"Who are Britain's most important guita… Read Full Bio ↴Dum Dums; A Brief History...
"Who are Britain's most important guitar band ? JJ72? Coldplay? Muse? But look at that list and tell me whether those bands are really changing peoples lives? Because, believe it or not, Dum Dums are. ...where others preach to the converted, they are leading an increasingly significant segment of the pop massive up the dark slopes of indie" - MELODY MAKER
From their formation in 1997 to their farewell show in August 2001, Dum Dums went from early years of intensive gigging around the UK toilet circuit to rock stardom and chart success. Their one and only album, "It goes without saying", recorded with producer Steve Power (Feeder, Robbie Williams, Babybird, Blur) was the "Ferris Bueller" for its generation. Sonically influenced by other British bands such as the Police and the Jam, it spoke of dead end jobs, the pressures of finding your own way, and struck a chord in the hearts of anyone faced with having to decide what to do with their lives.
Released at a time when radio was saturated with manufactured pop acts, Dum Dums were one of the few British guitar bands to breakthrough in 2000, having four chart hits in and around the official top 20, a hit album, and a constant residency on MTV, VH1, and CD:UK. They sold out tours in the UK and abroad, had top 20 chart success in Japan and a major record deal with MCA in the USA.
But still none of this accounts for their continuing popularity. Three years after the band parted ways, the Dum Dums website still attracts thousands of hits weekly from all over the world. The message bored(sic) is a thriving community active 24 hours a day. There is at least one Dum Dums cover band, many reports of bands starting because of them, and record companies have even manufactured acts to be new versions of the Dum Dums - ironically one of the things the band railed against.
Setting Sail
Dum Dums Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Staring at the empty seat in front of me,
Beneath a golden sky,
Cities roll on by and I can't get no sleep,
When I'm alone sometimes, I try to understand,
What things have meaning?,
And I despise myself, for being such a fake,
My mind goes on for miles and miles,
Sail away, with the sea as my engine,
And the stars as my guide,
Sailing to the other side,
Sail away, with the sea as my engine,
And the stars as my guide,
Sailing to the other side.
On a starry night,
Walking home in silence while the city sleeps,
I try to do what's right,
But something in my nature's trying to ruin me,
I look out to the sea, a thousand just like me,
Needing direction,
Just floating out of sight, into the failing light,
As if it's just the way my life is meant to be.
Sail away, with the sea as my engine,
And the stars as my guide,
Sailing to the other side,
Sail away, with the sea as my engine,
And the stars as my guide,
Sailing to the other side.
I'm setting sail, to the other side,
I'm setting sail, to the other side,
I'm setting sail, to the other side,
I'm setting sail...
The sun goes down and I smile but it's just pretend,
Our summer is about to end,
And I don't know if it's gonna be alright...
Everyone's down and my town, it's in decay,
We're wasting our lives away,
And I don't know if it's gonna be alright...
"Dum Dums" song "Setting Sail" reflects the inner turmoil of the singer who can't seem to find their place in the world. The singer is depicted as sitting on a train, staring at an empty seat, trying to make sense of life. They are unable to sleep as they contemplate the meaning of things, and they despise themselves for feeling like a fraud. Their mind wanders off into the distance, as they try to understand their place in the world. The first stanza sets the tone of the song and establishes a sense of longing and confusion that the singer experiences.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about "sailing away" to the other side. The idea of sailing is used as a metaphor for finding a way out of their current situation. They are looking for direction and purpose, and they see the sea as their engine and the stars as their guide. The second stanza describes a starry night where the singer is walking home in silence while the city sleeps. They try to do what's right, but their own nature is trying to ruin them. They look out to the sea and see others like them, who also need direction. They feel as though their life is meant to be this way and just float away into the failing light.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea of sailing away to the other side. The repetition of the chorus enhances the idea of the singer seeking direction and answers that are unattainable in their current state.
Overall, "Setting Sail" is a poignant and evocative song that captures the feelings of uncertainty and confusion that many people experience in their lives. The idea of sailing away serves as a powerful metaphor for finding one's place in the world and seeking direction.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting on the train,
The singer is on a train and is about to embark on a journey.
Staring at the empty seat in front of me,
The singer is feeling lonely and has no one to talk to on the train.
Beneath a golden sky,
The singer is observing the beautiful sky with its golden hues.
Cities roll on by and I can't get no sleep,
The singer is unable to sleep and is watching the cities go by.
When I'm alone sometimes, I try to understand,
The singer spends time alone and tries to make sense of things.
What things have meaning?,
The singer questions the meaning behind various things.
And I despise myself, for being such a fake,
The singer feels fake and dislikes themselves for it.
My mind goes on for miles and miles,
The singer's mind is wandering aimlessly for a long time.
Sail away, with the sea as my engine,
The singer imagines sailing away with the sea as a source of power.
And the stars as my guide,
The singer envisions the stars guiding their journey.
Sailing to the other side,
The singer is traveling to another place or situation.
On a starry night,
The singer is out at night under the stars.
Walking home in silence while the city sleeps,
The singer is walking home quietly while the city is asleep.
I try to do what's right,
The singer attempts to make the right decision.
But something in my nature's trying to ruin me,
The singer is struggling with inner demons that are preventing them from doing the right thing.
I look out to the sea, a thousand just like me,
The singer sees others struggling with the same issues as them.
Needing direction,
The singer and others like them need guidance.
Just floating out of sight, into the failing light,
The singer and others like them are disappearing into the darkness.
As if it's just the way my life is meant to be.
The singer feels as though their life is predetermined to be difficult.
I'm setting sail, to the other side,
The singer is finally taking action and leaving their current situation behind.
The sun goes down and I smile but it's just pretend,
The singer is trying to stay positive but is actually struggling internally.
Our summer is about to end,
The singer is experiencing the end of a season, which can be symbolic of change.
And I don't know if it's gonna be alright...
The singer is uncertain if everything will work out in the end.
Everyone's down and my town, it's in decay,
The singer's community is in a state of disrepair and everyone is feeling down.
We're wasting our lives away,
The singer and their community are not making the most of their time.
And I don't know if it's gonna be alright...
The singer is still unsure if everything will work out.
Contributed by Xavier T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andy Reid
Absolutely love this song, found the album again a few months ago and it has been on repeat ever since! Would love to see them re-form!
Chillaxative95
I love how melancholic this song is. My interpretation of the lyrics is that people don't have direction. He sees 1000 just like him. We're wasting our lives away. I can relate to that so much right now. I'm trying to help people eat healthier so they can live better lives but sometimes, it's so hard to keep going. This song helps me keep going
Sue Condon
"Something in my nature's trying to ruin me..." Love that line
Claudius Herry
finally find this hidden track after about 10 years... JOsh Doyle is very good at this one.. the lyrics inspired me and tonite it reminds me of my younger time
Sue Condon
I love this, this is such a lovely tune...
Sue Condon
Great tune, I won't rest till this is re-released!
reaze
Coming back to this again. Last listened 8-10 years ago. Very underrated.
Sue Condon
Gorgeous song, it should have more recognition. One of my all time favourite songs 💖
reaze
@Sue Condon True that. The lyrics are something else and even the melodies. Really should have more recognition .
Tracey Kyme
THIS is my funeral song!
Sail away, with the sea as my engine
And the stars as my guide
Sailing to the other side ...