By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
Proxy
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Show me somewhere that I've not been before
You give me so much I don't want anymore
And until I get my fill
Awake on the sea, asleep on the shore
You're making me just want to keep wanting more
I'm understanding, and I'm standing under awe
Just like many, but nobody
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Look at us now
Yeah, look at us now
Yeah, look at us now
Look at us now
I love it when you say you're better than me
Like you know you're not as clever as me
You can't connect intellectually
And until I get my fill
My head is heading for the head surgery
Everything you said, you heard it from me
Your repetition's just repeating on me
Just like many, but nobody
Not like any, everybody
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Look at us now
Yeah, look at us now
Yeah, look at us now
Look at us now
Am I the wrong one?
Am I the wrong one?
Am I the wrong one?
Am I the wrong one?
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
Everybody, look at us now
The lyrics to "Proxy" by Echo & the Bunnymen appear to be about a relationship that has lost its spark. The singer is frustrated with their partner because they've become too predictable, and they're no longer interested in the same things they used to be. The lyrics "Show me something that I've not seen before, Show me somewhere that I've not been before" suggest that the singer is looking for excitement and novelty in their relationship. The line "You give me so much I don't want anymore, And until I get my fill" implies that the singer is overwhelmed by their partner's affection and needs some space. However, despite their frustration, the singer is still in love with their partner, as shown by the line "Just like many, but nobody, Not like any, everybody."
The chorus appears to be sarcastic, with the singer saying "look at us now" repeatedly. The repeated line "Am I the wrong one?" suggests that the singer is questioning their own role in the relationship, wondering if they're the problem. Overall, "Proxy" seems to be a song about the ups and downs of a relationship, and the challenges of maintaining passion and excitement over time.
Line by Line Meaning
Show me something that I've not seen before
I want to experience something new and exciting
Show me somewhere that I've not been before
I want to travel to a place I have never been to before
You give me so much I don't want anymore
I am overwhelmed with what you are giving me and I cannot take anymore
And until I get my fill
I will continue to crave more until I am satisfied
Awake on the sea, asleep on the shore
I feel like I am floating between two worlds
You're making me just want to keep wanting more
Your actions are stimulating my craving for more
I'm understanding, and I'm standing under awe
I feel like I am in the presence of something extraordinary
Just like many, but nobody
I am one of many but I still feel alone in my experiences
Not like any, everybody
I am different from everyone else but I am still a part of the collective
I love it when you say you're better than me
I enjoy it when you challenge me intellectually because it shows your insecurities
Like you know you're not as clever as me
You are aware that I am intellectually superior
You can't connect intellectually
You are unable to engage with me on an intellectual level
My head is heading for the head surgery
My thoughts are causing me great distress
Everything you said, you heard it from me
You are just repeating ideas that I have presented to you
Your repetition's just repeating on me
Your constant repetition is becoming irritating
Am I the wrong one?
I am questioning my own beliefs and actions
Everybody, look at us now
I want everyone to acknowledge our achievements and successes
Yeah, look at us now
We have achieved something great and we should take pride in it
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ian McCulloch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind