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".
We Never Tell
Garbage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They could break our arms but we will remain intact
You'd never had anyone make you feel so good
I can see it in your eyes when I look at you
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
I want you, I want you
I know you want me too
We're on the outside always looking in
You don't trust humans and I feel the same
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
That I want you, ooh
I want you, I want you
I know you want me too
Let's give 'em something to remember
Something to talk about
On their telephones
On their couch at home
Make me shake, make me tremble
We can be animals
Our secret universe, a place to be us
This is my time with you, I'm not giving it back
They could break our arms but we will remain intact
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
It's in our eyes but we never tell
Let's give 'em something to remember
Something to talk about
Let's give 'em something to remember
Something to talk about
The lyrics to Garbage's song "We Never Tell" express a deep connection between two individuals who share a special relationship that is not openly acknowledged. The singer starts by affirming that the time spent together with the other person is precious, and they are not willing to give it up. They go on to state that even though they might face opposition, they will remain together and unshakable. The singer can see that the other person has never felt this way before, and they can feel the same in their eyes.
The chorus repeats the phrase "It's in our eyes but we never tell." This sentiment suggests that they share a deep connection that is not explicitly expressed, perhaps because of societal norms and pressures or fear of judgment. The singer knows that they both want each other but cannot express it openly because they are outsiders, and trust is hard to come by.
In the bridge, the singer proposes that they give others something to remember and talk about, a secret shared between them that cannot be explained to others. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, underscoring the fact that their connection remains secret and unspoken, expressed only in their eyes.
Overall, the lyrics of "We Never Tell" reveal a complicated relationship between the two individuals where they have deep feelings for each other, but societal norms and pressures do not allow them to express their feelings openly. The song is a beautiful representation of how love can be complicated and how some relationships remain hidden.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my time with you, I'm not giving it back
I value the time we spend together and won't let anyone take that away from us.
They could break our arms but we will remain intact
No matter what obstacles come our way, our relationship will endure.
You’d never had anyone make you feel so good
I bring happiness and joy to your life in a way that no one else has before.
I can see it in your eyes when I look at you
Your eyes reveal the depth of your feelings for me, even though we don't speak of it openly.
It's in our eyes but we never tell
Though our emotions are clear, we keep them hidden from the world.
That I want you, ooh
I desire you deeply and want to be with you.
I know you want me too
I can sense that you share the same desire for me.
We're on the outside always looking in
We feel separate from others and alone in our connection to each other.
You don't trust humans and I feel the same
Both of us have been hurt by others and struggle to trust people in general.
Let's give 'em something to remember
Let's create a memorable experience together that no one else can share.
Something to talk about
Let's create a scandalous secret that others will gossip about.
On their telephones
Our secret will spread through the grapevine of social media and technology.
On their couch at home
Our secret will be the topic of conversation in the comfort of other people's homes.
Make me shake, make me tremble
Let's have an intense physical and emotional experience together.
We can be animals
Let's give in to our primal desires and act like wild creatures.
Our secret universe, a place to be us
Our connection is a secret world where we can be ourselves and express our hidden desires.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Steve W Marker, Douglas Elwin Erickson, Bryan David Vig, Shirley Ann Manson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ayz587
Ahhh. I smell the 90's sweet breeze in this song. So hypnotic...
@stevenrpondue1157
My favorite song off the album. Siphons me back into the 90s. Love it.
@axchisler
Who else is just dying to hear the next album? !!!
@t.k.padilla1968
I am glad for Shirley that she has found a love mate. It's reflected all over this record.
@7johnrock
One of the Most incredible song written in the last few decades!!! Yes folks.... Simply magical. Thee best Garbage song ever and of all time, period..
YUP----just listen........
@juliohernandez5230
the whole album is such a 90's tribute,i fucking love it
@fedecamusso
Such a perfect song.
@placebointemposhark
Love it! reminds me of version 2.0
@rosegoldboi8103
One of the more cheerful songs from this album
@CraigAuthor75
initially wasn't sure..but it's turned into a favourite...love when that happens