Gomez completed an inaugural U.S. tour opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry in October 1998, while the press still offered praise (Spin magazine called Bring It On "a damn beautiful album," giving it an eight out of ten rating). Liquid Skin followed one year later and went platinum in England, and the rarities/B-sides compilation Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline appeared in 2000. A third studio album, In Our Gun, was released in spring 2002. Another hiatus saw Ian Ball relocating to Los Angeles while still working with the band at its new studio in Portslade, England. The dozens of tracks recorded during this time were whittled down and fashioned into Split the Difference, released in May of 2004. By that time, Hut, the group's original label, had gone under, leaving Gomez signed to Virgin (Hut's distributor). Despite all the critical acclaim, the band's album sales never seemed to match Virgin's expectations, and the two sides parted ways later that year.
In 2005, Gomez signed with ATO Records and released Out West, the group's first live album. How We Operate arrived in May 2006, and the band rounded out the year by assembling a retrospective collection of singles, rarities, and unreleased tracks entitled Five Men in a Hut: Singles 1998-2004. Gomez's members were spread across two continents by this point, leading to a three-year gap between How We Operate and the band's sixth studio release, A New Tide, parts of which were recorded individually by the various bandmates and then merged online. Ben Ottewell took some time after its release to launch a solo career, with 2011's Shapes & Shadows marking his first major release outside of the band. Months later, the band released another studio album, Whatever's on Your Mind, with Phantom Planet's Sam Farrar sharing production duties with the bandmates themselves.
Biography by Greg Prato
Step Inside
Gomez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since he bought a gun, he'll never sleep again
Widow sleeps alone, she never shuts her window
Mandy knows what's fun, she just don't know what's right
Come on, step inside
Come on, step inside, don't walk on by
Step inside
Sequins on his shirt, Stevie's up for dancing
Always been a flirt, carol steps in line
History to the bone, memory to the marrow
Old an' weary man, treads a traveled road
Come on, step inside
Come on, step inside, don't walk on by
Step inside
Come on, step inside
Standing in the sun, trolling cold maria
A hare Krishna drum sounds distantly in time
The blood comes off like grime, in the wash hand basin
Just another crime, reason with her
Step inside
Come on, step inside, don't walk on by
Step inside
Come on, step inside, don't walk on by
Step inside
Come on, step inside
The song Step Inside by Gomez portrays a series of characters and events that may be seen as fragments of life. The first verse introduces Harry, who has bought a gun and is now in constant fear of being caught. It also mentions a woman who widowed and is always looking out of her window. The second verse talks about Stevie, who is always in the mood for dancing and a woman named Carol, who is happy to follow him along. Additionally, the verse mentions an old man who has had his fill of life and now walks a path he has treaded many times.
The chorus of the song tells us to step inside and come along with them. The third verse shows us a person named Maria, who is probably a prostitute. The singer of the song talks to her about her life and the difficulties she faces. The verse also mentions a Hare Krishna drum, which could be interpreted as a symbol of spiritual awakening.
The song Step Inside has a certain melancholy to it, aided by the lyrics that evoke images of fragments of existences. It is not possible to tell a full-fledged story with the characters, as the song only hints at parts of their lives. However, the message of the song seems to be one of empathy with the lives of all people, no matter how broken they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Harry's on the run, he's got good reason
Harry is running away from something or someone, and he has a strong justification for doing so.
Since he bought a gun, he'll never sleep again
After acquiring a firearm, Harry expects to be constantly alert and unable to rest.
Widow sleeps alone, she never shuts her window
Despite being a widow, this woman keeps her window open and sleeps by herself.
Mandy knows what's fun, she just don't know what's right
Mandy understands what activities are enjoyable, but she lacks an understanding of what could be considered morally appropriate.
Sequins on his shirt, Stevie's up for dancing
Stevie is wearing sparkly decorations on his clothing and is eager to dance.
Always been a flirt, Carol steps in line
Despite frequently behaving flirtatiously, Carol falls in line and obeys the rules.
History to the bone, memory to the marrow
This individual has a deep understanding and recollection of the past, which is fundamental to their very being.
Old an' weary man, treads a traveled road
An elderly and tired man continues to walk down a path that he has traveled many times before.
Standing in the sun, trolling cold maria
Someone is getting attention by the sun, as they pull on the heartstrings of Maria who is unhappy and distant.
A hare Krishna drum sounds distantly in time
The reverberations of a drum played by a Hare Krishna devotee can be heard faintly in the background.
The blood comes off like grime, in the wash hand basin
Blood can be washed off easily like dirt in a washbasin.
Just another crime, reason with her
Committing an unlawful act is not unusual, and it is important to try to persuade her to see reason.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BEN OTTEWELL, IAN THOMAS BALL, OLIVER JAMES PEACOCK, PAUL BLACKBURN, THOMAS WILLIAM GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind