Owen Ashworth started to make music on a small casio keyboard back in 1997. His first two albums, "Answering Machine Music" and "Pocket Symphonies for Lonely Subway Cars," were made using nothing but small, battery-operated keyboards and Ashworth's own voice (along with occasional accompaniment by guest musicians). These early albums are now available on one CD, appropriately titled "The First Two Albums by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone."
Ashworth has released numerous EPs and full-length albums, with a trademark austere lyrical style that conveys emotions through its simplicity and directness.
CFTPA expanded its sound in 2006 with Ashworth's release 'Etiquette,' now using more instruments and effects (as well as more professional production and vocals from Jenny Herbinson). This album has given Ashworth room for experimentation and thinking space.
In 2009, CFTPA's newest album, titled 'Vs. Children,' was released. Although vocally very similar to his earlier work, the album features a greater variety of acoustic instruments and further demonstrates Ashworth's interest in pursuing more complex arrangements for his songs. His live shows reflect this as on his most recent tour he is joined by a full band.
In 2010 Ashworth announced that he was retiring the "Casiotone for the Painfully Alone" name, as well as the songs he wrote under that name. He now performs as Advance Base and a producer.
Don't They Have Payphones Wherever You Were Last Night
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't they have payphones
Wherever you were last night
You stumbled in & what a sight
All pale & puffy eyes
Under the bathroom bright
A face to give a ghost a fright
Wherever you were last night
The lyrics to "Don't They Have Payphones Wherever You Were Last Night" by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone paint a picture of a lover waiting up for their significant other to come home, only to be met with a disheveled appearance and no explanation for their whereabouts. The singer expresses frustration at the lack of communication, wondering why there were no payphones for their partner to use to call them and let them know they were safe. The allusion to payphones implies that the song is set in a time before cell phones were ubiquitous, leaving the singer worried and alone while their partner was out.
The opening line, "I waited up til it was light," sets the tone for the rest of the song. Even though the character was exhausted, they stayed up all night waiting for their loved one. The second line asks the rhetorical question, "Don't they have payphones wherever you were last night?" The line is both an expression of frustration and a plea for a way to connect with the missing person. The imagery of "puffy eyes" and a face "to give a ghost a fright" implies that the character has been crying and is suffering from anxiety.
Overall, the song expresses the pain of waiting for someone you care about and the fear of not knowing what has happened to them. It captures the tension of a relationship where one person is unreliable or does not communicate well. The singer is left feeling helpless and abandoned, unable to even find solace in a phone call.
Line by Line Meaning
I waited up til it was light
I was awake all night waiting for you to come home
Don't they have payphones
I am questioning if there were any payphones where you went
Wherever you were last night
I do not know where you went last night
You stumbled in & what a sight
You looked terrible when you came home
All pale & puffy eyes
Your eyes were swollen and tired
Under the bathroom light
I saw you in the bathroom light
A face to give a ghost a fright
Your face was so scary, it could frighten a ghost
Don't they have payphones
I am still questioning if there were any payphones where you went
Wherever you were last night
I am still unsure of where you were last night
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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