Members of Royal City and The Constantines regularly appear as Vermue's supporting band on his solo recordings. He has regularly performed with The Hidden Cameras and Final Fantasy, aswell as contributing vocals on the Final Fantasy LP 'Has A Good Home'.
Bundle
Gentleman Reg Lyrics
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They take it all, don't stop don't gloat
Try to reconsider fees
Talk to him, it's all to please
Sensing heat, the fire hits
We don't have the strength left
What they made is coming down
This is in the smallest town
Because you feel
Half as real
Like most people
Personalities they steal
Rough and old, it's wearing thin
Loose thread bearing skin
But battering the day's wind
It's tough when bodies just don't bend
I can hear him try to sing
It's only breath, his words don't ring
I guess we save the way to win
Ambition is the foreign sin
Because you feel
Half as real
Like most people
Personalities they steal
And I wonder
Who is bundled up and has lost it
And I wonder
And more to come means mostly done
So take what's left with it and run
And we'll find the face that feeds the tracks
The weight we rested on our backs
With everything a social swing
There's more to do and more to bring
Everything's a social swing
With more to do and more to bring
Because you feel
Half as real
Like most people
Personalities they steal
And I wonder
Who is bundled up and has lost it
And I wonder
The lyrics of "Bundle" by Gentleman Reg express a sense of weariness and resignation in the face of disappointment and disillusionment. The opening lines refer to a period of seven years during which "local hope" has been building something up, only to have it all taken away without any remorse or acknowledgement of the effort involved. The singer suggests that they have attempted to negotiate reconsideration of fees or some form of recognition, but have been met with indifference or hostility. As a result, they feel depleted and unable to resist the forces that have brought them low. The song continues with a description of the physical toll this experience has taken on the singer, employing vivid imagery of "rough and old" skin and bodies that "just don't bend." The final verses suggest a sense of resignation and defeatism, as the singer contemplates the forces that have dehumanized them and stolen their identity.
Overall, "Bundle" is a melancholy and introspective song that deals with themes of loss, disappointment, and the dehumanizing effects of social and economic pressures. The repeated refrain of "Because you feel / Half as real / Like most people / Personalities they steal" captures the sense of alienation and depersonalization that the singer experiences, while also expressing a sense of solidarity with others who have undergone similar experiences. Despite the pervasive sense of pessimism, however, there is also a glimmer of hopefulness in the final verses, as the singer hints at the possibility of rebuilding and forging new connections with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Seven years with local hope
The singer's been living in a place that he once had hopes for, for seven years.
They take it all, don't stop don't gloat
Others have taken all that he had in the place, but they don't bother to gloat about it.
Try to reconsider fees
The singer would like to see a reduction in the costs he faces in the place.
Talk to him, it's all to please
The singer thinks that by talking to someone, there may be a change in the situation that would please him.
Sensing heat, the fire hits
The singer is feeling a certain heat, which is causing his emotions to rise.
We don't have the strength left
The singer is feeling weak and overpowered in the situation.
What they made is coming down
The things that others in the place made are now falling apart.
This is in the smallest town
All this is happening in a small and remote place.
Because you feel
The reason for all of these events happening is due to the singer feeling a certain way.
Half as real
The singer feels like he's not quite living a full, genuine life.
Like most people
This feeling is common and shared by most others around him.
Personalities they steal
The people in the place take away the unique personalities of others, leaving behind a generic way of living.
Rough and old, it's wearing thin
The singer's physical appearance is deteriorating and revealing his age.
Loose thread bearing skin
There are obvious signs of wear and tear on the singer's body.
But battering the day's wind
Despite this, the singer still tries to fight through each day.
It's tough when bodies just don't bend
The singer finds it difficult to keep going when his body is so weak.
I can hear him try to sing
The singer can hear someone else in the place trying to sing, but they're struggling to be heard.
It's only breath, his words don't ring
Despite trying to sing, the sound the other person makes is weak and not impactful.
I guess we save the way to win
The singer thinks that perhaps the way to win is by saving something important.
Ambition is the foreign sin
In this small place, having ambition is seen as something that's wrong or bad.
And more to come means mostly done
There's likely not much more to come, since the place is already mostly finished.
So take what's left with it and run
The singer suggests taking what's left of the place and leaving it behind quickly.
And we'll find the face that feeds the tracks
The singer thinks that they'll eventually discover who or what is responsible for the situation they're in.
The weight we rested on our backs
The struggles of the place are something that everyone there has to bear.
With everything a social swing
In this place, everything is affected by the social dynamics and relationships between people.
There's more to do and more to bring
There's plenty of work left to be done to make any further progress in the place.
And I wonder
The singer is left wondering about their situation.
Who is bundled up and has lost it
The singer is curious about who else has been affected and feels overwhelmed by their situation.
And I wonder
The singer is still left wondering about things.
Contributed by Christian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.