They are commonly regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement and the punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock genres in general. They are primarily remembered for their singles, a string of would-be hits that combined a strong grasp of pop song craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece" The widely covered "Ever Fallen in Love?" remains one of their best-known songs.
The name "Buzzcocks" partially comes from the Manchester slang term cock meaning youngster, and its use in the 1970s ITV drama serial Rock Follies which included the catch phrases "that's the buzz, cocks" and "give me a buzz, cock!"
Buzzcocks were one of the key first generation British punk rock bands to form in the wake of the Sex Pistols in 1976. They were founded by Mancunians Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, however Devoto left soon after the group released their Spiral Scratch EP (on their own independent label), leaving Shelley to take over vocals.
They are best known for their catchy, poppy punk sound, which has been widely influential, which was adopted as Peter Shelley took over on the vocals, singing about what the whole punk rock scene opted not to sing about: love. Devoto in the meanwhile formed Magazine.
They rehearsed in a friend's kitchen and played at the all-day 100 club punk "festival", in London. At the end of 1977 the band signed to United Artists and released "Orgasm Addict", with Shelley's high-pitched vocal delivery and Ramones-esque fuzz-guitar sound ensuring the controversial single would be played over again. Later came "What Do I Get?" which hit the UK charts and showed Shelley's brilliance in songwriting.
An LP was then released, Another Music in a Different Kitchen which came with its own carrier bag, labelled "Product". In 1978-79 five chart-hitting singles were released including "Ever Fallen in Love?" and had captured a pop-loving audience by this time. Love Bites, their second LP was released later on, which had less excitement than the last album, though it did sell well, with Steve Diggle taking over lyric-writing.
October 1979 saw A Different Kind of Tension which was panned by some critics, quite unfairly, as it contains some excellent songs, the title track being the stand-out. It perhaps suffered from being the second album to be released that year, with the record company keen to capitalise on the band's chart success at the time.
3 more singles followed in 1980, but the spark had clearly gone out for a while. Musical differences and the long slog behind them led to the band splitting in early 1981. Pete Shelley embarked in a solo career..
He released three dance/electronic influenced solo albums: Homosapien, XL1 and Heaven and The Sea - all with the same fine songwriting skills. Meanwhile, Steve Diggle formed Flag of Convenience - a power pop combo - and toured with some success.
A 5 album/CD set was released in 1989 called Product, which contained all the albums to date, plus the greatest hits and B sides album, Singles Going Steady, and the last non-album singles, Why She's A Girl From the Chainstore, Airwaves Dream and Running Free, plus the B sides
In 1992 the Buzzcocks reformed, without original drummer John Maher and bassist Steve Garvey, and releasd Trade Test Transmissions in 1993, quite different from their earlier material, with nods to the power pop scene popular at the time. All Set in 1996 saw a return to form with familiar riffs and pin sharp lyrics pop-punk. Next year Chronology was released, the missing album, including outtakes from the three United Artists albums. In 1999 they released Modern, which saw Shelley in reflective mode and Steve Diggle taking over more of the vocal duties.
Then followed another brief break in 2000, with Shelley teaming up with old band-mate Howard Devoto to release a largely disappointing album, Buzzkunst. Compilations followed, including Inventory in 2003, which contained every single to date, and 30 in 2005 to celebrate 30 years performing
2005 saw the Buzzcocks back touring and in 2007 they released the superb Flat Pack Philosophy, widely agreed to rank up with the best of Buzzcocks output
2008/9 saw a short tour where the band played tracks from Another Music and Love Bites.
In August 2011 they headlined the first night of The Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire.
In November 2011 it was announced they would be playing two shows in 2012 that would feature the original line-up as well as the classic line-up of the band reunited for the first time in many years; these shows took place on 25 May 2012 in Manchester at the O2 Apollo and on 26 May in Brixton at the O2 Academy. It was announced on 26 May 2012 that, for the first time, they would headline Thursday night in the Empress Ballroom at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool sharing the stage with the likes of Rancid, Public Image Limited and Social Distortion.
On 1 May 2014 Buzzcocks released the album The Way via PledgeMusic. On 13 September 2014 Buzzcocks played "a brief but triumphant set" at Riot Fest 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. In October 2014 Buzzcocks toured the U.K. for three weeks with The Dollyrots as main support.
