The group first formed in 1985 when Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna ó Braonáin (who had known each other as children in an Irish-speaking school) began performing as street musicians, or buskers, on the streets of Dublin, Ireland as "The Incomparable Benzini Brothers." They were soon joined by Peter O'Toole, and had won a street-entertainer award within a year. They renamed the group "Hothouse Flowers" and began writing songs and performing throughout Ireland. Rolling Stone magazine called them "the best unsigned band in Europe."
In 1986 Bono from the band U2, saw the Flowers performing on television and offered his support. They released their first single, "Love Don't Work This Way", on U2's Mother Records label, which quickly led to a deal with the PolyGram subsidiary London Records.
Their first album, People was released in early 1988 and was the most successful debut album in Irish history. It reached the number one slot in Ireland within a week and eventually reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart. The international success of the album received a great boost when a music video for the first single, "Don't Go", was played in the interval between contestants and the scoring in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest.
The second album, Home was released in June of 1990. It was recorded sporadically whilst in the midst of extensive touring; with sessions in Dublin, London, a rented house with a mobile recording set-up in Carlow, Ireland, and one day of work with Daniel Lanois in New Orleans, whilst Bob Dylan was taking a break from his sessions with Lanois. The album did not have the overwhelming success of the first record, but it reached number 2 in Australia. The two singles from the album, "Give It Up" and "I Can See Clearly Now" (a cover of the Johnny Nash song performed by both Jimmy Cliff and Bill Withers) reached numbers 30 and 23 respectively in the UK Singles Chart.
Songs From the Rain was released in March 1993. Whilst it received excellent reviews and achieved some chart success in Australia and Ireland, worldwide sales were disappointing. In an attempt to boost record sales (and especially to break in to the American charts), the record label and the band's management kept the group on the road almost continuously for the entire year. By early 1994, Ó Maonlaí had decided that the group was suffering from physical, mental and creative exhaustion, and he called for a year-long sabbatical.
The year-long break turned into several years, as the band members recouped their energy and experienced changes in their personal lives, including divorces, marriages, the birth of children and the death of Ó Maonlaí's father. The group also split from their long-time manager, and Leo Barnes (saxophone) and Jerry Fehily (drums) left the group. O'Toole and ó Braonáin spent some of their time off from the Hothouse Flowers, recording and touring with Michelle Shocked and Ó Maonlaí worked with Tim Finn and Andy White, whilst also studying traditional Irish music.
In 1998 they released Born. Joined by Wayne Sheehy on drums and Rob Malone on bass, this album contained extensive songwriting contributions from O'Toole, who (freed from his bass responsibilities) played mostly guitar, bouzouki and keyboards on the recording. The music also incorporated more elements of electronic loops, synthesizers and studio effects.
By 1999 they had reached the end of their contract with London Records, and both the label and the band decided not to renew. The label head allowed the group the rights to record songs from their past London releases and produce a live record. Live' was self-released by the group later that year, taken mostly from an October 1998 show in Dublin Stadium (with one track from a November show in Tokyo). Sheehy and Malone left the group shortly after the release of the record. Dave Clarke, formerly of Blue in Heaven, joined on drums and O'Toole returned to the bass.
In 2000 London Records released a compilation of songs from their four previous albums titled Best of.
During the band's official hiatus between Songs From the Rain and Born, band memebers had both written songs individually, and sporadically got together to write collaboratively. Some of these songs were never released, while others altered significantly to become some of the tracks on Born. In 2003 the Flowers collected these unreleased recordings and issued them as Vaults:Volume 1.
In February 2004 the band released their latest album, Into Your Heart, produced by the band and John Reynolds. The first single, "Tell Me", reached the top 20 on the Irish charts. The record was released on the RubyMusic label in Europe and distributed by Redeye in the United States. They have toured extensively in support of the record, including a performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2004.
Ó Maonlaí has done several tours as a solo acoustic performer, and released an album in 2005 called Rian.
Pop Song
Hothouse Flowers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw your kindness
And what it said was that the lie would end
It's where you'll find us
If you're suspicious then just read the guide
The drum is leading
She'll bring you deep inside your troubled mind
To what you're feeling
Just carry on what you're doing
Don't ignore me keep doing it
And if I die, make sure your mind is in this song
See all the images are up ahead, go easy sister
The universe cries out to be your friend, you might have kissed her
Oh come alive in visible heart, spinning like a sparkler wheel
Some people jive when they hear music start
Oters just kneel
See all the images up ahead, go easy sister
The universe waits to be duly fed
You might have kissed her
Come alive invisible heart, spinning like a sparkler wheel
Some people jive when they hear it start
Others just kneel
In Hothouse Flowers' "Pop Song," the singer expresses gratitude towards the person who introduced them to a new group of friends, revealing their kindness and honesty. The singer encourages the listener to pay attention to their inner feelings and to let go of suspicions by following the beat of the drum to delve deeply into their minds. The singer looks up to the person they are singing to, and urges them to carry on despite any negative feedback. If the singer were to die, they ask that the memory of them be kept alive in the form of this song.
The song emphasizes finding one's way on their own and discovering their own truth through music. The lyrics mention a sparkler wheel, which spins around like one's life journey. The song stresses the idea of self-exploration and the importance of finding oneself in the world. The universe yearns to befriend people, but one must be open and willing to receive it.
Hothouse Flowers want to take the listener on a journey of self-discovery through their music. The song speaks to being true to oneself and not worrying too much about what others think. The music group encourages people to keep learning and keep growing both individually and together.
Line by Line Meaning
You introduced me to all of your friends
You were kind enough to introduce me to all of your friends
I saw your kindness
I witnessed your generosity and good nature
And what it said was that the lie would end
Your benevolent behavior made me believe that things would get better, and falsehood would not last forever
It's where you'll find us
That's where we'll be - among genuine, caring people
If you're suspicious then just read the guide
If you have any doubts, refer to the instructions
The drum is leading
The music is taking control
She'll bring you deep inside your troubled mind
The melody will whisk you away to the depths of your psyche, where you may find solace or turmoil
To what you're feeling
To explore the emotions you're experiencing
Can I watch you fly, when I cry
Will you let me see you soar, even if it makes me weep?
Just carry on what you're doing
Continue doing what you're doing, don't mind me
Don't ignore me keep doing it
Please don't neglect me, even if you're busy
And if I die, make sure your mind is in this song
Even if I perish, I want you to remember this tune, and let it resonate with you
See all the images are up ahead, go easy sister
There are many visions to behold, take it easy my friend
The universe cries out to be your friend, you might have kissed her
The cosmos wants to connect with you, maybe you already have
Oh come alive in visible heart, spinning like a sparkler wheel
Feel your heart beat, and let it fill you with joy, like a spinning sparkler
Some people jive when they hear music start
There are folks who move and groove when the rhythm begins
Others just kneel
While others prefer to bow down, reverent and still
See all the images up ahead, go easy sister
There's a lot to see and appreciate, don't rush, dear friend
The universe waits to be duly fed
The universe needs nourishment, attention, and care to thrive
You might have kissed her
Perhaps you have already given her a smooch
Come alive invisible heart, spinning like a sparkler wheel
Let your soul awaken, and whirl in delight like a bright sparkler
Some people jive when they hear it start
For some, the music is a call to dance and revel
Others just kneel
While others bow down in prayer or introspection
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: FIACHNA SEOSAMH O'BRAONAIN, LIAM TADG O'MAONLAI, PETER MARY O'TOOLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Glen Andrews
My favourite band
David Evans
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