Ben met Tracey when they were at Hull University and she was singing in pop girl-band Marine Girls. Ben contributed a photograph, for a forthcoming album cover, after which, the pair became partners (later getting married). They formed Everything But the Girl in 1982, the name inspired by a Turner's Furniture advertising slogan (a popular store near the university). For a period, Tracey was active in both bands and the album with Ben's photo materialised, Lazy Ways (Apr 1983), which was to be Marine Girls' last. EBTG soon achieved national success and singles from The Language of Life (1990), got VH-1 airtime - heralding USA notoriety.
Once internationally established, they successfully achieved one of the greatest stylistic changes in modern music; originally a 'folk-pop with jazz influences' band, their fortunes changed with Amplified Heart (Jul 1994) and Todd Terry's successful remix of its track "Missing" (Aug 1994). Since then, EBTG have become more widely known as an electronic act, with Walking Wounded (May 1996), being a well-received example of their metamorphosed sound.
As of 1999, EBTG as a duo are currently on hiatus, as the couple raise their children, out of the public eye. Watt is a very successful club DJ, Buzzin Fly label-manager and remixer, releasing several 'Lazy Dog' mix compilations (named after his London-based deep house night).
Thorn's 2006 collaboration with Tiefschwarz, on the underground hit song "Damage", seems to have re-awoken her artistic spirit and she released a second solo album, Out of the Woods (Mar 2007).
As of March 2023 evidence that the hiatus will end soon emerges in an interview with Alexis Petridis, in which the release date of the new album 'Fuse' is given as 21 April. This new music was first mentioned by Tracy Thorn on twitter in late 2022, and now it emerging, with 2 new singles already released
Good Cop Bad Cop
Everything but the Girl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
Won't somebody take away this feeling
I'm looking at an open sky, it's not my roof, it's got no ceiling
It's wrong to feel this way, I know it's wrong, I know it's bad
But you know there's more to me now, don't you?
You always conquer for me, won't you, won't you?
And it's used to look half full now some days it looks half empty
And some days it feels like nothing that always use to feel like plenty
But it's wrong to feel this way, I know it's wrong, I know it's bad
To only see what isn't there to want and want you never had
But you know there's more to me now, don't you?
You always conquer for me, won't you, won't you?
I don't want to feel this way
Won't somebody take away this feeling
You played good cop, I played bad cop
Still my roof has got no ceiling, still my roof has got no ceiling
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
The lyrics to Everything But the Girl’s song “Good Cop Bad Cop” is a song about not wanting to feel a certain way and wanting someone to take away that feeling. The singer talks about looking at an open sky without a roof, symbolizing a sense of freedom and possibility, yet they still feel trapped by their emotions. The singer realizes that it is wrong to feel this way and to only focus on what they don’t have rather than appreciating what is already there. They ask for reassurance from someone they care about, asking them to be their “good cop” and conquer these negative feelings.
The lyrics drip with a feeling of longing and desperation, as the singer struggles to overcome their feelings of inadequacy and envy. The song captures the universal feeling of wanting what you can't have and struggling to find contentment with what you already possess. The repeated line “I don't want to feel this way” emphasizes the singer's desire to no longer feel weighed down by negative emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to feel this way
The singer does not want to feel the negative emotions that are consuming them.
Won't somebody take away this feeling
The singer is appealing to someone to help them overcome their negative emotions.
I'm looking at an open sky, it's not my roof, it's got no ceiling
The singer is feeling lost and without direction in life.
It's wrong to feel this way, I know it's wrong, I know it's bad
The artist recognizes that their negative emotions are not healthy or beneficial.
To only see what isn't there to want and want you never had
The artist is focused on the things they lack rather than appreciating what they have.
But you know there's more to me now, don't you?
The singer believes that they have more to offer than just their current negative emotions.
You always conquer for me, won't you, won't you?
The singer is asking for help from someone they trust to overcome their negative emotions.
And it's used to look half full now some days it looks half empty
The artist's perspective on life has become more negative and pessimistic.
And some days it feels like nothing that always use to feel like plenty
Things that once brought joy and fulfillment to the artist no longer have the same effect.
You played good cop, I played bad cop
The artist and someone else had different roles in a situation, with one being more positive and the other more negative.
Still my roof has got no ceiling, still my roof has got no ceiling
Despite the changes happening in the singer's life, they still feel lost and without direction.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: THORN, WATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sparsec
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
Won't somebody take away this feeling
I'm looking at an open sky, it's not my roof, it's got no ceiling
It's wrong to feel this way, I know it's wrong, I know it's bad
To only see what isn't there to want and want you never had
But you know there's more to me now, don't you?
You always conquer for me, won't you, won't you?
And it's used to look half full now some days it looks half empty
And some days it feels like nothing that always use to feel like plenty
But it's wrong to feel this way, I know it's wrong, I know it's bad
To only see what isn't there to want and want you never had
But you know there's more to me now, don't you?
You always conquer for me, won't you, won't you?
I don't want to feel this way
Won't somebody take away this feeling
You played good cop, I played bad cop
Still my roof has got no ceiling, still my roof has got no ceiling
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
I don't want to feel this way
Aoife MacIntyre
I loved this album with a PASSION from 1996 thru 2006 and listened to it on a daily basis for almost a decade! This was definitely one of the best songs on the album in my opinion.
Natan Mendes Junior
I say yes! Super!!!!!!
Mennis:316
They was way ahead of their time and never got the true props they deserve..This is One of my favourite tracks on the album good cop bad gives me goose bumps each time I hear it... the production by Todd Terry on this is mind blowing.. The bridge on this is sick!!
Authentic Gay Blog
SO few views, this whole album is amazing, they are amazing and in my top 5 fav groups.
Joshua Lafferty
Authentic Gay Blog agreed
Willa Smith
Best song on the album ... walking wounded is such a timeless album
John Charlton
My mum always used to sing this as a lullaby, now as an man I know she was singing about my dad.
God I miss them.
(as a big part of my life, I played this to my fiancé right in the middle of lockdown and preposed and she said yes!)
Thanks folks!
Complex Little Pirate
Got to be honest, there's a tear in my eye reading this John
華
this is special.
Michael Rainer
Holy cow. I'm tearing up as well. God bless you John.