Catatonia were an alternative rock band from Cardiff, Wales formed in 1992.… Read Full Bio ↴Catatonia were an alternative rock band from Cardiff, Wales formed in 1992. They consisted of Cerys Matthews (vocals), Mark Roberts (guitar), Owen Powell (guitar), Paul Jones (bass) and Aled Richards (drums). They split in 2001.

Catatonia was formed in 1992, reputedly after songwriter Mark Roberts heard Cerys busking in Cardiff city centre. They had considerable success, their most famous hits being "Mulder and Scully", "Road Rage" and "Dead From The Waist Down". In September 2001, Cerys announced her departure from Catatonia after bouts of exhaustion and anxiety. Her departure was followed shortly by the breakup of the group.

Cerys is now performing her solo material (which is more folk/ country influenced) .

Not to be confused with the Swedish metal band Katatonia.

Cerys now has a solo album and is working as a DJ for Alternative radio Station BBC 6 Music.

You've Got A Lot To Answer For
Catatonia Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You've got a lot to answer for,
But baby I love you.
But baby I love you.
If it turns to blue, what are we gonna do
If it stays on white, will it be alright.
If it all turns sour, it's too late
The CSA are bound to find you soon.
If you want to talk, then talk about it

You could talk all night if you wanted
You could talk all night and day, but
I'd think by now you know exactly
How to end up here
Are you looking for the sun?
Are you looking out for me?

You've got a lot to answer for,
But baby I love you.
But baby I love you.
You said I got the looks
Well I got the means
Let's get together, mix each other's genes
Let's get together, mix each other's genes
Can't buy myself a future,
My DNA will be past it's sell by date

Are you looking for a son?
See are you holding out for me?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Catatonia's song "You've Got A Lot To Answer For" appear to be addressed to a lover who has caused the singer some degree of difficulty. The singer acknowledges and confronts the partner's shortcomings, but insists that they still love them. The song seems to be exploring the relationship between two people who love each other, but have some deep, intrinsic differences that may make it difficult for them to remain together. As the song progresses, there seems to be a sense of uncertainty about the relationship—the lyrics suggest that the outcome could go in any direction, depending on a variety of factors.

The lyrics also seem to be exploring themes of self-doubt and insecurity, as the singer wonders whether they have a future together, and whether they are good enough for their partner. There's a sense that the singer is struggling to understand their own feelings, and is looking to their partner for some kind of guidance or reassurance. Ultimately, though, the song seems to suggest that love can conquer all, even when things seem uncertain or difficult.

Line by Line Meaning

You've got a lot to answer for,
You need to explain your actions and take responsibility for your mistakes.

But baby I love you.
Despite your faults, I still have feelings of affection for you.

If it turns to blue, what are we gonna do
If things go wrong, what is our plan?

If it stays on white, will it be alright.
If things continue to go well, will everything be alright?

If it all turns sour, it's too late
If things go wrong, it will be too late to fix it.

The CSA are bound to find you soon.
The government may find out about our situation.

If you want to talk, then talk about it
If you have something to say, speak up.

You could talk all night if you wanted
You have the opportunity to talk at length.

You could talk all night and day, but
You could talk for as long as you want, but eventually you have to take action.

I'd think by now you know exactly
I would assume that you are aware of what needs to be done.

How to end up here
How to get into this situation.