Originally formed in 1988 as Sub Sub, a dance act who coincided with the rise of the Hacienda and the rave scene from Manchester expanding outwards, they enjoyed moderate success for seven years including the hit single "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)" (#3 UK), before suffering the disaster of their studio burning down in 1996, taking all their current recordings with them. The experience, tragedy and pressure of that would inspire their name-change, in 1998, to Doves, and ultimately their first full-length album, Lost Souls released in April 2000. "Lost Souls" was a dark, atmospheric effort, full of brooding keyboards and claustrophobic light grooves, yet charted at number 13, mainly due to the top 40 singles, "The Cedar Room", "Catch The Sun" and "The Man Who Told Everything".
Two years later, Doves enjoyed their commercial and critical peak with their second album, The Last Broadcast, which charted at number 1 in the UK charts, spawning a hit single, "There Goes The Fear", which reached number 3 in the chart. "The Last Broadcast" was characterised by huge, spacious recordings, and an overall feeling of euphoria and relief. Two more singles, "Pounding" and "Caught By The River" both charted inside the top 40, and in the summer of 2003, Doves headlined the Other Stage on the last night of the Glastonbury Festival.
Recording problems and writers' block delayed the emergence of their third album, Some Cities, until Spring 2005. This was a return to the more claustrophobic sounds of their debut, though still featured the top 10 single "Black & White Town". "Some Cities" sold well, debuting at #1 on the UK chart, and received some of the band's strongest reviews to date.
Jimi Goodwin and Jez Williams both contributed to other bands in the late 90's, Goodwin played bass for Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr's band Electronic on their 1999 album Twisted Tenderness and Williams played guitar on Saint Etienne's albums, 1998's Good Humor, 2000's Sound of Water and finally 2002's Finisterre.
2009 saw the release of 'Kingdom of Rust' and a tour to support, soon followed by 'The Places Between', a greatest hits album - also released as a double album with DVD compilation of singles, non-single releases and remixes.
The band is on a break from recording, according to an interview with The Daily Record. Jimi Goodwin stated: "It's nice just to have a bit of breathing space... We just wanted to get off that whole album-tour-album-tour treadmill. None of us are ready to face going into the studio for another two years. This is wiping the slate clean, we have nothing else in the vaults now. That is it. Whatever we do from now on will be a new start."
On 2 October 2012, EMI International released a Doves anthology titled 5 Album Set featuring all four studio albums from Lost Souls to Kingdom of Rust and the 2003 re-issue of Lost Sides.
It has been announced that Jimi Goodwin will support British band Elbow on their Spring 2014 tour of the United Kingdom.
One Of These Days
Doves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, anything will do my love
Asked the girl who's on the phone
That's the girl who's never home
Say something good
There's a wilderness of row
That's the girl on the phone
That's the girl who's never home
And your friends they were so close, close
Say you will stay
Forgot what I came here for
Passed some signs on the road
Telling me I'm far from home
Friendships out here, myself I disappear
That's the girl all cold
That's the man who's looking on
And your friends they were so close
One by one they didn't stay
Drift away like rolling sea
One by one they drift away
One of these days
Oh
One of these days
One of these days
Your friends they were so close
One by one they didn't stay
Drift away like rolling seas
Day by day drift away
And the people who are close
Are the ones who miss you'll the most
One of these days, I'll blow away
One of these days, I'll blow away
The lyrics to Doves' song "One Of These Days" describe a person who is searching for something, perhaps to quell a feeling of restlessness or ennui. The repeated refrain of "one of these days" suggests an eventual escape or release from this state, while the verses describe a disconnectedness from others, particularly the "girl who's on the phone" who is "never home." The main character seems to be moving through life without a clear purpose or direction, as evidenced by the line "forgot what I came here for" and the references to passing signs and being far from home. The mention of disappearing and blowing away highlights a feeling of impermanence and transience.
However, the song also hints at the importance of human connections, as the repeating reference to friends who were once close but drift away like a rolling sea suggests a sense of loss and longing. The final verse acknowledges that the people who are closest are the ones who will be missed the most, adding a note of regret or sadness to the overall theme of search and release.
Overall, the lyrics to "One Of These Days" suggest a restless and disconnected state of being, but also highlight the importance of the people and relationships in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Is there something
The girl on the phone is inquiring about anything good to hear.
Oh, anything will do my love
No preferences for any particular topic; all she desires is a meaningful conversation.
Asked the girl who's on the phone
The singer is asking the name of the caller.
That's the girl who's never home
The girl on the phone is never found at her place of residence.
Say something good
The girl is requesting a positive or uplifting news from the person on the other end of the phone.
There's a wilderness of row
A disordered or confused mass of emotions and feelings in the singer's mind.
That's the girl who's never home
The girl on the phone has a reputation for being absent.
That's the girl on the phone
The caller is identified once again.
And your friends they were so close, close
The artist is referring to their former friends who were once dear.
Say you will stay
The artist is begging for companionship and assurance that the person will remain.
Forgot what I came here for
The singer has lost their purpose or direction in life.
Passed some signs on the road
The artist has seen some indications of their path in life.
Telling me I'm far from home
The singer has traveled afar and is now very distant from their original home.
Friendships out here, myself I disappear
The singer has begun to notice that there are no real friends in this region where they presently are, hence they feel lonely and abandoned.
That's the girl all cold
The depiction of an unemotional, detached girl.
That's the man who's looking on
A man glancing, staring, or staring at something or someone.
One by one they didn't stay
One after the other, speakers acquaintances depart or separate from them.
Drift away like rolling sea
Like waves of the ocean, the separation process is long and drawn out.
One by one they drift away
The singer's cohorts gradually depart.
Oh
An exclamation commonly used to indicate surprise, delight, or annoyance.
One of these days
At some point in the future, perhaps not yet identified.
One of these days
Repeated emphasis given to the previous line.
Your friends they were so close
The singer is once again alluding to the fact that their acquaintances were near to them previously.
Day by day drift away
Gradually and slowly, friends move away from the artist's life.
And the people who are close
Speakers acquaintances who are nearest to them.
Are the ones who miss you'll the most
The people who are quite close to the singer are those who are affected the most deeply by the singer's absence.
One of these days, I'll blow away
The singer is hopeful that they will 'disappear' and the reasons for the current struggle will go with them.
One of these days, I'll blow away
Reiterated for further emphasis the above line
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andy Williams, Jez Williams, Jimi Goodwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind