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.
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Never Know
EMF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a hole in my side
And comfort is only a need of mine
And I get lonely
At any chance that I might get
Your arms can't hold what`s going on inside
And you'll see just what you want me to be
If the words I say
Throw and sway
I've seen myself mixed up
I've never had this much
Your heart always beats
You will always sleep
And you would never know
You say you've won a part of life
I say, you've been bitten by the cold
And you'll swing at any chance that you might get
[Chorus]
If the words I say
Throw and sway
I`ve seen myself mixed up
I`ve never had this much
The words I say
Seem maybe tame
I`ve seen my mixups
Never really come to much
[Chorus: x2]
And maybe I should find a place to hide
And maybe I`ll burn down the place I hide
And I get lonely at any chance that I might get
And I`ll get lonely just as soon as I find
Some hope, some truth
And never be bought again
And you would never know
And you need never know
[Chorus]
The lyrics of "Never Know" by EMF depict a sense of loneliness and longing for connection, as well as a struggle with feeling misunderstood. The first verse, "Oh Mother, there's a hole in my side and comfort is only a need of mine," suggests a physical or emotional pain that the singer is grappling with. They express a desire for comfort, yet feel unable to find it, as "your arms can't hold what's going on inside." The second verse shifts to a more general commentary on life, with the line "you say you've won a part of life, I say you've been bitten by the cold." This line is perhaps meant to convey a sense of skepticism or cynicism towards those who claim to have "won" at life or who seem to have it together. The singer sees through their facade and recognizes that they are still vulnerable to pain.
The chorus repeats the lines "if the words I say throw and sway, I've seen myself mixed up, I've never had this much." It seems to suggest that the act of communication is difficult for the singer, perhaps because they fear being misunderstood or judged. They feel "mixed up" and uncertain of how to express themselves clearly. The second repetition of the chorus changes slightly, with the line "the words I say seem maybe tame, I've seen my mixups never really come to much." Here, the singer seems to be acknowledging that their struggles with communication may not be as significant as they feel they are.
In the final verse, the singer considers the possibility of "finding a place to hide" or "burn[ing] down the place I hide." These lines suggest a sense of desperation or frustration with their current situation. However, they also express a desire for "some hope, some truth," as well as a desire to never be "bought again." This line is perhaps a criticism of the idea that happiness and fulfillment can be purchased or gained through material possessions. In the end, the singer recognizes that others may never truly know their inner turmoil, but they still hold out hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Mother
Addressing a maternal figure
There's a hole in my side
Experiencing a physical/mental emptiness or pain
And comfort is only a need of mine
Desperately longing for comfort and relief
And I get lonely
Feeling isolated and alone
At any chance that I might get
At any given opportunity
Your arms can't hold what's going on inside
Unable to be comforted by others
And you'll see just what you want me to be
Being shaped by others' expectations
And I'll be fine just as soon as I find
Believing that everything will be okay once a solution is found
If the words I say
Expressions and thoughts conveyed through language
Throw and sway
Influenced and distorted
I've seen myself mixed up
Experiencing confusion and uncertainty
I've never had this much
Feeling overwhelmed
Your heart always beats
Emphasizing that life goes on despite personal struggles
You will always sleep
Everything will eventually go to rest
And you would never know
Others may be completely unaware of one's internal battles
You say you've won a part of life
Claiming a sense of accomplishment
I say, you've been bitten by the cold
Possibly referring to a harsh reality
And you'll swing at any chance that you might get
Taking opportunities without hesitation
If the words I say
Repetition of prior stanza
Throw and sway
Repetition of prior stanza
I've seen myself mixed up
Repetition of prior stanza
Never really come to much
Being unable to make progress or change
And maybe I should find a place to hide
Desire to escape or take a break from life
And maybe I'll burn down the place I hide
Possibly recognizing self-destructive tendencies
And I get lonely at any chance that I might get
Repetition of prior chorus
And I'll get lonely just as soon as I find
Repetition of prior chorus
Some hope, some truth
Desire for clarity and positivity
And never be bought again
Avoiding compromising one's own values
And you would never know
Repetition of prior stanza
And you need never know
Being selective with what is shared with others
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