Initially, Garbage was an informal jam session between the three producers held in Marker's basement. Steve Marker saw the music video of "Suffocate Me" by Angelfish on MTV, recorded it and showcased it to his band mates. They invited the Scottish vocalist Shirley Manson to join Garbage, she accepted, and soon Angelfish disbanded. According to Vig, Garbage was named before Manson joined the band, after the percussionist Pauli Ryan walked in while Vig was working on a remix for Nine Inch Nails and said it sounded like "garbage".
In August 1995, the group released their debut album Garbage, preceded by their first single "Vow" in March 1995. This album was an unexpected smash, selling over 5 million copies and reaching double platinum status in the UK (#6), USA (#20), Australia. Also it received great reviews from critics and featured on the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." They released five singles from this album: "Vow", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Queer", "Stupid Girl", and "Milk". A non-album single entitled "Subhuman" was issued on 7 August 1995.
In 1996, the band released a short-form VHS and Video CD entitled "Garbage Video" (also known as "Home Video"), that included all of Garbage's promotional music videos filmed up until that point.
In 1997, Garbage were nominated at Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal for "Stupid Girl", Best Rock Song for "Stupid Girl". In the same year, the remixed version of "#1 Crush" (original version released in 1996) was included on the multi-platinum movie soundtrack William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Also it was nominated for Best Song From a Movie at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards.
They spent over an year working on their follow-up album Version 2.0, which was released on May 1998 and hit #1 in the UK and #13 in the US. It was supported by six singles: "Push It", "I Think I'm Paranoid", "Special", "When I Grow Up", "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" and "You Look So Fine". The music video of "Push It" featured state of the art effects and it costs over $400,000 to make. Version 2.0 sold over 5 million copies, almost the same as their debut.
In 1999, they performed the theme song to the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough. That year, they also contributed the song "When I Grow Up" to the Adam Sandler movie Big Daddy. Version 2.0 was nominated at Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, and "Special" was nominated for Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song.
In October 2001, Garbage issued their third and most pop album beautifulgarbage, preceded by the single "Androgyny" in September 2001. All four singles released ("Androgyny", "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)", "Breaking Up the Girl" and "Shut Your Mouth") were moderately successful. This album got 6th place at Rolling Stone's Top 10 Albums of The Year. The world tour from October 2001 to November 2002 was affected by Butch's health problems.
The band struggled to remain together and almost split in 2003, before returning with the fourth studio album Bleed Like Me in April 2005, peaking at a career-high #4 in USA. Four singles promoted the album: "Why Do You Love Me", "Sex Is Not the Enemy", "Bleed Like Me", and "Run Baby Run". Garbage cut short their 2005 world tour, and announced an indefinite hiatus, but emphasized it was not a break-up.
In July 2007 the group released a greatest hits album and a DVD entitled Absolute Garbage. The compilation featured a selection of their singles, a new single "Tell Me Where It Hurts" (#50 UK), and a remixed version of "It's All Over But the Crying" (the limited edition had also a remixes disc). The DVD included most of their music videos and a documentary related to the band.
In 2008 a new track called "Witness to Your Love" was issued on a charity compilation in the USA. Shirley Manson recorded a solo album but her label refused to release it considering it to be "too noir". In the same year she started to play a regular role on US TV show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
According to a post from Shirley's Facebook profile, the band returned back to studio in 2010. On 14 May 2012, Garbage released their fifth studio album, Not Your Kind of People. The album was supported by the singles "Blood For Poppies", "Battle in Me", "Automatic Systematic Habit" and "Big Bright World".
On June 10th 2016, Garbage released their 6th album "Strange Little Birds".
Temptation Waits
Garbage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am a wolf but
I like to wear sheep's clothing
I am a bonfire
I am a vampire
I'm waiting for my moment
You come on like a drug
I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more
And there's so much at stake
I can't afford to waste
I've never needed anybody like this before
I'll tell you something
I am a demon
Some say my biggest weakness
I have my reasons
Call it my defense
Be careful what you're wishing
You come on like a drug
I just can't get enough
I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more
And there's so much at stake
I can't afford to waste
I've never needed anybody like this before
You are a secret
A new possession
I like to keep him guessing
You come on like a drug
I just can't get enough
I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more
And there's so much at stake
I can't afford to waste
I've never needed anybody like this before
When I'm not sure what I'm living for
When I'm not sure what I'm looking for
(Repeat until end)
The lyrics of Garbage's song "Temptation Waits" convey a sense of danger and desire, as the singer describes themselves as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and a "demon" while expressing a desperate need for the person they are addressing. The repeated line "You come on like a drug, I just can't get enough" emphasizes the addictive nature of the attraction and the high stakes involved.
The first verse sets the scene, establishing the singer's predatory nature and their readiness to act on their desires. The line "I'm waiting for my moment" implies that they are biding their time until they can pounce. The second verse delves deeper into the singer's psyche, admitting to their weakness and the reasons behind it, but also warning their object of desire to be careful what they wish for.
The chorus drives home the intensity of the emotions involved, with the addict metaphor underscoring the sense of compulsion at work. The bridge brings a note of uncertainty, as the singer reflects on their lack of direction and purpose, but the repetition of the chorus reinforces the hold that the other person has over them.
Overall, "Temptation Waits" is a dark, seductive track that captures the thrill and danger of desire.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll tell you something
I'm going to reveal something important to you
I am a wolf but
I have a strong and fierce nature
I like to wear sheep's clothing
I hide my true nature to appear more gentle and innocent
I am a bonfire
I am powerful and can ignite passion
I am a vampire
I am dangerous and can sustain myself by taking from others
I'm waiting for my moment
I'm biding my time for the right opportunity
You come on like a drug
You have an irresistible and addictive effect on me
I just can't get enough
I crave more of you
I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more
I'm constantly seeking my fix
And there's so much at stake
There's a lot riding on this
I can't afford to waste
I must use this opportunity to the fullest extent
I've never needed anybody like this before
I've never felt such a strong desire for someone
I am a demon
I have a dark and malevolent side
Some say my biggest weakness
Others claim that my vulnerability lies in this aspect of myself
I have my reasons
I have justification for my behavior
Call it my defense
I am using this as a means of protecting myself
Be careful what you're wishing
Be aware of the consequences of what you want
You are a secret
You are something kept hidden from others
A new possession
A recent acquisition that I value highly
I like to keep him guessing
I enjoy causing uncertainty and anticipation in others
When I'm not sure what I'm living for
When I lack direction and purpose in life
When I'm not sure what I'm looking for
When I am unclear about my desires and goals
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DOUGLAS ELWIN ERICKSON, SHIRLEY ANN MANSON, STEVE W. MARKER, BRYAN DAVID VIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind