The band is named after a line in the BBC TV mini-series 'The Singing Detective', in which a character says that the word "elbow" is the most sensuous word in the English language (not due to its definition per se but due to how it feels to say it). Though the group came about in 1990, intially going by names such as 'Soft' and 'Mr. Soft', it wasn't until 'The Noisebox EP' came out on 1 January 1998 that they had a real release. Elbow started out specializing in "chilled funk", but the guys changed the direction of their music after unanimously deciding that they were "shit."
Their new songs picked up notice from both Island Records, but the band got dropped due to business shenanigans before anything actually came out post-singing. Elbow then released two critically acclaimed EP's on the independent Ugly Man Record label, starting with the aformentioned 'Noisebox EP'. Luckily, their work caught the attention of V2 Records.
V2 released Elbow's debut album: "Asleep In The Back." The album was a surprisingly moderate success, gaining substantial critical acclaim and, ultimately, a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize in 2001. The single "Newborn" received attention after being banned by Radio 1 for the lyric, "I'll be the corpse in your bathtub."
Word of mouth then began to work in Elbow's favor. Its 2003 album, "Cast Of Thousands," entered the UK Charts at #7 to critical acclaim. The lead single, "Fallen Angel," charted at #19.
In 2004, Elbow became the first British band to ever play a concert in Havana during an unofficial Cuban tour. The tour was made into a short film by British documentary maker Irshad Ashraf.
Elbow released its third album in 2005: "Leaders Of The Free World." Despite a continued lack of commercial notice, "Leaders Of The Free World" charted at #12, with its lead single, "Forget Myself" achieving #22 in the charts. That autumn, Elbow headlined the first of two sell-out tours.
March 17, 2008, saw the release of Elbow's fourth album, entitled "The Seldom Seen Kid." Released through Fiction, it entered the UK album chart at #5, and went on to win the 2008 Mercury Music Award. "The Fix," features guest vocals and lead guitar by Richard Hawley. April 2009 saw the release of The Seldom Seen Kid Live At Abbey Road, recorded with The BBC Concert Orchestra and Chantage. This album, recorded in Studio One of the world famous Abbey Road Studios on Saturday, January 17, 2008, is a complete run-through of the Mercury winning album. It features the band, a 52-piece orchestra, and a 20-member choir.
"Grounds for Divorce" was featured in VALVe Software game Left 4 Dead in 2008.
The band's fifth album Build A Rocket Boys! was released in the UK on March 14, 2011.
The First Steps Songfacts reports that Elbow was commissioned by the BBC to write a song for their coverage of the 2012 Olympics. The resulting tune is "First Steps". The full song lasts six and a half minutes, but it was written in such a way so that it could be divided into different minute or two long elements for use over both winning and losing footages.
In July 2015, Elbow released the Lost Worker Bee EP, which was soon followed by Guy Garvey's first solo album 'Courting the Squall' (Oct 2015).
Their seventh studio album, 'Little Fictions' was released on 3 February 2017, with Elbow's eighth studio album, 'Giants of All Sizes', released 2 years later on 11 October 2019.
Website: http://elbow.co.uk/
RED
Elbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ray of brilliant sunshine you
We'll roll it all up in the fireside booze
Come on, baby, I'm waiting for you
Come on, baby, it's not too late
No Menai Straits, no Golden Gates
I don't remember now a single word
But I remember when
And that I loved you so
Ooh
Roll me a scandalous
I'll boil us some eggs
Put a movie on we can talk all across
Put words in my mouth
Put ideas in my head
Come on, baby, let's put you to bed
There's the reddest sky ever to radio by
There's the reddest sky ever to radio by
The talk is of love
It'll always trump slumber
You haven't changed
You haven't changed your number
But I remember when
And that I loved you so
Ooh
Come on, baby, I'm waiting for you
You ray of brilliant sunshine you
We'll roll it all up in the fireside booze
Come on, baby, I'm waiting for you
Come on, baby, it's not too late
No Menai Straits, no Golden Gates
I don't remember now a single word
It's half a life and half a world ago
But I remember when
And that I loved you so
Ooh
Elbow's song "Red" is a thoughtful and empathetic reflection on the impact of stress and anxiety on a loved one. The song begins with an invitation to the loved one to come as they are, with no need to prove anything. The singer offers to put the loved one to bed, allowing them to let go of the burden they have been carrying. The loved one has been "playing too rough lately," suggesting that they have been pushing themselves beyond their limits in pursuit of some goal or ideal.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses concern for the loved one's well-being. They observe that the loved one burns too bright and lives too fast. There is a sense of urgency in the singer's voice, as they recognize that this cannot go on forever. The loved one is a "tragedy starting to happen," and the singer is desperate to find a way to help.
