Cults formed in 2010, when native San Franciscans Follin and Oblivion were attending school in New York City (Oblivion was a documentary film student at NYU; Follin was studying at the New School). A couple at the time, they wrote and recorded songs in Oblivion's apartment using a computer and a cheap midi keyboard, and before the year was over, they released their self-titled debut EP on Forest Family Records. One of the EP's songs, "Go Outside," which Cults recorded with Paul Kostabi at Thunderdome Studios, became a viral hit, earning acclaim from publications including Pitchfork and NME.
Cults built on the success of "Go Outside" by touring with Richie Follin's Band (the project of Madeline's older brother) for six months. They then signed to In the Name Of, an imprint of Columbia Records founded by Lily Allen. Produced by Shane Stoneback, Cults' June 2011 self-titled album delivered more of their atmospheric, retro-futuristic indie pop and charted in the U.K., Canada, and the U.S., reaching number 52 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart. That year, the duo also appeared on the AIDS/HIV research benefit album Red Hot+Rio 2, collaborating with Superhuman Happiness on a cover of "Um Canto de Afoxé para o Bloco Do Ilê." Along with touring in support of the album, Cults also appeared at the Portishead-curated ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festival that September and at ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas festival, which was curated by Battles, that December.
In October 2013, Cults returned with their second album, Static. Recorded with Stoneback in the wake of Follin and Oblivion's breakup, it won strong reviews for its emotive songwriting and peaked at number 114 on the Billboard Top 200. That month, the duo also appeared with Amber Coffman on J. Cole's "She Knows" from his album Born Sinner; the song hit number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Following the 2014 single "Being It," Cults took some time off. In 2016, Follin formed the group Follin with her brother Richie, and released the single "Roxy" that February.
For their next album, Cults took a more collaborative approach, with Follin playing drums and keyboards as well as singing. After working with Stoneback in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco studios, Cults emerged in October 2017 with Offering, which borrowed from influences as wide-ranging as Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, and the Motels, whose music they'd fallen in love with while touring with Total Control in Australia. They explored their passion for the Motels further in 2018 with a track-by-track cover of the band's 1979 self-titled debut that was part of Turntable Kitchen's Sounds Delicious series. The following year saw the release of Offering B Sides & Remixes, which featured reworkings of the album's tracks by Mike Simonetti, Etienne de Crecy, and John Fryer.
Cults began work on their next album in early 2019, teaming with Stoneback on songs that, for the first time, featured live instrumentation and included lyrics by Follin. Mixed by John Congleton and mastered by Heba Kadry, Host appeared in September 2020 and tackled themes of identity and independence.
Biography by Heather Phares
Bumper
Cults Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had learned of all his lies
I took a look in her eyes
and she caught me by surprise
I threw his shit on the floor
She rushed me out of the door
I didn't do anything
I knew that he was bad
Never knew just what he had
I guess I don't have a life
But I'll find one soon in time
Started crying my eyes out
I wish we never met
I never had a regret
I had it up to here
I can't take this anymore
She's this crazy now
There's no telling what's in store
Maybe I should start a life with someone new
And give up all my hopes for.
I went on a drive
And he caught me by surprise
I took a look in her eyes
And said I need you in my life
I'm in love with him
I'm in love with her
You gotta give me the chance
In Cults's song "Bumper," the lyrics dive into themes of infidelity, heartbreak, and the complicated nature of love. The singer finds out that her partner has been unfaithful and feels torn between the love she has for him and the pain that he has caused her. She finds comfort in someone else's arms, only to realize that she is in love with both of them. The confusion and emotional turmoil that comes with such a realization is compounded by the fact that her partner and the other person are now locked in a confrontation. Ultimately, the song explores the agony of trying to navigate one's heart through the complexities and uncertainties of love.
The lyrics, delivered through Madeline Follin's soaring voice, capture the raw emotions of betrayal, heartbreak, and confusion. The singer is visceral in her pain and struggles to make sense of what is happening. She lashes out, throwing her partner's belongings on the floor, and tries to escape the situation. But in the end, the complexity of love and the emotional attachment that she feels for both people leave her caught between loyalty and personal happiness. The song's power lies in its ability to convey such a visceral emotional experience, one that many listeners can relate to on some level.
Line by Line Meaning
He had been untrue
He was dishonest and had betrayed the singer's trust.
I had learned of all his lies
The singer had discovered all of his partner's deceitful behaviors.
I took a look in her eyes
The singer gazed into the eyes of an unexpected individual.
and she caught me by surprise
The artist was taken aback by the unexpected individual's appearance.
I threw his shit on the floor
The artist dumped the partner's belongings out of anger and frustration.
She rushed me out of the door
The unexpected individual quickly led the singer out of the room.
He tried to explain
The partner attempted to justify his prior actions.
I didn't do anything
The artist proclaimed innocence in the situation.
I knew that he was bad
The artist was conscious of the partner's problematic behavior.
Never knew just what he had
The artist didn't know the full extent of the partner's deceptive actions.
I guess I don't have a life
The singer feels as though they are missing out on a fulfilling experience.
But I'll find one soon in time
The artist has faith that they will find meaning in their life eventually.
Started crying my eyes out
The singer began sobbing intensely.
I wish we never met
The singer wishes that they never met their deceitful partner.
I never had a regret
The singer had no regrets about their decision to end the relationship.
I had it up to here
The artist was fed up with the situation.
I can't take this anymore
The artist was at a breaking point and couldn't handle the relationship any longer.
She's this crazy now
The unexpected individual is acting irrationally.
There's no telling what's in store
The singer is uncertain about what will happen next in the situation.
Maybe I should start a life with someone new
The artist is considering beginning a new relationship.
And give up all my hopes for.
The artist is contemplating abandoning their aspirations for the future.
I went on a drive
The artist took a car ride to clear their head.
And he caught me by surprise
The partner unexpectedly showed up during the drive.
I took a look in her eyes
The artist gazed into the eyes of the unexpected individual again.
And said I need you in my life
The singer expressed a desire to be with the unexpected individual rather than their prior partner.
I'm in love with him
The singer has strong feelings of affection for the unexpected individual.
I'm in love with her
The singer has strong feelings of affection for the unexpected individual.
You gotta give me the chance
The artist is asking for an opportunity to begin a relationship with the unexpected individual.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Madeline Follin McKenna, Richard Swift, Ryan Michael Mattos
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MyEnemy
Great song. You guys scratch a musical itch that no on else can reach. Thank you.
@mothersofmayhempod
Ive been listening to this song since last summer and just realized the audio JUST came out 😳
@theprinceofhanover5147
“i still don’t have a line,
but i’ll find one soon in time…”
so real.
so dark.
this is prob my fav Cults song 😭😭
@alejandroguevara2212
What does it mean?
@theprinceofhanover5147
@@alejandroguevara2212 “i still don’t have a line of cocaine (or ice, or heroin, or anything that could be cut up into line form) but by god, you better believe when we go out tonight i’m going to find someone who has some”
@patrickharriss
Loving it❤
@lau_tomoyo
Don't know how I ended here but I'm glad I did 💙 great song!
@StepsWay
This song is indeed a bumper!
@jennstarr
Nice!!!!!
@flames787
high five 🤭