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.
Party in the Sky
Inspiral Carpets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And lay your crazy paving from end to end to end to end
I've heard your stupid stories, I know that some are true
Oh, wild horses are running through your eyes of blue
Loneliness only makes me high
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
Loneliness only makes me high
I wanna take you there, have the time of your life
I'm gonna lift you up to where the drinks are free, to the
Party in the sky (wanna hold on)
Party in the sky (wanna hold on)
The party in the sky, the party in the sky
Loneliness only makes me high
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
Loneliness only makes me high
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
To a good thing that's gone bad
And I'm building my house on sand
Don't get me wrong, I wanna be your friend
And lay your crazy paving from end to end to end to end
I've heard your stupid stories, I know that some are true
Oh, wild horses are running through your eyes of blue
Loneliness only makes me high
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
Loneliness only makes me high
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
To a good thing that's gone bad
And I'm building my house on sand
The lyrics of Inspiral Carpets' "Party in the Sky" is about a person who wants to be friends with another despite knowing that some of their stories are vexing. The lines "Don't get me wrong, I wanna be your friend and lay your crazy paving from end to end to end to end" refer to the desire to help and support the other person to overcome their struggles. The next line, "I've heard your stupid stories, I know that some are true," suggests the singer's understanding of their friend's past experiences, including the pain and sorrow they may have endured.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's yearning to hold on to a good thing that has gone bad, encapsulating the central idea of the track. The lines, "Loneliness only makes me high, loneliness only makes me wanna hold on," explain how holding on to something that is worth holding on to could potentially fill the void the singer feels. At the same time, "I'm building my house on sand" indicates a sense of fragility or instability, implying that the singer might be hopeful but also cautious about what the future holds for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't get me wrong, I wanna be your friend
I don't mean to offend you in any way, I genuinely want to have a friendly relationship with you
And lay your crazy paving from end to end to end to end
I want to be there for you through thick and thin, no matter how many ups and downs there may be
I've heard your stupid stories, I know that some are true
I've listened to your stories, even if some seem far-fetched, I know that some of them are real and have affected you deeply
Oh, wild horses are running through your eyes of blue
I can see the untamed spirit inside you through your blue eyes, it's a part of you that can't be contained
Loneliness only makes me high
Being alone gives me a temporary feeling of excitement or pleasure, but it's not a lasting solution
Loneliness only makes me wanna hold on
Feeling lonely makes me want to cling onto anything that gives me a sense of connection or purpose
I wanna take you there, have the time of your life
I want to show you a good time, an experience you'll never forget
I'm gonna lift you up to where the drinks are free, to the
I'll bring you to a place where everything seems easy and carefree, where you can let loose and forget your worries
Party in the sky (wanna hold on)
I'm holding onto the idea of a party in a place where everything feels light and uplifting
To a good thing that's gone bad
I'm trying to hold onto something that was once good, but has now turned bad
And I'm building my house on sand
I'm making decisions based on unstable and unreliable foundations, which may lead to unstable outcomes
The party in the sky, the party in the sky
I keep holding onto the idea of this party in the sky, but it remains an elusive goal
Writer(s): CRAIG GILL, GRAHAM LAMBERT, THOMAS HINGLEY, CLINTON BOON, MARTYN WALSH
Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.