Despite the concern, however, the singer accepts the loved one just as they are. They are perfect as they are, with no need to change or put on a facade. The singer is willing to give the loved one the time they need to heal and recover. They caution against making promises or relying on quick fixes, recognizing that true healing takes time and patience.
Overall, "Red" is a powerful and compassionate expression of empathy and concern for a loved one struggling with stress and anxiety. It is a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is simply to be present and accept someone as they are, flaws and all.
Line by Line Meaning
Come as you are sweetheart, come as you are
I accept you just the way you are, with no expectations or need to change.
You know you've got nothing to prove
You don't need to prove anything to me or anyone else.
I'll put you to bed you can let it all go
I will take care of you and provide a safe space for you to release the burdens you've been carrying.
You've been playing too rough lately
You've been living life recklessly and without regard for the consequences.
You burn too bright
You have an intensity that can be overwhelming and unsustainable.
You live too fast
You are moving through life too quickly, without taking the time to savor each moment.
This can't go on too long
Your current lifestyle is not sustainable and will eventually lead to negative consequences.
You're a tragedy starting to happen
If you continue on this path, you will inevitably lead yourself towards a tragic outcome.
Just as you are
I love you for who you are right now, without needing anything to change about you.
Perfect
You are perfect to me, flaws and all.
I'll give you the time you deserve
You deserve to be seen and heard, and I will make time for you.
Don't make those promises
Don't make promises you can't keep or don't truly mean.
Don't tell me again
I don't want to hear empty promises and false reassurances again.
That dust is gonna settle your nerves
Don't rely on temporary fixes to calm your nerves, they won't last and won't solve the root of the issue.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Craig Lee Potter, Guy Edward John Garvey, Mark Potter, Peter James Turner, Richard Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@isabellarose4473
My old beloved and I are used to make love to this album.I was 20 years old when I met him… 17 years ago… Oh my gosh… How time flies! I met him right after I lost my father. He was my first love. He used to play this song to me all the time. I love the new music in a deuce me too although at that time I didn’t know the half of the meeting, as he was using these songs to speak to me instead of verbally tell me how you felt. To this day, I miss him dearly… God bless your heart Joshua Thomas Hurley. It’s been 12 years since I last saw His face 💙💙
@FeederForLife
This is one of my favourite songs for when I just want to put a song on, close my eyes and focus. Amazing.
@nicholasmoore6973
Having an Elbow moment - wow; I think this was their Mercury Prize album if I remember correctly. Perfect.
@cheetosugar695
This was from Asleep in the Back, which was nominated. The winner was actually the Seldom Seen Kid.
@EulogyForTheAges
This is such a beautiful song ❤
@MrMattaiusify
I'm gonna have to listen to more of their older stuff. This is completely stunning!
@Onmysheet
They were a force of nature from 2001-2008. (I mean musically) lol
@garyr6097
Late_Bloc_Party its their best stuff...now they just make music that sells...well in my opinion
@lorraineoflaherty728
Late_Blo
@richharding7927
Asleep In The Back is still their best album, and this is one of the three best tracks on it. The Take-Off And Landing Of Everything cuts it close, but, yeah, not quite as good as the debut.