They were successful from the beginning, with their 1981 single "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" setting the stage for the breakthrough success of the album 'Pelican West' (1982). The single "Love Plus One" was even bigger than anything previous, and Haircut 100 seemed poised for stardom just as Heyward decided to seek a solo career. The remainder of the band tried to continue with the album 'Paint and Paint' (1984), with percussionist Mark Fox taking over Heyward's vocal duties, but they broke up soon after.
Although somewhat dismissed as a 'one hit wonder' due to the spread of blockbuster hit "Love Plus One", the band proved influential by the late 00s when new wave revivalist bands such as Vampire Weekend and No Kids emerged employing a similar style of preppy, afrobeat-like guitar pop.
High Noon
Haircut 100 Lyrics
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A one horse town of promised gold and western fortune
Oh, token slug of bourbon
Time after time
High noon - riding a dream
Lie after lie
High noon - not what they seem
Hot dust and lust, a dawn to dusk can lead to danger
I bought a lover locket - a barroom dolly -
Bathtub stranger (swear to me calamity again!)
Sasperella
Red neck fella
Lace umbrella
Be my girl!
When I find the west is won
Got to keep on rolling on and on
Time after time
High noon - riding a dream
Lie after lie
High noon - not what they seem
Mile after mile
High noon - building a dream
Lie after lie
High noon - not what they seem
The lyrics of Haircut 100's song High Noon speak of the classic American Western tale of a lone cowboy, riding across the vast prairies towards the ocean, looking for a better life. The journey takes the cowboy through the one-horse towns that promised him great riches but were nothing more than seedy outposts. The lyrics describe the cowboy's experiences, ranging from drinking bourbon in dark bars to dealing with barroom girls and bathtub strangers. Despite the cowboy's tough journey, he remains steadfast and determined to continue riding towards his dream.
The chorus of the song, "High Noon," is an evocative reference to the classic Western movie of the same title, starring Gary Cooper. The phrase "High Noon" also symbolizes the cowboy's own struggles, as he faces danger and deception with each mile he travels. The lyrics of High Noon give a nod to the traditional Western movie tropes, including the hot dust, the lust, and the dawn-to-dusk life that can be treacherous, but which is familiar terrain for the cowboy.
Overall, Haircut 100's High Noon is a song that tells a classic Western tale, with all its ups and downs, of one cowboy's journey to find a better life. Through determination, strength, and a bit of luck, the cowboy manages to keep going despite the obstacles he faces, be they in the form of con artists, treacherous women, or seedy towns.
Line by Line Meaning
A leather life from the prairie to the blue, blue ocean
Living a tough life from the plains to the calm, calm sea
A one horse town of promised gold and western fortune
A small town that offered wealth and prosperity of the West
Oh, token slug of bourbon
A sip of bourbon
Time after time
Repeatedly
High noon - riding a dream
Pursuing a dream at its peak
Lie after lie
Untruth after untruth
High noon - not what they seem
The dream is not what it appears to be
But it only happened in film
It was only a scene in a movie
Hot dust and lust, a dawn to dusk can lead to danger
Passion and dust as the sun rises and sets, can lead to harm
I bought a lover locket - a barroom dolly - Bathtub stranger (swear to me calamity again!)
I purchased a love locket from a bar and met a stranger in the bath (promise me disaster again!)
Sasperella
Sarsaparilla, a type of soft drink
Red neck fella
Man with sunburned skin
Lace umbrella
Umbrella with lace trim
Be my girl!
Be my girlfriend
When I find the west is won
When the West is conquered
Got to keep on rolling on and on
Have to keep moving forward
Mile after mile
Endless travel
High noon - building a dream
Working towards a dream with determination
Lie after lie
Untruth after untruth
High noon - not what they seem
The dream is not what it appears to be
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
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