The Chameleons (called The Chameleons UK on some American releases) were a … Read Full Bio ↴The Chameleons (called The Chameleons UK on some American releases) were a post-punk band that formed in Middleton, in Greater Manchester, England in 1981. They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever (replacing original drummer Brian Schofield). The core quartet were sometimes augmented live by keyboardists Alistair Lewthwaite and Andy Clegg in the 1980s, and percussionist/vocalist Kwasi Asante during their reunion period (ex-Magazine drummer Martin Jackson also briefly replaced Lever during 1982-83 while the latter was on sabbatical).

Through Mark Burgess' vocals and dark and ironic lyrics, their songs often dealt with personal themes of childlike innocence and a reverence for nostalgia. Musically, perhaps most notable in their work was the band's innovative and distinctive use of dual guitar melodies, courtesy of Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding, as opposed to the traditional rhythm-and-lead guitarist format prevalent in rock music even to this day. These arrangements were often characterized by the use of delay and chorus effects.

Although The Chameleons never attained the level of commercial success or fame enjoyed by their contemporaries (e.g. The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen), their body of work is still critically acclaimed within the music press and influenced bands as diverse as Kitchens of Distinction, Puressence, Protokoll, Interpol, and Editors.[1]

Indiana
Chameleons Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see what you see
Yeah I get what you're after
Visions of something
It turns out to be
Shades of Limboland and MTV
Don't rationalise
Your sentence lies so tenderly

She was a girl who could turn you in time
Morons they wanted more, more, more
I saw her lead the dance across the floor
Amongst the flowers and ivory towers of long ago

Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja

I see what you are after
You feel it in my laughter I know
I know it's late but I don't want to go.
The fragrance and the radiance and the afterglow.
The afterglow.
I don't want to go.

Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja

Oh Anja

Hey, hey, hey Anja
Hey, hey, hey Anja

Overall Meaning

The Chameleons' "Indiana" is a song that is difficult to categorize into any particular genre. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to suggest a sort of fascination with a mysterious, elusive woman named Anja. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that he knows what Anja is after and that he sees what she sees. There are visions of something that turn out to be shades of Limboland and MTV, suggesting a sort of dreamlike state or a departure from reality.

The next verse seems to suggest that the singer has watched Anja lead a dance across the floor, surrounded by flowers and ivory towers of long ago. The line "Morons they wanted more, more, more" could suggest that Anja's hypnotic allure and beauty attracted many people, but they still wanted more from her. The chorus repeats Anja's name four times, emphasizing her importance and the singer's preoccupation with her.

The second half of the song continues with the singer acknowledging that he knows Anja is after something and that he can feel it in his laughter. He doesn't want to leave the fragrance and the radiance and the afterglow behind, further emphasizing the nature of Anja's hold on him. The song ends with several more repetitions of Anja's name, cementing her importance in the singer's mind.

Overall, "Indiana" is a dreamy, enigmatic song that speaks to the intoxicating power of beauty and allure. It's difficult to say exactly what the song is about, but it's clear that Anja represents something deeply alluring and captivating to the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

I see what you see
I understand your perspective

Yeah I get what you're after
I comprehend your desires

Visions of something
Ideas of something

It turns out to be
But in reality it is

Shades of Limboland and MTV
A variety of different experiences

Don't rationalise
Avoid thinking too logically

Your sentence lies so tenderly
Your words have a soft and delicate quality

She was a girl who could turn you in time
She had the power to manipulate time

Morons they wanted more, more, more
They were foolish and greedy

I saw her lead the dance across the floor
I witnessed her taking charge of the situation

Amongst the flowers and ivory towers of long ago
In an idyllic setting from the past