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.
Saviour
Inspiral Carpets Lyrics
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There's someone there that shouldn't be
Times have been and gone, we've made mistakes
We're holding on to something wrong, a choice I wouldn't make
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
In these days, when the time'd pass so slow
There's more to say when it's time to go
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
(Say, say, say, say)
Away I went at a faster speed, still holding out for a greater need
You write your name in the sand
Yes you, you, you, you, you write in a foreign hand
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
The lyrics of "Saviour" by Inspiral Carpets talk about the desire to be free from the burden of being someone’s savior. The song suggests that people sometimes try to put others in a position where they are expected to rescue or fix them, but this can become their downfall. The singer of the song sings, "I'm not your savior, I'm not here to help you. No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your savior." These lines suggest that the singer is having to reject someone who is asking for help, or is expecting the singer to always have the answers to their problems.
The song also discusses the idea that everyone makes mistakes, and these mistakes can be held onto for too long. The line, "we're holding on to something wrong, a choice I wouldn't make" suggests that people can get stuck in a cycle of repeating the same bad decisions. The chorus of the song repeats the message that the singer is not the savior someone is looking for, and has no intention of being their guide.
The lyrics of the song also suggest a sense of urgency, and the feeling of restlessness. The line, "in these days, when the time’d pass so slow. There’s more to say when it’s time to go" suggests that there is a sense of time running out, and that there is a need to say everything that needs to be said before the end comes.
Overall, "Saviour" is a song about personal autonomy, rejection of expectations and the power to live your own life on your own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look inside, tell me what you see
Tell me what you see when you look deeper within yourself
There's someone there that shouldn't be
You have an unwanted presence within you
Times have been and gone, we've made mistakes
Mistakes have been made in the past
We're holding on to something wrong, a choice I wouldn't make
We're holding on to something that is incorrect and I wouldn't choose to hold onto
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
I cannot save you or be your guide
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
There is no light to lead you and I cannot save you
In these days, when the time'd pass so slow
Time moves slowly in these days
There's more to say when it's time to go
When it's time to leave, there is more to say
You hold your breath, all the while, while I freeze a smile
You are holding back while I pretend to be happy
Away I went at a faster speed, still holding out for a greater need
I left quickly, still searching for a greater purpose
You write your name in the sand
You leave a mark of yourself, but it can easily be erased
Yes you, you, you, you, you write in a foreign hand
You leave your mark in a way that is unfamiliar and not true to yourself
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
I cannot save you or be your guide
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
There is no light to lead you and I cannot save you
I'm not your saviour, I'm not here to help you
I cannot save you or be your guide
No shining light to guide you, oh I'm not your saviour
There is no light to lead you and I cannot save you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CLINTON DAVID BOON, CRAIG DOUGLAS GILL, GRAHAM PAUL LAMBERT, MARTYN JOHN WALSH, THOMAS WILLIAM HINGLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind