By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
Over Your Shoulder
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
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I'm hear
The face on your head looks older
We're here
[Chorus]
Never gonna change
Never gonna disappear
Doors close tight
Day of departure
Is near
Ears on your head
Don't hear
[Chorus]
Victims fall
Ghosts descend
You get scared and I'll defend
I don't really care but I'll pretend
The good and bad right to the end
Look in the cellar
We're here
I've been meaning to tell you
I'm here
[Chorus]
Victims fall
Ghosts descend
You get scared and I'll defend
I don't really care but I'll pretend
The good and bad right to the end
Never gonna change
Never gonna disappear
In "Over Your Shoulder" by Echo & the Bunnymen, the singer seems to be addressing someone who is either anxious or fearful, and the singer appears to be trying to comfort them in some way. The opening lines, "Over your shoulder, I'm here," suggest that the singer is close to the other person and is trying to reassure them that they are not alone, while the next line, "The face on your head looks older," implies that the other person is worried or stressed about something, perhaps to the point of looking worn or haggard.
The chorus repeats the lines "Never gonna change, never gonna disappear" and "Doors close tight," which may suggest a feeling of entrapment or a sense of inevitability that the other person is experiencing. The singer seems empathetic to their worries, wanting to show support and understanding of their situation.
The verse that follows continues to portray the sense of uncertainty around the other person's situation, as referenced by "Day of departure is near" and "Ears on your head don't hear." The chorus then repeats, and the later verses touch on themes of protection and loyalty. The lines, "Victims fall, ghosts descend, you get scared and I'll defend" present a sense of responsibility on the part of the singer to protect and comfort the other person.
Overall, "Over Your Shoulder" conveys a message of support and loyalty to someone experiencing anxiety or fear. The singer is trying to be reassuring and provide comfort during a difficult time, while acknowledging that sometimes life can be challenging and scary.
Line by Line Meaning
Over your shoulder
I am behind you and watching you
I'm here
I am present and nearby
The face on your head looks older
You seem more tired/youthful than you used to
We're here
I am not alone, there are others with me
[Chorus]
These events will not change or disappear, and we all must face the consequences
Stars shine down on me tonight
I am reflecting on the beauty of the night sky
Doors close tight
The opportunities for escape have been cut off
Day of departure
The time to leave is coming soon
Is near
It will happen soon
Ears on your head
You are not listening or paying attention
Don't hear
You are ignoring what is happening around you
Victims fall
Innocent people suffer
Ghosts descend
The dead come to haunt us
You get scared and I'll defend
I will protect you when you are afraid
I don't really care but I'll pretend
I do not have true concern, but I will feign interest
The good and bad right to the end
Both positive and negative events will continue to happen until the very end
Look in the cellar
There is something important to find below
We're here
There are others with me, we are together
I've been meaning to tell you
I have wanted to share something with you for a while now
Never gonna change
Things will remain the same
Never gonna disappear
The situation will not simply go away or be resolved
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, LESLIE THOMAS PATTINSON, PETE DE FREITAS, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind