In 1990 the band won two Brit Awards: Best British Group, and Best British Album for "The Raw and the Cooked" which also reached number one in the US album charts. It was re-packed as a remix album ("The Raw & the Remix" and spawned six singles over three years; "She Drives Me Crazy","Good Thing", "Don't Look Back", "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be", "I'm Not Satisfied" and "It's O.K. (It's Alright)".
The trio split in 1992, though they recorded a new track in 1996 to promote their The Finest compilation. Gift soon reactivated the brand and toured in the 2000s as Roland Gift and the Fine Young Cannibals.
Fine Young Cannibals appeared as the house band in the 1987 film comedy Tin Men, peforming some of the songs that ended up on The Raw and the Cooked. Steele and Cox had previously recorded under the moniker Two Men A Drum Machine and a Trumpet.
Don't Look Back
Fine Young Cannibals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I drive my car but I haven't got a car to drive.
Never had a holiday in the tropical sun,
good times look like they're never gonna come.
Oh, I know these times are bad
and it makes you want to cry, Don't be sad, we'll get by.
Baby, baby don't look back, it won't do no good.
I'm gonna leave and I think that you should.
I've spent my life In a place like this.
On the first but out I'm gonna get myself a lift.
If you wanna stay well that's alright,
if you wanna go it's got to be tonight.
Oh, I know these times are bad
and it makes you want to cry, Don't be sad, we'll get by.
Baby, baby don't look back, it won't do no good.
Baby, baby don't look back,
I'm gonna leave and I think that you should.
Never had the good things only money can buy.
I drive my car but I haven't got a car to drive.
Oh, I know these times are bad
and it makes you want to cry, Don't be sad, we'll get by.
Baby, baby don't look back, it won't do no good.
Baby, baby don't look back,
I'm gonna leave and I think that you should.
"Don't Look Back" by Fine Young Cannibals is a song about two people in a tough situation, facing the reality that they have never had the good things in life that money can buy. The singer hasn't had a car, a proper holiday, or any of the luxuries that people dream of. And while he drives a car now, it's not really his. He's stuck in a dead-end job in a place that doesn't fulfill him. The song's refrain repeats this message of acceptance: "Oh, I know these times are bad, and it makes you want to cry, Don't be sad, we'll get by."
In the second verse, the singer is ready to move beyond his circumstances, to leave this place and start anew. He wants to get out, to make a change, and he wants his partner to come with him. If she wants to stay, that's okay, but he has to leave tonight. The chorus is a repetition of this message: "Baby, baby don't look back, it won't do no good. Baby, baby don't look back, I'm gonna leave and I think that you should." It's a song about accepting the present, looking forward to the future, and leaving the past behind.
Overall, "Don't Look Back" is a song about hope and change in the face of adversity. The singer has never had much in life, but he's determined to make a better future for himself. He's leaving the bad times behind and looking forward to better days. It's a message that anyone going through tough times can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Never had the good things only money can buy.
I've never been in a position to buy luxury with my wealth.
I drive my car but I haven't got a car to drive.
I have a car but it's not a car I really want.
Never had a holiday in the tropical sun, good times look like they're never gonna come.
I've never had the chance to go for a tropical vacation and it seems unlikely that I ever will.
Oh, I know these times are bad and it makes you want to cry, Don't be sad, we'll get by.
I'm aware that the times are challenging and can be distressing, but we'll make it through.
Baby, baby don't look back, it won't do no good.
There's no use dwelling on the past.
Baby, baby don't look back, I'm gonna leave and I think that you should.
I'm planning on moving on and you should too.
I've spent my life In a place like this. On the first but out I'm gonna get myself a lift.
I've been stuck in this situation my entire life and I'm looking to finally break free from it.
If you wanna stay well that's alright, if you wanna go it's got to be tonight.
It's fine if you want to stick around, but if you're leaving, you need to do it right away.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID STEELE, ROLAND LEE GIFT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Fierysaint1
I feel like the only person on the planet who knows this is their best song.
@ahmadmaramis8125
No. Me too... ❤
@jennblais5399
I agree 100%
@jl2937
True fact
@cygnalsux1
Au contraire my friend, you're not alone
@robgweston965
Nope, right there with ya kiddo
@Burns1993Joe
Everyone knows “She drives me crazy” and “Good thing” but more people need to hear this! Genius songwriting!
@novelty8theory494
This one the best in my opinion.👍🏼
@manlikeaz3473
It’s more than that to me I lost my dad at an early age and he played FYC all day and night good memories for me all funeral songs main one as hard as it is
@johngibson6724
Don't forget blue classic