Hoodoo Gurus (sometimes just shortened to 'Gurus') are an Australian rock b… Read Full Bio ↴Hoodoo Gurus (sometimes just shortened to 'Gurus') are an Australian rock band combining elements of seventies power pop, bubblegum pop, Beatle-esque harmonies, psychedelia and grungy garage rock. Guitarists Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj, and Kimble Rendall were joined by drummer James Baker when the band formed in Sydney in 1981. Baker and Radalj had been members of Perth band The Scientists in 1977-79, while Baker had drummed with Faulkner and in another Perth band, The Victims, in 1978-79.

The original lineup was notable for having three guitars and no bass player, creating a distinctive, layered sound. Kimble Rendall left in 1982 before the release of their first single, Leilani, and went on to become a noted music video director. He was effectively replaced by bassist Clyde Bramley. Radalj was not happy with Rendall's departure or Faulkner's increasing influence, and left the band himself, to be replaced by one-time Fun Things guitarist Brad Shepherd. This line-up released the band's break-through first album, Stoneage Romeos, in 1984.

In 1998, the band officially split but reformed for occasional concerts in subsequent years. A full-fledged reunion came in 2004, when they released Mach Schau and began touring again. The band received another boost when Come Anytime (from 1989's Magnum Cum Louder) was used as the theme song to the Australian TV show Thank God You're Here.

Discography:
Stoneage Romeos (1984), Mars Needs Guitars! (1985), Blow Your Cool! (1987), Magnum Cum Louder (1989), Kinky (1991), Crank (1994), Blue Cave (1996), Mach Schau (2004), Purity of Essence (2010)

Compilations:
Electric Soup (1992), Gorilla Biscuit (1992), Electric Chair (1998), Armchair Gurus (1998), Bite The Bullet (1998), Ampology (2000)

I Don't Know Anything
Hoodoo Gurus Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've got a lot to learn
And bridges that I still have not burned.
Until I find a way
I'll only end up back where I am today but
I don't know anything,
Anything at all.

I know that I ain't smart.

I get languid up in the strings of my heart
So tight I cannot breathe
I'd cut them if I knew what was good for me but
I don't know anything,
Anything at all.

I must be the king of fools,
A court jester making rhymes in nursery school,
Like: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
You can blow my candle, Jack, if you can

Teach me how to light my wick 'cause
I don't know anything."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Hoodoo Gurus's song "I Don't Know Anything" seem to be about the singer's personal struggles with self-doubt and lack of knowledge. The first verse expresses a sense of feeling lost and directionless - there are things the singer needs to learn and bridges they haven't burned, but they don't know how to move forward. They recognize that without finding a way to learn and grow, they'll likely remain stuck where they are.

The second verse touches on the singer's emotional struggles, with the metaphor of getting tangled up in the strings of their heart. This seems to suggest a tendency towards getting overly emotional or invested in things that may not be healthy for them. They also acknowledge their own lack of intelligence, feeling like a fool and a court jester. The nursery rhyme reference at the end of the verse reinforces this sense of immaturity or naivety, with the singer seeking guidance on how to "light their wick" or find their way.

Overall, the song seems to be grappling with a sense of feeling stuck and powerless - the singer acknowledges their own shortcomings and lack of knowledge, but doesn't seem to know how to overcome them. The repetition of the phrase "I don't know anything" throughout the song reinforces this sense of helplessness.

Line by Line Meaning

I've got a lot to learn
I acknowledge that I have much to discover

And bridges that I still have not burned.
There are connections I have yet to sever

Until I find a way
I will not progress until I discover a solution

I'll only end up back where I am today but
Unless I change, I will remain stuck in the same situation

I don't know anything,
I am uncertain about everything

Anything at all.
I have no knowledge on any topic

I know that I ain't smart.
I am aware that I am not intelligent

I get languid up in the strings of my heart
I get caught up in my emotions

So tight I cannot breathe
My emotions are overwhelming me

I'd cut them if I knew what was good for me but
I would eliminate my emotions if it was beneficial

I don't know anything,
I am uncertain about everything