The European band to go by this name was a small English trio consisting of Kristy Yates on vocals and bass guitar, Sergei Tardo on guitars and piano, and Dimitri Voulis. La-Di-Da Productions released their first 12 inches "Hardley" and "Might" in 1991. Their CD EP "Under My Skin I Am Laughing" perfectly encapsulates the early nineties shoegaze sound of England and was distributed in the United States in 1994.
From a UK perspective, however, it is seen as one of the earliest examples of what came to be known as post-rock in the UK, a genre that included Disco Inferno, Bark Psychosis, Laika and Pram, to designate bands that used guitars but were not interested in 'rocking', and was not closely linked in the UK to the short-lived indie shoegazing scene, which centred rather on a clutch of post-My Bloody Valentine bands such as Chapterhouse, Ride, Lush, Boo Radleys, Catherine Wheel and Moose.
They later changed their name to Insides and operated mostly as the duo of Kristy and Sergei, and honed their vision on the Euphoria album on 4AD in 1993.
The American band also formed in 1991. They self-recorded and released a cassette, a 7" single (Dinosaur Song/Wounded Knee) and finally a full album in 1994 all on their own "micro-indie" record label LFM Records. Working at a steady pace over the last several years, the band has been in no hurry to sell themselves short for any mythical big break with a major label. Putting out a series of critically acclaimed but hard to find albums, the band has gathered a small, but ferociously loyal, fan base. A new album is expected (on LFM Records) in late 2008.
***
"Earwig is a high energy, stripped down, underground-rock, three piece with emotionally intelligent lyrics. They deftly straddle the line between reckless rock and roll mayhem and deliberate organized song crafting. The Who and Nirvana both come to mind."
www.lizardfamily.com
www.myspace.com/earwig
Nineteen
Earwig Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And i will be just fine
I woke up to sin
Just to be with you
And it's something i've waited for
I think i'll hang around
And my arm
And things are never around
Wasting around without my cloud of ????
And my arm is round ????
Some things change
Not 19
I feel clean
So better when you're gone
What's in your mouth
Why don't you spit it out
Why'd you promise me
Why'd you count it out
Why don't you write it down
It's the back of me ??
That's so right
Some things change
Not 19
I feel clean
So better when you're gone
Some things change
Not 19
I feel
I feel
I feel
I feel
So better when you're gone
In the first verse, the singer talks about needing someone to hold their hand in order to feel okay. They mention waking up to sin just to be with this person, indicating that they may have made some questionable choices in order to be with them. However, they express that being with this person is something they’ve waited for and they want to stick around. The line “my arm and things are never around” is a bit nonsensical, but it may suggest a feeling of disconnection or detachment. The singer wonders if they’ve waited too long to find this person and imagines them “wasting around” without them. The repeated line “and my arm is round” may express a desire to hold onto this person.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the fact that the singer feels better when this person is gone, despite their desire to be with them. They state that some things have changed, but they themselves haven’t (they’re still “not 19”).
In the second verse, the singer asks the person what’s in their mouth and why they won’t spit it out. This could be a metaphor for some hidden feeling or information that the person is keeping from them. They also question why this person counted something out or made a promise they then broke. The line “it’s the back of me that’s so right” is unclear, but it may suggest that the singer feels that their true self is more valuable or genuine than what others see on the surface.
Overall, the song seems to be about a complicated relationship in which the singer wants to be with someone but also recognizes the negative impact that person has on them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold my hand
I need your support to get through something
And i will be just fine
Your presence will give me the strength to carry on
I woke up to sin
I made a mistake that I regret
Just to be with you
I did it because of my love for you
And it's something i've waited for
Being with you is something I've been looking forward to
I think i'll hang around
I want to stay close to you
And my arm
I want to hold you close
And things are never around
Things don't always work out as planned
Am i too late to find you
I worry that I have missed my chance with you
Wasting around without my cloud of ????
I feel lost without you
And my arm is round ????
I want to comfort you
Some things change
The only constant in life is change
Not 19
Some things stay the same
I feel clean
I feel good about myself
So better when you're gone
I appreciate your absence more than your presence
What's in your mouth
What are you thinking?
Why don't you spit it out
Why aren't you being honest?
Why'd you promise me
Why did you make a commitment to me?
Why'd you count it out
Why did you measure it out so carefully?
Why don't you write it down
Why don't you put it in writing?
It's the back of me ??
I don't fully understand you
That's so right
That makes perfect sense
I feel
I experience
I feel
I experience
I feel
I experience
I feel
I experience
So better when you're gone
I appreciate your absence more than your presence
Contributed by Evelyn R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cometbelt
for such a creepy looking bug, they got some pretty wings
@gagida1829
True. Like a fairy
@eroraf8637
Now that's some impressive organic origami.
@maxcovfefe
22 species of earwigs are known to be able to fly. Not that they're good flyers, but they can if necessary. Like many other kinds of bugs, they remind me of Transformers, because the have to move plates around to achieve flight. What I love most about them is their maternal instinct. It's kinda rare in insects to see mothers nurture their young with such affection. She feeds them, caresses them, and teaches them to fend for themselves. They're also friends to gardeners. Some eat harmful insects, most eat dead plant material, a composter's boon.
@silverfox9004
you just explained some of the reasons i love these guys 😁
@thilsiktonix
I actually made a transformer based off of them! Combined with a samurai!
@AjkulaDrakula
What a majestic creature. You can clearly see where its name comes from. Too bad about the ear intruding myth.
@themaicky3209
Those are the most beautiful wings I've ever seen
@craftykit2242
I never knew they had wings, but they’re so beautiful. I’d love to see one fly in person
@leslijones4443
Who knew... the lowly earwig has a swan side! 🤍🦋