By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
It Was a Pleasure
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know you like that, too
The stuff that undermines
The best of me and you
It was a pleasure to meet you
You slapped me right on the back
Just a pleasure to meet you
No discussion now
No bad dreams now
No reason now
No excuses now
If I knock it all back
Just like you said I do
Would it confirm the suspect?
The suspicion will do
It was a pleasure to meet you
You slapped me right on the back
Just a pleasure to meet you
You got it almost exact
No discussion now
No allusion now
No dilution now
No excuses now
Let's get rid of the shit
I know you like that, too
The stuff that undermines
The best of me and you
Failure to do so will result in the failure
Failure to do so will result in the failure
The song "It Was a Pleasure" by Echo & the Bunnymen is about the desire to eliminate negativity in a relationship. The singer acknowledges that they both like to get rid of the "shit" that can damage the best parts of themselves and their partner, and suggests that by doing so, they can continue to enjoy each other's company. The lyrics suggest a desire for a simple, positive relationship, with no need for excuses, discussions, or bad dreams.
The chorus of the song, "It was a pleasure to meet you, you got it almost exact," is somewhat ambiguous, but could be interpreted as a nod to the idea that relationships take work and compromise. The slap on the back mentioned in the chorus could also be seen as a physical gesture of support or encouragement, emphasizing the positive theme of the song.
Overall, "It Was a Pleasure" seems to be a song about appreciating the good things in a relationship and working together to keep them intact. The urgency of the repeated phrase "failure to do so will result in the failure" suggests that the singer is aware that relationships can be fragile, and that both parties must actively work to maintain them.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's get rid of the shit
Let's eliminate the negative influence in our lives
I know you like that, too
I know you want to get rid of it as well
The stuff that undermines
The things that weaken our relationship or character
The best of me and you
The aspects of ourselves that are good and positive
It was a pleasure to meet you
It was enjoyable to be introduced to you
You slapped me right on the back
You greeted me warmly by giving a friendly pat on the back
Just a pleasure to meet you
It was simply a great experience to meet you
You got it almost exact
Your behavior and attitude were nearly perfect
No discussion now
There is no need to argue or debate at this moment
No bad dreams now
There are no nightmares or negative thoughts to worry about
No reason now
There is no specific cause or justification for taking action
No excuses now
There are no acceptable rationalizations for avoiding responsibility
If I knock it all back
If I ignore or deny the negative influence
Just like you said I do
As you claim I often do
Would it confirm the suspect?
Would it verify the suspicion of my wrongdoing?
The suspicion will do
Merely having the suspicion is enough evidence
No allusion now
There is no indirect or subtle reference being made
No dilution now
There is no watering down or weakening of the message
Failure to do so will result in the failure
Not eliminating the negative influence will lead to destruction or defeat
Failure to do so will result in the failure
Not eliminating the negative influence will lead to destruction or defeat
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, LESLIE PATTINSON, PETE FREITAS, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind