future C86 indie pop movement in the United Kingdom.
Though most commonly remembered generally as part of the 80s New Wave era, Aztec Camera has gone through numerous stylistic changes throughout their career, ranging from stripped-down, almost pastoral post-punk to slicker, more sophisticated pop rock as well as jazz and latin influenced acoustic ballads. As Roddy Frame's guitar playing has always been the signature of the band's music, guitar pop might be a more succinct description.
Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, was released in 1983. However, Owens and Mulholland left the group before the release, leaving Frame to complete the album alone. The album was quite successful, gathering significant critical acclaim for its well-crafted, multi-layered pop. The band went on to release a total of six albums, although most of these were essentially written and played by Frame. The albums included Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995).
After the release of their sixth album, Frestonia, Frame finally dissolved the band to go solo.
Popular songs by Aztec Camera include "Oblivious", "Somewhere in My Heart", and "Good Morning Britain" (a duet with former Clash guitarist Mick Jones).
The group have also done cover versions of Blue Orchids "Bad Education", and a slowed-down version of Van Halen's Jump.
A 'Best of' collection was released in 1999.
Get Outta London
Aztec Camera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
TV lying to me through the gloom
Even remote control
Can't change this mood
Get outta London, while the getting's good
Get outta London, while I know I could
Get outta London
Train's come just ride and believe
The engine running's all the music I need
I've got a fear of the past
And a hunger to feed
Get outta London and you shall be free
Get outta London and it's guaranteed
Get outta London
I walked the avenue of dumb signs
Meant nothing and it felt fine
Then I remembered what was really mine
A silver shiver running down my spine
Down where the streets are pave with sick schemes
The river's running like a snake through the dream
The politicians gaze across it's slime
I need another way to waste my time
Get outta London, get outta London
I saw the specter of charity
And he didn't seem too brotherly
Popping up what should be blown away
A brotherhood of man in disarray
I got hit by the dreamers disease, where by your big ideas
Don't make connection with your buckling knees
And saw the greed and we agreed that it sucked
But they said, "Don't laugh at money 'cause it's bad, bad luck"
Get outta London, get outta London
Get outta London, get outta London
Get out, get out, get out
Get outta London
The opening lines of Aztec Camera's "Get Outta London" paints a lonely scene of a sun dying on a dusty room, with the TV serving as the only company. The singer seems to be trapped in a somber mood that not even the remote control can alter. The sentiment is relatable to anyone who has ever been weighed down by the depressing realities of life in a big city, with the concrete jungle often leaving people feeling isolated and disconnected. The singer then makes a call to leave London before it's too late, before they become unresponsive to any inspiration or ideas for change, while the music in the background serves as a call to action, telling them to take the train and leave.
The second verse seems to solidify the singer's resolve to leave London behind. They walk along the avenue of dumb signs that meant nothing but felt fine until they remembered what was theirs, and their thoughts are interrupted by a silver shiver running down their spine. The lyrics also reference the sick schemes pave the streets of London, with the river running through the city like a snake. The politicians gaze upon the slime, and the singer wants out of this greasy world.
The third verse addresses the disconnect between big ideas and reality. The singer mentions the dreamers' disease where people's big ideas don't connect with their buckling knees. The singer laments the greed and hypocrisy that comes with the pursuance of wealth. The chorus repeats the desire to leave the place that has got the singer so disillusioned.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun dying on a dusty room
The room is dim and dusty as the sun sets
TV lying to me through the gloom
The TV is on but it's not providing accurate representation of reality
Even remote control
Even with the use of a remote control,
Can't change this mood
I can't improve my mood
Get outta London, while the getting's good
It's better to leave London while the situation is favorable
Get outta London, while I know I could
I have the option to leave London and I should take it
Get outta London
Leave London behind
Train's come just ride and believe
The train has arrived, just get on and have faith
The engine running's all the music I need
The train's engine noise provides enough music
I've got a fear of the past
I'm afraid of what's already happened
And a hunger to feed
But I also have a desire for something more
Get outta London and you shall be free
Leaving London will bring freedom
Get outta London and it's guaranteed
It's guaranteed that leaving London will be beneficial
I walked the avenue of dumb signs
I strolled down a street littered with meaningless signs
Meant nothing and it felt fine
Despite the lack of meaning, I'm content
Then I remembered what was really mine
But then I realized what was truly important to me
A silver shiver running down my spine
It gave me a sudden jolt of excitement
Down where the streets are pave with sick schemes
The part of town where the streets are lined with dishonest businesses
The river's running like a snake through the dream
The river flows like a snake through the deceptive landscape
The politicians gaze across it's slime
The corrupt politicians are aware of its seedy nature
I need another way to waste my time
I need to find a new way to spend my time
I saw the specter of charity
I witnessed the idea of charity
And he didn't seem too brotherly
But it didn't seem genuine or brotherly
Popping up what should be blown away
Charity is trying to fix problems that should be completely eradicated
A brotherhood of man in disarray
Instead of unity, there's chaos and disorganization
I got hit by the dreamers disease, where by your big ideas
I was struck with the 'dreamer's disease,' where my grand plans
Don't make connection with your buckling knees
Don't match the reality of the situation
And saw the greed and we agreed that it sucked
I saw how greed has ruined things and we both acknowledge its destructiveness
But they said, "Don't laugh at money 'cause it's bad, bad luck"
However, some people believe that it's bad to laugh at money because of the potential consequences
Get outta London, get outta London
Reiteration of the importance of leaving London
Get outta London, get outta London
Get out of London, immediately
Get out, get out, get out
Emphasizing the necessity to leave London
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RODDY FRAME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind