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 1993β94, 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/
I
EMF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe sometimes I touch
I believe, love
I deserve
I deserve, much more than this
I deserve, love
This is hopeless now
Sometimes I don`t mind at all
Particularly the times with you
O.K. that`s fine as long as you believe
The only things moving don`t mean a thing
Can you believe it, it`s getting blue
Straight through, line for line, trash
Don`t touch this
The lyrics of "I Believe" by EMF are about one's belief in love and deserving better than what they currently have. The singer believes in love and sometimes feels like they have touched it before. They also believe that they deserve more than what they have in terms of love. The song then goes on to describe a hopeless situation where the minute seems to stall but the singer doesn't mind as long as they are with someone they care about. They then talk about trash and something that is getting blue, which could be a reference to something becoming corrupted or tainted. The song ends with the phrase "don't touch this," almost like a warning to stay away from anything that could cause harm or damage.
The song's lyrics are open to interpretation and can be seen as both positive and negative. On one hand, it is a hopeful ode to love and the belief in finding something better. On the other hand, it also mentions a sense of hopelessness and despair, questioning the point of certain things.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe
I have faith in something greater than myself
I believe sometimes I touch
Sometimes I feel a connection to that greater something
I believe, love
I believe in the power of love to connect us to that greater something
I deserve
I am worthy of good things
I deserve, much more than this
I know I am capable of receiving better things than what I have now
I deserve, love
I am worthy of love and connection
This is hopeless now
The current situation seems impossible to change
As the minute stall
Time seems to slow down and nothing progresses
Sometimes I don`t mind at all
There are moments where I am content in the present even if nothing changes
Particularly the times with you
Those moments are often spent with someone special
O.K. that`s fine as long as you believe
If you have faith, everything will be alright
The only things moving don`t mean a thing
The things that appear to be progressing may not be important in the grand scheme of things
Can you believe it, it`s getting blue
Things are becoming melancholy and bleak
Straight through, line for line, trash
Everything seems meaningless and worthless
Don`t touch this
Don't get too close to the negativity or hopelessness
Lyrics Β© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DERRAN GENE BROWNSON, IAN ALEC HARVEY DENCH, JAMES SAUL ATKIN, MARK SIMON DECLOEDT, ZACHARY SEBASTIAN REX JAMES FOLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EMFtheband
β Listen to EMF on Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/39oSLGo3HkaeYXzUEGgAGQ
Arbab mir
EMF were way out one of the best bands of the 1990's.
Uk1975
Very early 90s
Eric Smith
Spent many car rides blasting this stuff and singing along... Still holds up...
Fabio Quadrio
ππ
Imaginary Dreamers 4 U
Bought the vinyl single straight away when this came out early 90's. Love it still. Great track! Killer production!
Mika Miettinen
Me and my cousin heard this song when this was released somewhere 90's. We both think this is the MOST BEST SONG EVER created. This is so good that nobody EVER could make better song than this is!
I know there are better songs now, but man this is still AWESOME!
Criss
Amaba esta banda
andyindub
So great - always loved this song!!!
Bianzig
eternal love to this song!!!!!! π