Formed in 1995, they were immediately signed to the Spanish record label Siesta. They released a single called Me too and an album called Nouvelle on Siesta before deciding to move on to other labels. The sound at this point could almost be categorised as anorak pop with influences from Sarah bands, Jim Ruiz and The Smiths.
In 1998/1999, their 2nd album The friend I once had and the single Missing You was released. Missing You become a club and indie-radio hit in Spain and somewhat of a college radio fave in the US. The band started playing live. Their first gig was in New York at a March Records CMJ event in 1999. Their sound had by now developed into a more bossa nova and dance oriented one.
Striving for constant change and improvements the band once again changed musical direction on their 3rd and self titled album in 2001. Club 8 is a beautifully laidback album. Almost a chill out album, though it was more compared to Portishead and Air and called a trip-hop album at its release.
In the autumn of 2001, the band locked themselves in the famous Summersound Studios; writing songs and experimenting with different sounds. Dub, C-86, triphop, chill out, 80's and bossa nova are all mixed up here, but without ever losing focus on those wonderfully Scandinavian and melancholic pop melodies. The album was named Spring came, rain fell and was released in the year of 2002.
In 2002, Club 8 started working on a follow up for Spring came, rain fell. The result, Strangely Beautiful peaked at no. 18 on the CMJ charts in the US.
For the first time since 1999 the band released a single and the video from the album. Backed by 5 exclusive tracks, the song Saturday night engine was released as a single in the spring of 2003. The video made no. 16 on the Up North chart on MTV Nordic.
In 2007, the duo re-united to record a new album - The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming.
Club 8's latest album, "The People's Record", was released May 18, 2010 and was produced by Jari Haapalainen.
Like Me
Club 8 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Live a thousand lives and never a scheme
Let me tell you one thing
It's only a dream
So you wanted to be seen
Wear a thousand faces and always give in
Let me tell you something
I think you like me
I like you better
I think you're like me
But only better
And now you're telling everyone
About that inner journey on some kind of ship
And a part of you
That never came back
And you want to be so real
Wear your heart on your sleeve and say how you feel
And we hear what you preach
All is revealed
I think you like me
I like you better
I think you're like me
But only better
If I could fly away I'd still be here today
Even with this time that's killing me
The lyrics to Club 8's song "Like Me" speak on the concept of imitation, and the desire to be like someone else. The opening lines, "So you want to be like me/ Live a thousand lives and never a scheme/ Let me tell you one thing/ It's only a dream," convey the idea that the person being addressed is striving to emulate aspects of the singer's life, and the singer is cautioning them that they will not be able to completely replicate their experiences.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer touches on other facets of the desire to be someone else, including the willingness to constantly change one's persona ("Wear a thousand faces and always give in"), the aspiration to appear authentic even when it is difficult ("And you want to be so real/ Wear your heart on your sleeve and say how you feel"), and the effect that this desire can have on one's beliefs about oneself ("I think you're like me/ But only better"). The chorus repeats the idea that the person being addressed is similar to the singer, creating a connection between their experiences of feeling like an imposter or wanting to be someone else.
One of the most poignant lines in the song is, "If I could fly away I'd still be here today/ Even with this time that's killing me." Here, the singer seems to be saying that even if they had the power to escape their current circumstances, they would still be grappling with the same internal struggles. It suggests a sense of helplessness and resignation, but also a recognition that these struggles are an inherent part of being human.
Overall, "Like Me" is a insightful exploration of a complex and often uncomfortable aspect of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
So you want to be like me
You aspire to be just like me
Live a thousand lives and never a scheme
You desire a life full of adventures and without any plans or plots
Let me tell you one thing
I have some advice to share with you
It's only a dream
Your ambitions are unrealistic and far-fetched
So you wanted to be seen
You yearned to grab attention from everyone
Wear a thousand faces and always give in
You present yourself differently depending on the audience and usually compromise your beliefs
Let me tell you something
I have something important to tell you
It's not what it seems
The image you portray is not the real you
I think you like me
I feel that you admire me
I like you better
However, I admire you more than you admire me
I think you're like me
I sense that we have similarities
But only better
But you are slightly superior to me
And now you're telling everyone
You are sharing your story with others
About that inner journey on some kind of ship
You recount the personal transformation you went through on a metaphorical vessel
And a part of you
And a certain aspect of yourself
That never came back
That you lost in the process
And you want to be so real
You strive to be authentic
Wear your heart on your sleeve and say how you feel
You want to express your emotions unreservedly
And we hear what you preach
We listen to what you advocate
All is revealed
Everything is laid bare
If I could fly away I'd still be here today
Even if I could escape from my struggles, I would still face them today
Even with this time that's killing me
Despite the challenges I am facing that are causing me distress
Contributed by Ruby S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rmn878
wow thank you this is great