They recruited rapper Kermit and drummer Ged Lynch of the Manchester-based group The Ruthless Rap Assassins, plus guitarist Wags from The Paris Angels. Recording of new material started that year, although the group were not under contract. The key addition to the band was bassist and guitarist Danny Saber, who became Ryder's key musical foil.
In 1995 they signed to Radioactive Records (an imprint of major label BMG) and released their debut album, produced by Saber and Stephen Lironi. It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah immediately charted at number 1 in the UK, and spawned three Top 20 singles. According to Songfacts, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich listed it as his favorite CD of 1996.
Black Grape's music was funky and eclectic, using varied instrumentation and samples. Ryder's lyrics seem to derive mainly from nonsense rhymes and humorous catch-phrases. The debut album received critical acclaim in Britain, riding high during the then fashionable Britpop wave but the group made little impact in the U.S..
The subsequent album, 1997's Stupid Stupid Stupid was less favoured and charted at number 11 in the UK. The group split in 1998 after Ryder fired the rest of band while touring.
The band reformed for a one-off live show, their first in over 10 years, for Get Loaded in the Dark at the Coronet, London, on April 1, 2010. Five years later, the band announced plans for a tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their debut album. A reunion album, Pop Voodoo, was released in August 2017, although only Ryder and Kermit remained from the original lineup, with Youth handling bass, songwriting, and production duties.
Marbles
Black Grape Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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Why you say yes
When you know you mean no
(Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies)
And all you gonna do, but you don't
(You never do)
You say that you know, but you don't know
I can smell your funk through the window
(Jesus)
And I know that you're busy, and it sucks ?
And I know you'll swap a kidney for a stone
Well, I saw you swap a kidney for a phone
Well, nanananaaa nana na
Nanananaaa nana na nana na
Why you say yes
When you know you mean no
Why you say yes
When you know you that you know
Why do you say yeah
When you you mean no
I can even smell the smell through the window
(For the funk the funk of it)
You say you will, but you won't
And if you're gonna get out, then don't
Misleadin' deceivin'
Goin' to the top
Your misdemeanors just won't stop
Blast off your socks
You sell your kidney for rock
Nanananaaa nana na
Nanananaaa nana na nana na
Why you say yes
When you know you mean no
Why you say yes when you mean no
Why you know you that you know
Snake eyes, foretold
Step to the gate, cause you know you're tellin' lies
Snake eyes, foretold
Step to the gate, cause you know you're tellin' lies
Snake eyes, foretold
Step to the gate, cause you know you're tellin' lies
Why you say yes
Why you know you mean no
Why you say yes when you mean no
Why you know you that you know
Why you say yes
Why you know you mean no
Why you say yes when you mean no
Why you know you, yes, you know
The lyrics to Black Grape's song "Marbles" tell a story about someone who says yes when they mean no, lies and cheats to get what they want. The singer of the song seems to be calling them out for their behavior, saying that they can smell their deceit from afar. The lyrics suggest that this person is willing to do anything to get what they want, even if it means selling their own kidney for a phone or drugs.
The chorus of the song repeats the question - "why you say yes when you know you mean no" - which seems to underline the theme of deceit and duplicity. The song first appeared on the Manchester-based band's debut album It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah in 1995, and was written by frontman Shaun Ryder and co-writer/producer Danny Saber.
The song's title is a reference to marbles - small, round objects that can be easily lost or won. This could be seen as a metaphor for the game of life, where some people are willing to cheat and lie to get ahead, while others play by the rules.
Line by Line Meaning
Why you say yes
When you know you mean no
Questioning why the person being addressed says 'yes' when they actually mean 'no'
Then you say you will, but you won't
(Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies)
Accusing the person addressed of constantly lying about doing something they have no intention of doing
And all you gonna do, but you don't
(You never do)
Highlighting the person addressed's inability to follow through on their promises
You say that you know, but you don't know
I can smell your funk through the window
(Jesus)
Pointing out that the addressed person pretends to know things they don't and exposing their bad odor
And I know that you're busy, and it sucks ?
And I know you'll swap a kidney for a stone
Well, I saw you swap a kidney for a phone
Commenting on the addressed person's busy schedule and willingness to trade things of great value for small gifts, such as a kidney for a phone
Misleadin' deceivin'
Goin' to the top
Your misdemeanors just won't stop
Blast off your socks
You sell your kidney for rock
Accusing the addressed person of bad behavior and calling out their tendency to prioritize their immediate desires over their wellbeing
Snake eyes, foretold
Step to the gate, cause you know you're tellin' lies
Using a metaphor to emphasize the dishonesty of the addressed person
Why you say yes
When you know you mean no
Why you say yes when you mean no
Why you know you that you know
Reiterating that the addressed person should stop pretending and lying
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL LEVERIDGE, CARL MC CARTHY, SHAUN RYDER, DANNY SABER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
St_ate 1
This is so good it sounds like a parody of Black Grape's sound. The style of the video is so cool.
flytune 74
Love the grape take me back to the mash up. . God bless you boys.. pure and true.!
Bruno Gesche
@68majortom That Kermit and the other black lad who rapped started thinking they were the next biggie and Tupac and were going behind Shauns back. Black grape was over by 98 the magic had gone so Shaun was off... With the takings lol.
68majortom
@Alberto he'd always been on Smack even in the Mondays & when he came back with the Grape they certainly were not CLEAN neither him nor Kermit they were both still dabbling, as the Title says IGWYSY!
Shaun would say "i still need a bit of Bugle for Gigs, but it's not like what it used to be" next thing he's stealing the Band's Fee for their Glasgow Gig in 98, the reason "his Ma needs a new TV" then he tells the Music press "Kermit injecting into his Cock is as normal as my Ma making me a cup of Tea" GRAPE & GAME OVER, don't think they spoke for a while after that, which was a huge disappointment, what Songwriting Partners they made as the last LP proves 20 yrs apart & they produce the excellent "Pop Voodoo" just wish he'd write new Mondays Material, but that Reunion is just a Greatest Hits Tour for the new Generation of Kids imo ✌️😎
68majortom
his return after the Mondays breakup was messiach, nobody thought they'd see him alive again never mind come back with an lp the quality of IGWYAS..Y!!
at the gigs the crowds were going bananas!!!
Tom Green
duke.genesis
benjamin upton
this track sounds like a party.i wanna be there
paul869406
I don't think ya woulsd
Joanne Donoghue
Love it👌♥️ of
lag cossy
Bangin!!!