All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
Bauhaus Lyrics
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Was everything
All we ever got
Was cold
Get up, eat jelly
Sandwich bars and barbed wire
And squash every week into a day
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
The sound of the drum
Is calling
The sound of the drum
Has called
Flash of youth shoot out of darkness
Factory town
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh to be the cream
Oh to be the cream
Oh to be the cream
Oh to be the cream
Oh to be the cream
Oh to be the cream
The song “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” by Bauhaus is a melancholic reflection of the disappointment and disillusionment felt by a generation. The verses communicate a sense of futility in aspirations - the desire for everything being constantly thwarted by the cold, harsh reality of life. The first two lines of the song - “All we ever wanted was everything / All we ever got was cold” - set the tone of the piece, with the repetition of the phrase “all we ever” emphasizing the frustration felt by the singer. The sense of hopelessness is further portrayed in the lines “Get up, eat jelly / Sandwich bars and barbed wire / And squash every week into a day”, which paint a picture of a mundane and monotonous existence.
The chorus provides a contrast to the verses, with its uplifting and rhythmic quality. The repetition of the phrase “oh oh oh oh” evokes a sense of primal energy, while the lines “The sound of the drum / Is calling / The sound of the drum / Has called” suggest the possibility of escape or transcendence. The final lines of the song, “Oh to be the cream”, are a repeated mantra-like phrase, which, while ambiguous in meaning, suggest a longing for a state of purity, perfection or excellence.
Line by Line Meaning
All we ever wanted
We had high hopes and desires
Was everything
We wanted it all
All we ever got
But we ended up with
Was cold
Emptiness and disappointment
Get up, eat jelly
Our days are filled with mundane activities
Sandwich bars and barbed wire
We feel trapped and confined
And squash every week into a day
We are constantly racing against time
The sound of the drum
The call of adventure
Is calling
Beckoning us to follow
The sound of the drum
The beat of our hearts
Has called
Already awakened our spirits
Flash of youth shoot out of darkness
A glimmer of hope appears
Factory town
Despite living in an oppressive environment
Oh to be the cream
We dream of standing out from the crowd
Oh to be the cream
To be unique and special
Oh to be the cream
To be recognized and valued
Oh to be the cream
But perhaps it's just wishful thinking
Oh to be the cream
In the end, we are all the same
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Daniel Gaston Ash, David Jay, Kevin Haskins, Peter John Murphy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dekkyboys
lot comments here about david bowie, and not enough bauhaus -pete murphy amazing vocalist
@AladineSane007
Agree 100%
@nigelleslie3896
I think the lesser informed think it is Bowie singing, not Pete Murphy, Daniel Ash and co. They were always my favourite Goth band.
@esssbeeee4312
Agreed! Don’t get me wrong I love the man who fell to earth and of course David Bowie but Peter Murphy is incredible! 💯
@esssbeeee4312
Nigel Leslie I saw love and rockets at the Greek theater in Berkeley EPIC ! 1986 or 7 🤔 I 🖤 Daniel Ash
@dynamite3690
I love both of them. Just Peter Murphy never gets the recognition he deserves, his solo work is ... so good!
@esmeraldajasmine4042
This song describes Peter Murphy the main singer of Bauhaus’s mundane life where he grew up in Northampton in England. He was a book binder for years and he wanted to get out of that monotonous life in there and he did become a legend. Grandfather of goth, we salute you!!
@AnthonyHarris-gw3fx
Kombat
@AnthonyHarris-gw3fx
Master Raden Tecken for me Ligeria aslum party 🪦5️⃣⚰️
@MB-kz5rh
These lyrics are an universal anthem for avoiding being trapped in a dull life.