Played The Garage February 2013 and have a further g… Read Full Bio ↴REFORMED! 2013!
Played The Garage February 2013 and have a further gig lined up at;
Newcastle University Students Union on Friday May 10 2013. Check the NUSU website for details.
China Drum were formed in the late 80's and were made up of Adam Lee (Drums and Vocals), Bill McQueen on guitar and his younger brother Dave on Bass. (They were to be augmented later by Jan Alkema, ex Compulsion, on drums when Adam stepped from behind his kit)
They are probably best described as pop-punk but that really doesn't do them justice. They had the guitars, they had the energy and the speed, but their melodies were just that cut above the usual offerings.
Their first album, Goosefair, released in 1996 on Mantra featured a stonking version of Wuthering Heights (originally released on Fierce Panda), and the promotion of this album saw them touring the world with Green Day, Leatherface, Doughboys, Ash to name but a few, as well as numerous dates on their own.
Their follow up album followed the traditional "difficult" second album path. Self Made Maniac saw them throttle down the pace, and focus on the songs. Highlights include the single Fictions of Life, Another Toy, and the genuinely menacing 60 Seconds.
Steve Lamacq was a fan, as were John Peel and Phil Jupitus; indeed there was strong Radio 1 support for them for a while in the late 90s. The turn of the century saw them release their final album, Diskin (released as The Drum). The writing must have been on the wall, as this album ended up being the album that THEY wanted to write, and soon after they were dropped by Mantra and the band split up.
Essential China Drum:
Goosefair:
Can't Stop These Things
Cloud 9
Take it Back
Pictures
Wuthering Heights
Self Made Maniac:
Fictions of Life,
Another Toy,
60 Seconds.
Diskin:
The Beast
Dogpile
Also read Andrew Meullers article on:
http://www.andrewmueller.net/scroll.lasso?ID=62&story=_full_story
Situation
China Drum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But without my mind's full cooperation
How can I have something to believe in
When I don't even listen to the mouth the words are leaving
Forever falling on my face and bruising
Forever falling on my face and bruising
On my face
Tryin' hard, to weigh up the situation
These clothes I wear aren't real, they're only imitation
They're only there, to divert people's attention
While I try and assess them out, I try and get to know them
Forever falling on my face and bruising
Forever falling on my face and bruising
Situation's trying hard, situation's on the car
Situation's on the car, situation's trying hard
Situation's trying hard, situation's on the car
Situation's on the car, situation's trying hard
Without my mind's full cooperation
, the singer of the song is finding it difficult to comprehend and make sense of the situation that they find themselves in. The song is perhaps an expression of feeling lost or overwhelmed, and the fact that the mind is not cooperating suggests a sense of confusion or disorientation. The repeated lines of "forever falling on my face and bruising" convey a sense of struggle and failure, as if the singer is constantly trying and failing to get to grips with the situation.
The lyrics also touch on themes of authenticity and identity, as the singer acknowledges that the clothes they wear are only "imitation" and serve as a distraction from their attempts to understand the people around them. It may be that the situation they are in is related to social dynamics or relationships, and the lyrics suggest an attempt to navigate these complexities while still maintaining some sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
Tryin' hard to weigh up the situation
Trying to make sense of a complex situation
But without my mind's full cooperation
Struggling to focus or think clearly
How can I have something to believe in
Looking for something to rely on or have faith in
When I don't even listen to the mouth the words are leaving
Having difficulty trusting what people say
Forever falling on my face and bruising
Repeating the same mistakes and hurting oneself
These clothes I wear aren't real, they're only imitation
Putting on a facade to hide insecurities
Forever falling on my face and bruising
Continuing to make mistakes and hurt oneself
Situation's trying hard, situation's on the car
A complex situation that requires effort to understand and navigate
Without my mind's full cooperation
Having difficulty focusing and thinking clearly
I can't see the whole picture, it's clouding my motivation
Struggling to understand the situation as a whole, losing motivation
Forever failing and making mistakes, constantly hurting myself
Repeating the same negative patterns and causing harm
Situation's on the car, situation's trying hard
A difficult situation that requires effort and attention
It's hard to trust the things people say, when I'm not really paying attention
Struggling to trust others due to lack of focus
The situation is complicated, it's a struggle to comprehend
A complex situation that is difficult to understand
Trying to make sense of it all, while also trying to blend in
Attempting to understand the situation while fitting in with others
It's like driving a car with a faulty engine, it's not always smooth sailing
Struggling to move forward due to obstacles or challenges
But in the end, it's up to me to keep moving forward and not be failing.
Taking responsibility for overcoming challenges and persevering
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM LEE, DAVID JONATHAN MCQUEEN, NEIL WILLIAM MCQUEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind