By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas. Their next, the critically-acclaimed Heaven Up Here, reached the Top Ten in 1981, as did 1983's Porcupine and '84's Ocean Rain. Singles like "The Killing Moon" (later used in the soundtrack to Donnie Darko, a film whose imagery owed much to the artwork of the band's early records.), "Silver," "Bring on the Dancing Horses," and "The Cutter" helped keep the group in the public eye as they took a brief hiatus in the late 1980s. Their 1987 self-titled LP was a small American hit, their only LP to have significant sales there.
McCulloch quit the band in 1988. De Freitas was killed in a motorcycle accident one year later. The others decided to continue, recruiting Noel Burke to replace McCulloch on vocals in Reverberation (1990), which did not generate much excitement among fans or critics. Burke, Sargeant and Pattinson split after that, but the surviving three fourths of the original band reformed in 1997 and released Evergreen (1997), What are You Going to Do with Your Life? (1999), Flowers (2001) , Siberia (2005), and the latest addition, The Fountain (2009). The group's old audience liked the return to their classic sound, and they also managed to gain a number of new, younger listeners.
Echo and the Bunnymen were managed early on by Bill Drummond, who went on to be a founder member of The KLF.
I Want to Be There
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to fly, fly, fly
Want you to take me to
All of your sky
Why don't you kneel me down
Why don't we try, try, try
'cause when we come around
'cause i don't want to go under
It's only just begun
I want to be there when you come
I want to be there when you come
I want to be like you
I want to laugh and cry
About the things we do
Never ask why
'cause i don't want to go under
It's only just begun
I want to be there when you come
I want to be there when you come
I want to be like you
I want to fly, fly, fly
Want you to take me to
All of your sky
I want to paint the town
And drink it dry, dry, dry
And when the lights go down
I'll say goodbye
Through the rain and the thunder
I'm heading into the sun
I want to be there when you come
I want to be there when you come
(i want to be there)
I want to be there when you come
(i want to be there)
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la
The lyrics to Echo & the Bunnymen's song "I Want to Be There" speak to a desire to be one with another person – to fly through life together, experiencing the highs and the lows without question or hesitation. The singer expresses a desire to be like the other person, to see the world through their eyes and to fly to all the places they've been. They want to be close to this person, to feel them close physically, and to experience everything that life has to offer together. The lyrics also hint at a desire for immortality – a refusal to "go under" and an optimistic feeling that life has only just begun.
The second verse highlights the singer's love for the other person and a willingness to experience whatever they want to experience together, without judgment. They want to laugh and cry together and do things without questioning why they're doing them. This suggests a deep level of trust and love between the two people, and a desire for a life filled with adventure and excitement. The final verse speaks to a desire for excess – to paint the town and drink it dry – but also a willingness to say goodbye when the time comes. The final lines express a sense of hope and optimism, with the singer heading towards the sun and expressing a desire to be there when the other person comes.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be like you
I wish to emulate your characteristics and mannerisms.
I want to fly, fly, fly
I want to soar freely and feel liberated, without any boundaries or constraints.
Want you to take me to
I hope you will accompany me to the places you've been, or to the places I am yet to discover.
All of your sky
I aspire to see your entire life and experiences, to understand you better and connect with you on a deeper level.
Why don't you kneel me down
Would you reverence me or make me feel special by showing me respect or admiration?
Why don't we try, try, try
Why don't we venture and experiment, and put our intentions into action without hesitation?
'cause when we come around
Because whenever we're together or we intertwine, something magical happens.
That's when i fly
That's when I am at my best, and when I feel like I can conquer anything and face any challenge.
'cause i don't want to go under
Because I refuse to fail or succumb to hardships and obstacles regardless of what happens.
It's only just begun
My journey or undertaking has only started, and I am fully committed and dedicated to seeing it through to the end.
I want to be there when you come
I don't want to miss a single moment or opportunity to be with you, and to support or assist you when you need it.
I want to laugh and cry
I want to experience both joy and sadness with you, to share moments of happiness and moments of grief together.
About the things we do
I want to have conversations and reminisce about our shared experiences or activities.
Never ask why
I don't want to overanalyze or question the things we do, I just want to appreciate them as they are.
I want to paint the town
I want to have a fun and wild time by venturing into different places, and experiencing new adventures with you.
And drink it dry, dry, dry
And I want to indulge in things like alcohol, to the point of exhaustion or until the night ends.
And when the lights go down
And when the day is over, and everything is calm and peaceful, I will bid you farewell.
I'll say goodbye
I am not gone forever, but only until next time we meet. Until then, take care.
Through the rain and the thunder
Against all odds or challenges, I will confront them and persevere with you by my side.
I'm heading into the sun
I am moving forward towards a brighter future, and I am optimistic and confident about what's ahead.
(i want to be there)
I want to be present, and to be an active participant in your life and adventures.
La la la la la la la la
I am full of energy and excitement about what's to come.
La la la la la
I am letting loose and indulging in the moment, without a care in the world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, LESLIE THOMAS PATTINSON, WILLIAM ALFRED SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@malena2467
This band has a unique musical style.
@jonesy2111
The best band in the universe!
@J.X.Sanchez777
😂😅😅
@icewizard1296
My favorite band...i m italian fan of eatb
@sliv812
Such a well-crafted pop song. A shame that it fell through the cracks in terms of radio airplay when it came out in 1997. This should have the big crossover hit in the U.S. that the band had been waiting for.
@janebraun4482
For sure, if so I would have been all over this song
@valariehradhune4224
They played the hell out of it local Radio in Maryland! I still hear it pop up occasionally on WZBH 93.5 and WAVE 97.1 as recently a this week!
@u2danny81
I was in high school when this came out. I heard it once on the radio and loved it, but never knew who sang it. I used to listen to their older stuff back then, go figure. I didn't find out it was Echo until 2019
@179rich
This song cracks me up.
@josefbuckland
Daria brought me here ep arts n crass. Lol Trent 🤘