In 2016, the band embarked on their 40th-anniversary tour (dubbed "Buzzcocks 40"). In 2017, "Why Can't I Touch It" was featured in the opening segment of the Telltale game 'Guardians of the Galaxy.
Buzzcocks continue to be a huge influence on many bands and are still enjoyed by a large, and very loyal, fanbase.
Pete Shelley died on 6 December 2018.
You Say You Don't Love Me
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well that's alright with me 'cause I'm in love with you
And I wouldn't want you doin' things, you don't want to do
Oh you know, I've always wanted you to be in love with me
And it took so long to realize, the way things have to be
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
And I'm starting to understand now the way that you feel
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cause I have got the time
To wait in case someday, you maybe change your mind
I've decided not to make the same mistakes this time around
As I'm tired of having heartaches, I've been thinking and I've found
I don't want to live in a dream, I want somethin' real
And I think I understand now the way that you feel
You say you don't, you say you don't
You say you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me, I'm not in love with you
I just want us to do the things, we both want to do
Though I've got this special feelin', I'd be wrong to call it love
For the word entails a few things that I would be well rid of
I've no need to live in a dream, it's finally real
And I hope you now understand this feelin' I feel
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
Hmm
The lyrics to Buzzcocks's song "You Say You Don't Love Me" reveal a complicated mix of emotions from the singer. The song is addressed to someone who claims not to love the singer in return, and while the singer asserts that it's okay with them, it's clear that they're struggling to fully accept this rejection. The refrain of "you say you don't" emphasizes the disconnect between what the other person is saying and what the singer is feeling.
The opening lines reveal that the singer is "in love with" the other person despite the imbalance in their feelings. They want the other person to be in love with them, but they acknowledge that it's not something they can force. The singer seems to have been holding onto a dream that their love would be reciprocated, but they're beginning to understand that this isn't realistic. The line "the way things have to be" suggests resignation, as if the singer is coming to terms with the fact that they'll never be with this person in the way they truly desire.
Later in the song, the singer asserts that they're not interested in living in a dream anymore. They want something real, and they claim to understand the other person's feelings more fully now. The repetition of "you say you don't" in this section is tinged with sadness; the singer seems to be emphasizing the finality of this rejection.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you don't love me
The singer is acknowledging the other person's statement that they do not love them.
Well that's alright with me 'cause I'm in love with you
The singer is content with their own feelings of love for the other person, even though the feelings are not reciprocated.
And I wouldn't want you doin' things, you don't want to do
The singer values the other person's autonomy and wants them to only do things that they truly want to do.
Oh you know, I've always wanted you to be in love with me
The artist reveals their long-standing desire for the other person to love them in return.
And it took so long to realize, the way things have to be
The artist understands that they cannot force someone to love them and has finally come to terms with this.
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
The singer had unrealistic expectations and hoped for a love that was unlikely to ever materialize.
And I'm starting to understand now the way that you feel
The singer is developing empathy for the other person's lack of romantic feelings and is beginning to see the situation from their perspective.
You say, you don't
The other person reiterates their lack of love for the artist.
You say, you don't
Again, the other person emphasizes that they do not love the artist.
Well that's alright with me 'cause I have got the time
The artist has patience and is willing to wait for the other person to potentially change their mind about their feelings.
To wait in case someday, you maybe change your mind
The singer is open to the possibility of the other person falling in love with them in the future and is willing to wait to see if that happens.
I've decided not to make the same mistakes this time around
The artist has learned from past heartaches and wants to avoid making the same mistakes again.
As I'm tired of having heartaches, I've been thinking and I've found
The singer is reflecting on the emotional pain they have experienced in the past and has come to a realization about what they truly want.
I don't want to live in a dream, I want somethin' real
The singer no longer wants to hold onto impossible fantasies and desires a genuine and authentic relationship.
And I think I understand now the way that you feel
The singer has gained a better understanding of the other person's perspective and emotions.
You say, you don't
The other person continues to reject the idea of loving the artist.
You say, you don't
Again, the other person emphasizes their lack of love for the artist.
Well that's alright with me, I'm not in love with you
The singer clarifies that they do not necessarily expect the other person to love them and are content with their own feelings of love.
I just want us to do the things, we both want to do
The singer values mutual consent and wants to engage in activities that both parties genuinely enjoy.
