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.
Plutoman
Inspiral Carpets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a ride with a stingray and you'll see the world through his eyes
You know what they say about the lady who talks with the fishes
They say that she'll always have at least a billion, billion friends
And somewhere there's a god who will grant each and all of her wishes
She laughs in the face of the man looking over the fence
But I can't see the pictures
Sleeping in the light of starshine and goldfishes
Even out here where he sits drowning in isolation
He's stacking his bricks high and slowly walling out the world
She's sending him flowers and sunshine but he doesn't notice
On the stem of a rose she writes "Have a nice day, Plutoman"
I can see that you're dreaming
But I can't see the pictures
Sleeping in the light of starshine and goldfishes
He feels like he's the last man alive
He feels like he's stuck on Pluto
Each day's a bad one, each day he's all alone
Colors and music is what you will see and you live for
Take a ride with a stingray and you'll see the world through his eyes
She's sending him flowers and sunshine but he doesn't notice
On the stem of a rose she writes "Have a nice day, Plutoman"
The song Plutoman by Inspiral Carpets speaks of a man who is drowning in isolation and feels like he is stuck on Pluto. He is building his walls high and shutting out the world while he daydreams of a world filled with colors and music. However, he can't seem to see the pictures and is lost in his own world. The song speaks of a world where one can take a ride with a stingray and see the world through its eyes.
The lyrics also speak of a lady who talks with the fishes and has a billion friends. She lives in a world where her wishes are granted by a god. She laughs at the man who is building walls and looking over the fence. Even though she sends him flowers and sunshine, he doesn't notice. The stem of a rose that she sends to him reads "Have a nice day, Plutoman".
The song seems to be a commentary on how one can be lost in their own world and miss out on the beauty of the surrounding world. It speaks of the need to break down walls and connect with others, instead of living a life of isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
Colors and music is what you will see and you live for
Life is full of vibrant colors and melodies, and that's all that matters to you
Take a ride with a stingray and you'll see the world through his eyes
Experience life from a different perspective and gain a new insight
You know what they say about the lady who talks with the fishes
There are secrets and mystical tales about those who communicate with underwater creatures
They say that she'll always have at least a billion, billion friends
The power of friendship is immeasurable and everlasting
And somewhere there's a god who will grant each and all of her wishes
There's a higher force that watches over us and can make our dreams come true
She laughs in the face of the man looking over the fence
She's unaffected by the judgment and opinions of those who don't understand her
I can see that you're dreaming
I can tell that you're lost in thought and imagining something wonderful
But I can't see the pictures
But I can't visualize what you're seeing in your mind
Sleeping in the light of starshine and goldfishes
Finding calm and serenity in the beauty of the night sky and underwater life
Even out here where he sits drowning in isolation
Despite being alone and lonely, he's still surrounded by vastness and beauty
He's stacking his bricks high and slowly walling out the world
He's building emotional barriers and distancing himself from others
She's sending him flowers and sunshine but he doesn't notice
Someone is trying to reach out to him with kindness, but he's too closed off to see it
On the stem of a rose she writes "Have a nice day, Plutoman"
A simple message of goodwill and hope, hoping to lift his spirits
He feels like he's the last man alive
He's overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and disconnection from the world
He feels like he's stuck on Pluto
He feels like he's stranded and isolated on a distant planet
Each day's a bad one, each day he's all alone
He's trapped in negativity and feels completely isolated in his struggles
Writer(s): inspiral carpets
Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.