Their self-titled debut album was released in 2004, featuring UK top 10 single Cutt Off and has been followed with:
2005: Live from Brixton Academy
2006: Empire, featuring UK top 10 single Empire
2009: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, featuring the global hit single Fire
2011: Velociraptor!
2012: Live!
2014: 48:13
2017: For Crying Out Loud
2022: The Alchemist's Euphoria, the first to be released since the sacking of Tom Meighan.
Test Transmission
Kasabian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to figure out but there's nothing here
Seem like they got the fear
Cattle grids rattle gold chains, pay it back
Just cancel the chickens
And tell your son, that he should steal the gold
Check these soul satellites
Test transmission
Is calling me back home
Too messed up to perform this,
Can't you see ill only miss you now and memories
They get washed to the seas
Feeding tape through the fabric must tune in
Unless you're trapped tomorrow
And get out the sun, get out before it gets you back
Kings send their knights
Check these souls satellites
Test transmission
Is calling me back home
And I feel, close enough,
Taste the change
Feel the rays,
Its gonna get you again,
Setting sun is coming back again
The lyrics of Kasabian's Test Transmission are open to interpretation, but the song seems to be about feeling lost and disconnected in a world that is constantly changing. The singer stands on a burning bridge, searching for meaning but finding nothing, while others around him seem to be paralyzed by fear. The lyrics suggest that there is a way out of this situation, but it involves taking risks and shaking off old habits and beliefs.
The images in the lyrics are vivid and sometimes surreal. The lines "cattle grids rattle gold chains, pay it back / just cancel the chickens / and tell your son, that he should steal the gold" evoke a strange and unsettling world where money and power have lost their meaning. Meanwhile, the phrase "feeding tape through the fabric must tune in" suggests a kind of spiritual quest or search for transcendence.
The chorus of the song ("kings send their knights, check these soul satellites, test transmission is calling me back home") is repeated throughout the song, creating a sense of urgency and longing. It's unclear what the "test transmission" refers to exactly, but it seems to be something that offers hope and guidance to the singer. By the end of the song, the lyrics suggest that change is inevitable ("setting sun is coming back again"), but that there is also the possibility of renewal and transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing here on this burning bridge
I am in a difficult situation and don't know what to do.
Trying to figure out but there's nothing here
I am attempting to understand, but I cannot find answers.
Seem like they got the fear
Other people are afraid, and I can sense it.
Cattle grids rattle gold chains, pay it back
People in power abuse their authority and need to be held accountable for their actions.
Just cancel the chickens
Get rid of the distractions.
And tell your son, that he should steal the gold
Teach your children to value wealth and importance.
Kings send their knights
Leaders send their followers to do their bidding.
Check these soul satellites
Monitor the behavior of the people around you.
Test transmission
Experiment with different methods to achieve your goals.
Is calling me back home
I feel like I belong somewhere else.
Too messed up to perform this,
I am too overwhelmed to handle this situation.
Can't you see ill only miss you now and memories
I miss you and our memories together.
They get washed to the seas
Memories fade and disappear over time.
Feeding tape through the fabric must tune in
Pay close attention to detail and focus on the task at hand.
Unless you're trapped tomorrow
Don't let future worries consume you.
And get out the sun, get out before it gets you back
Avoid negative consequences.
And I feel, close enough,
I sense a connection with something or someone.
Taste the change
Experience something new and different.
Feel the rays,
Embrace positive energy and optimism.
Its gonna get you again,
Negative experiences will resurface.
Setting sun is coming back again
History repeats itself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER KARLOFF, SERGIO PIZZORNO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Vlad the Impaler
What an excellent song by the great band Kasabian.
Philip Kassabian
on Fire
What a great song by the band Kasabian.