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/
Unbelieveable
EMF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd have me tell no lies
You're always asking what it's all about
But don't listen to my replies
You say to me I don't talk enough
But when I do I'm a fool
These times I've spent, I've realized
I'm going to shoot through
The things, you say
Your purple prose just gives you away
The things, you say
You're unbelievable
You burden me with your problems
By telling me more than mine
I'm always so concerned
With the way you say
You've always go to stop
To think of us being one
Is more than I ever know
But this time, I realize
I'm going to shoot through
And leave you
Seemingly lastless, don't mean
You can ask us
Pushing down the relative
Bringing out your higher self
Think of the fine times
Pushing down the better few
Instead of bringing out the clues
To what the world and everything anger to
Brace yourself with the grace of ease
I know this world ain't what it seems.
What the fuck was that
It's unbelievable
The lyrics to EMF's song "Unbelievable" express frustration towards someone who constantly burdens the singer with questions and problems but doesn't listen to their replies. The first verse describes the person asking too many questions and not letting the singer speak freely. They feel like a fool when they do talk and these experiences have made them want to leave. The second verse talks about how the person overshadows the singer's own problems and that they are always worried about the other person's wellbeing. This person also wants them to think of them as one but the singer finds that hard to do. They have realized that it's time to leave this situation.
The chorus talks about the person's tendency to use flamboyant language which makes them seem unbelievable. The next lines talk about how they make the singer feel burdened and that they can't take it anymore. The bridge talks about how the person should focus on the positive aspects instead of bringing out negativity. They tell them to brace themselves with the grace of ease because the world is not always how it seems. The song ends with the singer trying to understand what just happened, with the interjection of "What the fuck was that".
Line by Line Meaning
You burden me with your questions
You constantly ask me things that I don't want to answer
You'd have me tell no lies
You expect me to always speak the truth and do not want me to hide anything
You're always asking what it's all about
You keep searching for the meaning of everything around you
But don't listen to my replies
However, you ignore my responses when I try to explain things to you
You say to me I don't talk enough
According to you, I don't communicate as much as I should
But when I do I'm a fool
But when I actually express myself, you do not take me seriously
These times I've spent, I've realized
After spending all this time with you, I have come to the realization
I'm going to shoot through
That I am going to leave and move on from you
The things, you say
The words that come out of your mouth
Your purple prose just gives you away
Your language is too flowery and reveals your true intentions
You burden me with your problems
You keep telling me about your own issues without considering my feelings
By telling me more than mine
You always seem to have more problems than I do
I'm always so concerned
I am always worried about you and your well-being
With the way you say
Due to the way you express yourself
You've always go to stop
You need to take a step back and think about the impact of your words and actions
To think of us being one
To imagine that we are a united entity
Is more than I ever know
It is beyond my comprehension
Seemingly lastless, don't mean
Appearing to last forever does not indicate anything significant
You can ask us
You can try to inquire and understand us better
Pushing down the relative
Suppressing our natural instincts
Bringing out your higher self
Helping you become more enlightened and evolved
Think of the fine times
Focus on the good memories and moments
Pushing down the better few
Supressing the positive qualities within us
Instead of bringing out the clues
Rather than highlighting the things that can aid in our growth and understanding
To what the world and everything anger to
To what end the world and everything in it comes to
Brace yourself with the grace of ease
Get ready for whatever life has in store with a calm acceptance
I know this world ain't what it seems
I am aware that reality is different from what it appears to be
What the fuck was that
What the hell just happened
It's unbelievable
This situation is just too hard for me to believe
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emftheband
Make sure to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39oSLGo3HkaeYXzUEGgAGQ
@braedon1986
Thank you for the memories! Love you to the moon and back!
@gazhazzler1916
Britpop killed your music
@GUSTAVTT
are you still there????? man, this is amazing!!!!!
@abril9571
💕😍👌
@revinhatol
Sounds a bit profane, that's why this version comes up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGFVnflE4Zo
@DeathSOAD
1991 - this song is awesome!
2024 - this song is awesome!
@e............
copied comment
@jenhodge9018
Agreed ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@JoshHipHopLivin
Your point?