Black Box Recorder were an indie pop/trip-hop group from London, England co… Read Full Bio ↴Black Box Recorder were an indie pop/trip-hop group from London, England consisting of Sarah Nixey (vocals), Luke Haines (guitar, vocals) and John Moore (guitar, vocals). They debuted in 1998 with England Made Me, a collection of lyrically sophisticated pop tunes. They followed this up with The Facts of Life, which gave them their first hit with the single of the same name in April 2000. Their third album, Passionoia, was released in 2003. There is also a compilation album, The Worst of Black Box Recorder, a collection of B-sides, cover versions and remixes.

Musically, the group were influenced by trip-hop, ambient music, and French electronic groups such as Air. However, the lyrics to these lush and romantic melodies are frequently bleak, ironic or sarcastic.

Start As You Mean to Go On
Black Box Recorder Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I left school and hit the high street
Had my youth in six weeks flat
Top shelf dust and Glastonbury
Learnt to be a secretary
If I can't have it, nobody can
You follow the instructions, it's all part of the plan
When you start as you mean to go on
Lets get married, lets have children

Split up when we're twenty two
Cut our losses, screw our bosses
Get out while we're still young
If I can't have it, nobody can
You follow the instructions, it's all part of the plan
When you start as you mean to go on
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Paradise often falls apart
Home improvements for amusement
Smash this place to smithereens
Don't forget to pay the premiums
Go abroad, don't leave the gas on
If I can't have it nobody can
You follow the instructions, it's all part of the plan

When you start as you mean to go on
When you start as you mean to go on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Box Recorder's song "Start As You Mean to Go On" depict a cynical and disillusioned perspective on life, especially in regards to societal expectations and norms. The opening lines describe the transition from school to adulthood, with the singer suggesting that they quickly abandoned any idealistic notions they might have had and instead embraced a materialistic and superficial lifestyle. The references to "top shelf dust and Glastonbury" suggest drug use and hedonism, further emphasizing the singer's sense of disillusionment.

The second verse continues this theme, with the singer sarcastically proposing that getting married and having children is a recipe for happiness, only to later suggest that it's better to "cut our losses" and "get out while we're still young." The repeated line "If I can't have it, nobody can" reflects the singer's sense of frustration and bitterness, perhaps hinting at a sense of resentment towards the societal structures that pressuring them into conformity. The final lines of the song offer a series of disconnected suggestions for living, ranging from "smash this place to smithereens" to "don't forget to pay the premiums," suggesting a kind of nihilistic apathy towards the world.

Overall, "Start As You Mean to Go On" offers a bleak and sardonic perspective on life, with the lyrics painting a picture of a world where conforming to societal expectations only leads to disappointment, disillusionment, and ultimately a sense of despair.

Line by Line Meaning

I left school and hit the high street
I dropped out of school and started working immediately.

Had my youth in six weeks flat
I quickly experienced everything I thought I should while I was young.

Top shelf dust and Glastonbury
I dabbled in drugs and attended music festivals.

Learnt to be a secretary
I acquired skills to work as an office assistant.

If I can't have it, nobody can
If I can't get what I want, I will ruin it for everyone else.

You follow the instructions, it's all part of the plan
You must adhere to the rules because it's all part of the scheme.

When you start as you mean to go on
The way you begin will determine how you proceed in the future.

Lets get married, lets have children
We should enter into a committed relationship and have a family.

Split up when we're twenty two
We should end the relationship when we're still young.

Cut our losses, screw our bosses
Let's cut ties with our employers and take risks.

Get out while we're still young
Let's leave before we become stuck in our current situations.

Paradise often falls apart
The seemingly perfect things in life often crumble and falter.

Home improvements for amusement
We make home improvements not necessarily because they are needed, but for our entertainment.

Smash this place to smithereens
Let's destroy everything and start fresh.

Don't forget to pay the premiums
We must keep up with payments or we'll face consequences.

Go abroad, don't leave the gas on
Let's travel and have fun, but be responsible and safe.

When you start as you mean to go on
The way you begin will determine how you proceed in the future.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JONATHAN EDWARD HOADLEY FOSTER-MOORE, LUKE MICHAEL HAINES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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