Herbert began creating music with found objects whilst at Exeter University (UK) in the 1990s, where he studied Drama. From bottles, books, and pepper pots he progressed to recording places and experiences, effectively using the sampler as an instrument on many of his Doctor Rockit and Herbert releases. This style evolved into the overtly political when he began sampling objects from McDonald's and The Gap as a protest against corporate globalism on the The Mechanics Of Destruction album. The CD was distributed free at concerts and available as a free download and has never been available in stores.
His 2003 Big Band album, Goodbye Swingtime combined the political commentary of Radioboy with the song structure of his Herbert albums. Recorded with sixteen musicians from the British jazz world, including saxophonists Dave O'Higgins and Nigel Hitchcock and bassist Dave Green, the band is complemented on stage by long-term vocal partner Dani Siciliano and occasionally Arto Lindsay and Warp recording artist, Jamie Lidell. Recently he has provided music for a number of films, including Dogme director Kristian Levring's The Intended along with original music for TV. Herbert's newest album Plat du Jour addresses world famine.
I Know
Herbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How i'm supposed to
When you're close to me
I don't hear you
In my voice
Where others used to sing
I know
I know
If you hear me calling
I have gone
Each time i'm inside you
Life moves on
The lyrics to Herbert's song "I Know" are full of emotions of loss and detachment. The persona in the song expresses how difficult it is to see or hear their loved one despite being close to them. The persona also notes how they no longer hear their own voice, like others used to sing, indicating that they have lost their ability to express themselves fully. The repetition of "I know" further emphasizes that the persona is aware of their situation and how they are feeling.
The lyrics also suggest that the persona has made a decision to move on from the situation. They acknowledge that each time they are inside the loved one, which could mean both physically or emotionally, life continues, and they must do the same. This could be interpreted as letting go of the past and moving on to a new phase of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't see you
I am unable to perceive you visually
How i'm supposed to
I am uncertain of how I should see you
When you're close to me
Even when you are in proximity to me
I don't hear you
I am lacking the ability to hear your voice
In my voice
It is only my own voice that I am able to hear
Where others used to sing
Others have previously had a voice that I could hear, but no longer
I know
I am aware of my current situation
I know
I am confident in my understanding of the situation
I know
I am emotionally grounded in my perspective
If you hear me calling
If you notice me reaching out to you
I have gone
I have withdrawn from the connection we previously had
Each time i'm inside you
Every time we are in each other's presence
Life moves on
The passage of time continues, regardless of the state of our relationship
Writer(s): Ahmet Ertegun, Herbert C. Abramson, Rudolph Toombs Copyright: Unichappell Music Inc.
Contributed by Logan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.