BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been m… Read Full Bio ↴BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been making music from 1986 to the present day. They have shared members with other Bellshill bands Teenage Fanclub and The Soup Dragons. BMX Bandits were formed by songwriter and lead vocalist Duglas T. Stewart out of the ashes of The Pretty Flowers, a group that featured Stewart alongside Frances McKee (later of The Vaselines), Sean Dickson and Norman Blake. The group have had many line up changes throughout the years. Their songs mix melodic qualities and humour with, at times, raw and heartbreaking pathos. Stewart has written many of the group's works solo including "Your Class", "The Sailor's Song" and "Doorways" but also has collaborated with many of the other members. Stewart's most regular songwriting partners have been Francis MacDonald, Norman Blake and, more recently, David Scott.

The group's most celebrated song is the autobiographical "Serious Drugs", recorded in 1991 but not released until 1993. The song featured in the movie This Year's Love and was covered by American stadium power pop group Gigolo Aunts. Oasis did their first UK tour dates supporting the Bandits as a favour from Stewart to Creation label boss Alan McGee. BMX Bandits admirers include Kurt Cobain who was photographed wearing a BMX Bandits T shirt. Cobain claimed on a New York radio show that if he could be in any other band it would be BMX Bandits.

Stewart split with long term musical partner Francis MacDonald in 2005 but 2006 saw a new wave of live concert activity and the 2006 release of My Chain. Stewart's writing on the album was compared to Brian Wilson, Michel Legrand, Ennio Morricone and even Alan Bennett. The line up was expanded by the arrival of Stewart's friend David Scott and new female vocalist Rachel Mackenzie (now Rachel Allison). The follow up, 2007's Bee Stings, was influenced by classic girl group pop plus the mellow A & M sound of the late 1960s and early 70s. It had Allison singing lead on half the tracks including "Our Secret Life" co-written by Allison and former Bandit Norman Blake.

Serious Drugs
BMX Bandits Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The trouble with me
I can't give in you see
The trouble with me
I can't give in you see

I'd cut off my hair if you want me to
I'd cut off a finger if it'd get me
Your serious love
I've got serious love
I said I don't think I can much longer
She said maybe your tabloid should be stronger
Get some serious drugs
Get some serious drugs

The trouble with me
I can't give in you see

The trouble with me
I can't give in you see

Overall Meaning

The song "Serious Drugs" by BMX Bandits is a satirical take on the idea of needing drugs to cope with everyday life, particularly when it comes to love and relationships. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer is struggling with something and feels like they can't handle it anymore. The woman responds by telling him that maybe he needs stronger drugs, implying that his current "toy town medicine" (presumably over-the-counter medication) isn't cutting it. The repetition of the phrase "get some serious drugs" underscores the idea that drugs are somehow necessary to deal with the problem at hand.

However, the singer acknowledges that the "trouble" with them is that they can't give in to this idea of needing drugs. They go on to say that they would even go so far as to cut off their own hair or finger if it would get them the love they desire. This juxtaposition of extreme physical sacrifice for love and the idea that drugs are somehow necessary is meant to be humorous, but also highlights the absurdity of the idea that drugs are the answer to our problems.

Overall, "Serious Drugs" is a playful commentary on the way we often turn to medication and substance use to cope with emotional and psychological challenges. It suggests that maybe, just maybe, there are other ways to deal with these issues.

Line by Line Meaning

I said I don't think I can take it much longer
I expressed my inability to endure the current situation any further

She said maybe your tabloid should be stronger
She suggested that I could try a more potent drug

Get some serious drugs
To cope with my troubles, I need some high-strength medication

Get some serious drugs
I need to seek out powerful drugs to feel better

Toy town medicine don't make a change
Mild medicines are ineffective in bringing any relief to my condition

If you want your head rearranged
If you wish to change your mindset, try something strong

Get some serious drugs
I need to find some hardcore drugs to deal with my emotional issues

Get some serious drugs
Serious drugs are what I need to overcome my current predicament

The trouble with me I can't give in you see
My problem is that I can't simply let go and surrender to my issues

I'd cut off my hair if you want me to
I'm willing to go to any lengths to gain your affection

I'd cut off a finger if it'd get me Your serious love
I'd make any sacrifice if it leads to earning your serious love

I've got serious love
I'm extremely committed to you and my feelings are sincere

I said I don't think I can much longer
Once again, I communicated my inability to endure the current situation further

She said maybe your tabloid should be stronger
Reiterating her earlier suggestion, she recommended a stronger drug to help me cope better

Get some serious drugs
I need to find some heavy-duty medication to tackle my predicament

The trouble with me I can't give in you see
Again, I struggle to let go and accept my circumstances as they are

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DOUGLAS T. STEWART, NORMAN GEORGE BLAKE, JOE MCALINDEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@user-do1pc3nf4m

33w↑1

We played a few gigs with BMX Bandits in Japan early 90s. I was in awe. soooo good

@jamiefoyers2800

4y↑15

It's a Scottish classic this song. Love it..

@brianwalker1693

1y↑1

Love it was looking for tv series’s but found my new anthem 🎉❤

@luckies7

6y↑9

Just got home from the most fantastic BMX Bandits consert with Norman playing the guitar!!! what a great day here in norway!!!

@stephenthornton2115

4y↑5

Beautiful Genius. one of the great songs

@tianimu

12y↑13

@kablasoni this is the version sung by Norman Blake, which came out on the second single verision (double A side with Little Pony) and the Creation anthology . The original version (single and on the album "Life Goes On") was sung by Joe McAlinden. Duglas does the vocals on the "Other Mix" version (on the "Take Me To Heaven" CD single) and also on a live version found on the "We're Gonna Shake You Down" CD single.

@monchavo

9y↑8

Gigolo Aunts did a great version of this song. I wonder if Norman ever sung it at a Teenage Fanclub gig?

@BilisNegra

I can't conceive he hasn't unless the band explicitly opposed to that.

@MDCB1

4y↑3

GOOD!!!
MEMORIES!!!

@theautumnletters8280

3y↑3

Have the 12" somewhere and the b side funny face absolutely rules too🧡 hadn't heard tis in years.. just watching the creation story it came on!

@jerdrick8621

3y↑2

I said I don't think I can take it much longer She said maybe your tabloid should be stronger Get some serious drugs Get some serious drugs Toy town medicine don't make a change If you want your head rearranged Get some serious drugs Get some serious drugs The trouble with me I can't give in you see The trouble with me I can't give in you see I'd cut off my hair if you want me to I'd cut off a finger if it'd get me Your serious love I've got serious love I said I don't think I can much longer She said maybe your tabloid should be stronger Get some serious drugs Get some serious drugs The trouble with me I can't give in you see The trouble with me I can't give in you see

@jerdrick8621

3y↑1

@Shoe Gazer thanks.

@neilwhitaker6284

3y↑2

@Jerdrick 86 I was singing along to the lyrics you wrote out, with the state of the media I thought "tabloid" was brilliant :)

@jerdrick8621

@Neil Whitaker oh, hahaha.

@neilwhitaker6284

3y↑3

@Jerdrick 86 yea it was only after I sung along reading the lyrics you posted that I saw the correction and I was disapointed to be honest. I liked yours lol but I suppose tablets makes sense too.

@tarrnius

11y↑1

Ah nice one, cheers Chris! Had almost given up on this one, hooray for the interwebs

@Atlas2112

9y↑7

anyone know where i can find/buy/download this version of the song? (w/ Norm singing)

@andrewstiff494

7y↑1

It's the remix version which was not indicated in the description.

@ellyrocker

Loveee loveee so much this sweet lovely song

@davidbaines1425

4y↑1

I know it sounds the same, but changing the lyrics kinda made two songs.
Not fitting in became something many people accepted. And many people now strive for.
I grow my hair and ain't cutting it for you, etc..
The Gigalo Aunt version sounded more desolate.
In a top ten poll to find the most alike cover, as a soundalike, it would be number one, but when you listen and hear the difference, that Beatle-y, happy thing is quickley vanquished.
And anyway.. It is a f***ing film they got the name from in the first place.

@tarrnius

12y

Does anyone remember a song with the lyrics "Don't change your style love / It's just so wild love / Don't change your style love / I get a kick out of it" It sounds like the BMX Bandits but i'm pretty sure it's not them. Lamacq played it on the evening session around '94

@lordlunarian

tarrnius man, that's a 5 year old comment. Just wondering if you're still alive xD

@sillyrascal

Teenage Emergency by Flamingoes

@benedictearlson9044

@Aaron M He waited 7 years for that reply are you serious? Don't bother replying mate not waiting around for you.

@MedievalTruth

9y↑1

I dont know why, but this reminds me of the new adventures of winnie the pooh theme song. Which is funny because one is a kid's show and one is about drugs