The baseball-capped, baggy-shorted EMF-- standing for either 'Epsom Mad Funkers' or, in the words of their eponymously titled song, 'Ecstasy Mother Fuckers' (the band could never quite make up their minds)-- made their first attack on the U.K. music scene in the autumn of 1990 with the Jesus Jones-influenced Top 10 single "Unbelievable." Sampling hard-hitting U.S. comic Andrew Dice Clay, the single was a catchy pop pile-up featuring fresh-faced vocalist James Atkin's sneery schoolboy vocals, band leader Ian Dench's swaggering rock guitar and a booming bassline, courtesy of Zac Foley. mischief-maker Derry Brownson (keyboards), and Mark Decloedt (drums).
The new social scene of 'Madchester' had exploded in 1990, and every previously no-hoper band with half an idea sold their souls to hitch a ride on the ensuing 'indie dance' bandwagon. EMF's ideas were better formed than most, despite the fact that they had been signed by a major label (EMI/Parlophone) after only a handful of gigs. Denounced as beered-up party animals by some and cider-drinking country bumpkins who'd struck lucky by others, the group cultivated a hedonistic young upstart image that ensured that they felt as at home on the cover of Smash Hits as they did the NME.
Steered through these giddy times by the older, somewhat Svengali-like figure of guitarist and songwriter Dench, who had already enjoyed previous limited success with the band Apple Mosaic, the quintet quickly dispatched identikit follow-up singles in "I Believe" and "Children," with little drop in quality or commercial impact. By this stage, "Unbelievable" was breaking the band in the U.S., but their debut single's worldwide success was to hang heavy on their shoulders in years to come. In May 1991, EMF released their debut album, titled 'Schubert Dip' ("If ever I'm short of a chord sequence, I nick one from Schubert", Dench was quoted as saying), which contained all the band's singles to date and already felt like a greatest hits collection. Similarly it topped the charts, although the fourth single, "Lies," like much of the rest of the album (with the possible exception of the slower tune "Girl of an Age"), paled in comparison with their initial batch of exuberant singles. It also drew attention from Yoko Ono's lawyers, who objected to the single's use of a sample of John Lennon lyrics recited by her husband's murderer, Mark Chapman.
With 'Schubert Dip' becoming a million-selling album, the group's members were international superstars, the album hitting #12 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. while tracks such as the aforementioned I Believe" and "Lies" being Top 40 American hits as well. The band then took to hanging out in L.A. with such luminaries as Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, getting tattoos, getting high and talking big about making a 'real' rock record. When second album 'Stigma' appeared in late 1992, heralded by the noisy single "They're Here" and the 'Unexplained' EP (containing a rowdy cover of seminal proto-punk band the Stooges' "Search and Destroy"), it was interpreted by many as a deliberate attempt by EMF to distance themselves from their teenage fan base.
Though they may have won some respect from the critics by going for a harder, less straightforward sound, the album wasn't received as well as hoped, sliding quickly out of the charts and selling only a fifth of its predecessor's total. The limitations of Atkin's voice were also readily apparent against the crunchier guitar backing. Perhaps the band had been partying too hard and simply forgot to write some tunes; "Around the time of Stigma, I was pumping myself full of anything", bassist Foley would later admit. At any rate, listeners that had bought into the band's ethos of catchy pop meets indie-fueled dance music flocked to other groups, and the band's success had been crippled.
With the band either touring or doing nothing during 1993–94, there was a hiatus in the group's recording career, and many assumed that EMF had simply split up until the single "Perfect Day" appeared from nowhere in early 1995. Though it was the band's breeziest, grooviest single for a long while, it failed to recapture their previous fortunes. The album that followed, 'Cha Cha Cha'-- from which Massive Attack/Neneh Cherry producer Johnny Dollar had walked out during the sessions-- stubbornly refused to shift units. "Bleeding You Dry", the next single to be pulled from the album, seemed titled perversely appropriate.
The summer of 1995 saw the band abandoning promotion of 'Cha Cha Cha' and teaming up with comics Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer on a quirky cover of The Monkees' pop rock hit "I'm a Believer". Although this commercial move ensured the band appeared on Top of the Pops again-- wearing gaudy Mike Nesmith wigs and miming badly no less-- many critics smelled the stench of desperation. Their self-promoted follow-up, "Afro King", seen in some quarters as a return to their alternative dance origins, and in others as too little too late, failed to do as well. Though influencing many later British rock groups, said groups had very well eclipsed them completely. The band were subsequently dropped by their label and, with no other offers forthcoming, called it a day.
In 2001, EMF reformed and released a greatest hits album. They played a number of comeback shows in the UK, and even sold out the London Astoria in June of 2001. However, on January 3, 2002, Foley died due to an overdose of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, barbiturates and alcohol. He was aged 31. The remaining members of EMF played just four more gigs in late 2002, before deciding to split up for the final time. Still, sporadic reunions have taken place since then, although with the band's future still murky.
http://www.emf-theband.com/
Blue Highs
EMF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your planes fly
I'll follow without asking why
Scared of bigger things
Thngs that pass me by
All my friends will follow
Happy always till tomorrow
Love me, cut me and rob me
Crazy head spins
I took it without asking where
I got it from
And at the time I didn't care
My whole head hollows
As my lost spirit follows
In the end I don't know how
But I got there
Crazy head spinning
Take more time thinking
Then falling from blue highs
[Repeat: x4]
And time is what I want
And time is fatal
And time is what I
Old men plods
I reason without asking why
I have no God
But I'm sure there's something in the sky
Here something listens
As every glistens
In the end I don't know how
But I got there
Old men plodding
Take more time running
Then falling from dim eyes
[Repeat: x4]
And time is what I want
(It's just a dream)
Old men plodding
Take more time running
Then falling from dim eyes
(Your whole life, it's just a dream)
[Repeat: x4]
It's fatal, but time is what I want
(It's just a dream)
(Your whole life, it's just a dream)
The lyrics of EMF's "Blue Highs" reflect the singer's contemplation of the passage of time and its impact on his life. The first verse paints a picture of someone who is easily intimidated by the unknown and is content to follow others without questioning why. The following verses describe the singer's struggle with weakness, self-doubt, and emptiness. He acknowledges that he has made mistakes in the past and taken things without considering their origin. However, he ultimately accepts that he has arrived at his current place in life and acknowledges that time is both precious and finite.
Throughout the song, the singer employs a number of effective techniques to convey the feeling of introspection and uncertainty. The repeated phrase "It's just a dream" highlights the ephemeral and unreal nature of life, while the metaphor of "falling from blue highs" suggests a sense of vulnerability and impermanence. The use of religious imagery, such as the reference to "something in the sky," adds a spiritual dimension to the song and suggests that the singer is searching for deeper meaning in his life.
Overall, "Blue Highs" is a poignant and thoughtful exploration of the human experience, with a message that resonates long after the music stops.
Line by Line Meaning
(It's just a dream)
The singer acknowledges that their experiences may not be rooted in reality.
Your planes fly
The singer is entranced by fast-moving, modern technology.
I'll follow without asking why
The singer is a passive follower, susceptible to the influence of those around them.
Scared of bigger things
The artist is intimidated by complex, abstract concepts.
Thngs that pass me by
The artist feels incapable of keeping up with the ever-changing world.
All my friends will follow
The singer's peers are also easily influenced by trends and modernity.
Happy always till tomorrow
The singer's friends are content to live in the moment, without considering future consequences.
For my weaknesses they mock me
The artist's friends belittle their insecurities and flaws.
Love me, cut me and rob me
The artist's friends have a pattern of taking advantage of them.
Crazy head spins
The artist is overwhelmed by their own thoughts and emotions.
I took it without asking where
The singer pursued certain experiences without considering their origin or true nature.
I got it from
The artist obtained something (which is not specified), but didn't think to question its source.
And at the time I didn't care
The singer was in a state of reckless, careless abandon during this experience.
My whole head hollows
The singer feels empty, unfulfilled, and possibly even dehumanized.
As my lost spirit follows
The singer feels disconnected from themselves, and is following others without a sense of personal direction or purpose.
In the end I don't know how
The artist's journey has been unpredictable and disorienting.
But I got there
Despite their confusion and disorientation, the artist eventually arrived at a certain destination or truth.
Take more time thinking
The singer believes that it's important to consider one's experience and decisions more carefully.
Then falling from blue highs
The singer has undergone some kind of emotionally thrilling, but ultimately unsatisfying, experience.
Old men plods
The artist imagines aging as a slow, plodding process that will eventually overtake everyone.
I reason without asking why
The artist has lost touch with their emotions and intuition, relying solely on logic to guide their decision-making.
I have no God
The artist is an atheist or agnostic, and doesn't believe in a higher power or divine force.
But I'm sure there's something in the sky
Despite their lack of faith, the singer has a sense that there is something mystical or transcendent above them.
Here something listens
The artist imagines that, although they may not believe in a traditional God, there is something (perhaps the universe or the collective unconscious) that is attuned to their thoughts and emotions.
As every glistens
The singer is dazzled by the beauty and wonder of the world, but may struggle with reconciling this with their skepticism and cynicism.
Take more time running
The singer encourages themselves (or others) to stay physically active and pursue energetic, vibrant experiences - in contrast to the caution and careful thinking they previously advocated for.
Then falling from dim eyes
The singer contrasts the vibrant energy of their previous lines with a sense of pessimism or resignation.
(It's just a dream)
The artist reiterates that their experiences and thoughts may not have any objective reality.
It's fatal, but time is what I want
The artist acknowledges that time will always run out, but still craves more time to make sense of their experiences and philosophies.
(Your whole life, it's just a dream)
The singer expands their earlier statement about dreams to encompass the broader concept of life itself - implying that nothing has a true, objective sense of reality or permanence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Derran Gene Brownson, Ian Dench, James Saul Atkin, Mark Simon De Cloedt, Zachary Sebastian Rex Foley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind