In 2003 lead singer Barney Murray left the band. Vocal duties were taken over by guitarist Dugs Mulhooly. Untill 2005 they underwent alot of line up changes, leaving Dugs and Chris (drums) as the only original members. In 2005 they released their third album Cashed Out On Culture, which had more of a punk-edge than their former two.
In 2006, whistle player Alan Confrey died from a heart attack tragically after the band returned home to Dublin after a UK tour with Stiff Little Fingers.
Early 2007 saw the departure of bassplayer and second vocalist Beano.
In december of the same year they supported The Pogues on one of their christmas shows.
Official Website
Never Be Me
Blood or Whiskey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any more I'll be having a breakdown
Working for the weekend to come around
And when they do there's still nothing going down
'cause I've been thinking about taking a holiday
Nowhere special some sun and a place to stay
All I know is I've got to get away
Won't make it just living day to day
And every time I try to think I realise it doesn't matter to me
That's no way for someone to go
I don't have to tell you, you should know
And these days I think it's time that you let go
You're staring out of your window
Onto the wasteland down below
Maybe that was the way it was meant to be
But you know that will never be me
My girl she moved to the city
Dope messed her up she don't look so pretty
I only see her every now and then these days
And when I do we ain't got so much to say
She said she'd never be a wasted hippy girl
Too much to lose so little time to change the world
Would not believe it only I was there that night
Passed out on the floor fighting for her life
Now I'm watching crap on the TV
What did I do before she used to call round to me
And I know this is getting out of hand
I tried to run when I knew I could hardly stand
The song "Never Be Me" by Blood or Whiskey is a commentary on the disillusionment of modern life. The lyrics describe the monotony and frustration of working a dead-end job and dreaming of escape. The singer longs for a holiday, somewhere that is not his depressing hometown, and worries that he is becoming unhinged from the monotony of humdrum existence.
The second verse shifts to the singer's relationship with a woman who has been destroyed by drug addiction. He remembers her as a strong-willed woman who wanted to change the world, but now she is lost to drugs. The singer is haunted by her descent and his own inability to help her. He feels helpless and disconnected, unable to escape the banality of his life, and sees her as an example of someone who will never be him.
Overall, the song is a call for change and a critique of the modern world. The lyrics point to the emptiness and disillusionment inherent in a society that values conformity and consumer culture, while denigrating individuality and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
My God this town needs a shakedown
This town needs serious changes
Any more I'll be having a breakdown
If things remain as they are, I will have a mental breakdown
Working for the weekend to come around
I'm only looking forward to the weekends
And when they do there's still nothing going down
Even on weekends, there's nothing exciting happening
'cause I've been thinking about taking a holiday
I've been considering taking a vacation
Nowhere special some sun and a place to stay
Just a simple, relaxing vacation is all I need
All I know is I've got to get away
I need to escape from my routine life
Won't make it just living day to day
I can't keep living my life without any excitement or change
Cause I've been thinking about a thousand different things
I've been contemplating various ideas and possibilities
And every time I try to think I realise it doesn't matter to me
But every time I think, I realize that none of those things are truly important to me
That's no way for someone to go
Living life without any purpose is no way to live
I don't have to tell you, you should know
I shouldn't have to explain this to you, you should understand
And these days I think it's time that you let go
It's time for you to move on from whatever is holding you back
You're staring out of your window
You're looking out of your window without any purpose
Onto the wasteland down below
You're looking at a barren, lifeless landscape
Maybe that was the way it was meant to be
Maybe this is how things are meant to be
But you know that will never be me
But I refuse to accept that as my fate
My girl she moved to the city
My girlfriend moved to the city
Dope messed her up she don't look so pretty
Drug abuse has taken a toll on her appearance
I only see her every now and then these days
I barely see her anymore
And when I do we ain't got so much to say
When we do meet, we don't have much to talk about
She said she'd never be a wasted hippy girl
She promised she wouldn't become a hopeless, aimless person
Too much to lose so little time to change the world
She believes she has too much to lose if she wastes her time on meaningless pursuits
Would not believe it only I was there that night
No one would believe what I witnessed that night
Passed out on the floor fighting for her life
She was unconscious on the ground and barely alive
Now I'm watching crap on the TV
Now I'm simply wasting my time watching bad TV shows
What did I do before she used to call round to me
I can't even remember what I did before she came to see me
And I know this is getting out of hand
I'm aware that my life is spiraling out of control
I tried to run when I knew I could hardly stand
I tried to escape my problems even though I knew I wasn't strong enough to face them
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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