Though I've got this special feelin', I'd be wrong to call it love
The artist acknowledges that their emotions towards the other person are complex and perhaps not fully defined as love.
For the word entails a few things that I would be well rid of
The artist recognizes that love can involve negative elements and they do not want to bear those burdens in their relationship.
I've no need to live in a dream, it's finally real
The artist has come to terms with reality and is now focused on creating a genuine and healthy relationship.
And I hope you now understand this feelin' I feel
The singer wants the other person to acknowledge and respect their emotions, even if they do not love them in return.
You say, you don't
The other person once again expresses their lack of love.
You say, you don't
Again, the other person emphasizes that they do not feel romantic love for the singer.
You say, you don't love me
The song ends with the repetition of the other person's statement that they do not love the singer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Peter Shelley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dougsmith7083
Imagine the insanity of this EXCELLENT album, featuring possibly best song he ever wrote "I Believe" and, exceptional tunes like this one and the title track as well as Steve's solid contributions...an album that is THAT GREAT...not to mention that the band was often tripping balls on psychedelics quite often during this period (and, still melting faces live and, writing albums THIS GREAT)!
Now, taking ALL of that in and contemplating it a bit...you pretty much HAVE TO come to the realization that THIS is their WEAKEST album!!
That is pretty freakin scary IMO.
Imagine writing and recording an album that is as incredible as this album...it would be universally heralded as an exceptional accomplishment...career defining...
The Buzzcocks were THAT good.
Yes, Pete Shelley could write a great song
@cesarverazzu2485
RESUMEN
LETRAS
ESCUCHAR
TAMBIÉN SE BUSCÓ
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cause I'm in love with you
And I wouldn't want you doin' things, you don't want to do
Oh you know, I've always wanted you to be in love with me
And it took so long to realize, the way things have to be
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
And I'm starting to understand now the way that you feel
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cause I have got the time
To wait in case someday, you maybe change your mind
I've decided not to make the same mistakes this time around
As I'm tired of having heartaches, I've been thinking and I've found
I don't want to live in a dream, I want somethin' real
And I think I understand now the way that you feel
You say you don't, you say you don't
You say you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me, I'm not in love with you
I just want us to do the things, we both want to do
Though I've got this special feelin', I'd be wrong to call it love
For the word entails a few things that I would be well rid of
I've no need to live in a dream, it's finally real
And I hope you now understand this feelin' I feel
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
Hmm
@fiolove08
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cause I'm in love with you
And I wouldn't want you doin' things, you don't want to do
Oh you know, I've always wanted you to be in love with me
And it took so long to realize, the way things have to be
I wanted to live in a dream that couldn't be real
And I'm starting to understand now the way that you feel
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me 'cause I have got the time
To wait in case someday, you maybe change your mind
I've decided not to make the same mistakes this time around
As I'm tired of having heartaches, I've been thinking and I've found
I don't want to live in a dream, I want somethin' real
And I think I understand now the way that you feel
You say you don't, you say you don't
You say you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say you don't love me
Well that's alright with me, I'm not in love with you
I just want us to do the things, we both want to do
Though I've got this special feelin', I'd be wrong to call it love
For the word entails a few things that I would be well rid of
I've no need to live in a dream, it's finally real
And I hope you now understand this feelin' I feel
You say, you don't
You say, you don't
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
You say, you don't love me
@miracles4u
This is one of the finest songs ever written and I feel sorry for anyone who hasn't or doesn't choose to. Love u always Pete u r one of the greatest song writers and seeing you at Cropredy was surprisingly the best gig I've been to. Peace
@bluebuzzdog
I love how this song progresses from accepting that he has unrequited love but moves on in three verses.
@gorgon1863
the man was a genius. No really.
@anneliamohara2842
Always loved the Buzzcocks ! seen them in Dublin 1978 ,and later in New York great band best band to come out of Manchester !☘️
@rvtelevision2274
For me one of the very best pop love songs of all the time. R. I. P Pete shelley, one of a kind.
@MadderMel
One of their best songs for sure !
@miracles4u
10/10
@AtondroMahmud
Pop or punk?
@ThatAdultCrash24
Forever the soundtrack of my youth. And life
@mikecummings3149
Amazing bass on the whole album..