The band originated with vocalist Stephen Holt (vocals) and guitarist Graham Lambert. Another uncredited founding member, was basist Glenn Chesworth. His partnership with the band lasted only a couple of years. The band emerged alongside The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays from the indie scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bassist, Martyn Walsh, and drummer, Craig Gill, joined in 1984. Playing garage rock, they were joined by keyboardist, Clint Boon, who changed their sound based around harmonic (and often psychedelic) keyboards and jangly guitars.
After a couple of singles on a local indie label, Holt left the group and was replaced by Tom Hingley. The band were propelled to fame after being 'discovered' by the Radio 1 DJ John Peel and had their greatest chart success in the UK with a single entitled This is How it Feels, which is a song about loneliness and unemployment.
At the time of their initial success, the band earned some notoriety for their squiggly-eyed cow 'Cool as Fuck' T-shirts; a student at Oxford Polytechnic was prosecuted on obscenity charges for wearing one. One of their roadies, Noel Gallagher, went on to great success with the band Oasis. The band is named after an Inspiral Carpets tour poster which included the venue Swindon Oasis.
They reworked their single Find Out Why as the theme tune to early 90's kids TV show 'The 8:15 From Manchester'. Another release I Want You was used by Sony to advertise their in-car entertainment systems on this advert ; an early example of advertising agencies co-opting and promoting non-mainstream music to add kudos to mainstream brands (a trend that has increased significantly).
After the release of their 4th studio album, Devil Hopping, they started to record new, more darker-sounding demos in 1995 which their label, Mute Records rejected. An amicable split followed but they re-formed in 2003 for a tour and new compilation. For the next several years, they played gigs on and off, until Hingley could no longer give his 100% commitment so original vocalist, Stephen Holt, rejoined in March 2011.
Commercial Rain
Inspiral Carpets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah, commercial reign
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear
Ah, commercial reign
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll
Ah, commercial reign
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll
Ah, commercial reign
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear
Ah, commercial reign
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll
Ah, commercial reign
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear
Ah
, commercial reign
The lyrics of Inspiral Carpets' song "Commercial Rain" seem to be an indictment of commercialism and consumerism. The repetition of the phrase "Ah, commercial reign" suggests a sense of helplessness and frustration at the prevalence of marketing in our lives. The verses tell the story of two children, Mary and Peter, who are crying for their cherished toys, a baby doll and a teddy bear, respectively. However, the toys are likely ones that were marketed to them through advertising, contributing to the cycle of consumerism and strengthening the grip of the commercial reign. The song seems to be advocating for a return to simpler times, before the pervasiveness of marketing and capitalism took hold.
The use of children and their simple desires for toys is a powerful symbol for the larger issue at hand. The repetitive nature of the song reinforces the idea of society being stuck in this cycle of consumerism with no escape. The choice of the word "reign" instead of "rain" in the chorus is also significant, as it suggests the dominance of the commercial world over everything else, including nature.
Overall, "Commercial Rain" critiques the negative effects of commercialism on society and advocates for a simpler, less consumerist lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll
Mary is upset and crying for her doll which may represent her own child. This is a commentary on the societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles and to buy into commercialism.
Ah, commercial reign
The repetition of this phrase serves as a commentary on how our culture is dominated by consumerism and the power of corporations to manipulate our desires through advertising and marketing tactics.
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear
Peter, like Mary, is upset over a toy that represents comfort and security. This is also a nod towards the societal pressure for young boys to conform to gender norms and the expectation to outgrow their childhood affection for comfort objects.
Writer(s): Clint Boon, Martyn Walsh, Craig Gill, Thomas Hingley, Graham Lambert
Contributed by Ellie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@1BillHarding
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Mary's crying for her baby, for her baby doll.
Ah, ah, ah, commercial rain.
Peter's moaning for his teddy, for his teddy bear.
Ah, ah, ah . . .
@timsmith3621
Anyone hosting an at-home rave party should lead off the evening with this song. If nobody dances, send them all home.
@royalnass1029
yeah they have to at least wave there arms around or something
@colbypaul7749
And those going home could listen to "this is how it feels to be lonely!"
@dj-um7el
โ@@colbypaul7749 true
@bazhaynes2984
Spot on geezer !
@user-bx6zr6my4d
Teddy bear ๐งธ lol
@Jimmy_Cooper
Great watching the crowd clips in this video ( and other videos from the era ) ...NOT A CAMERA PHONE IN SIGHT . Just people getting sweaty ๐
@trevor8419
This popped into my head yesterday after being stuck in the recesses of my mind for decades!
@user-if1um3ys8p
Love this song Taz scfc tim
@SteveRes
Monster tune from the Carpets, trippy af. Hit the North!