Their sound is roughly based on the sounds of 90s Britpop mixed in with 60s psychedelic rock, with heavy influences of Indian pop music as well as classic hard rock throughout. Their first album, 'K' was released in the United Kingdom in 1996, and it became the fastest selling debut album since 'Definitely Maybe' by Oasis. Selling 850,000 copies in the U.K. and a further 250,000 in the U.S., the band achieved success with their singles "Hey Dude" and "Tattva" climbing into the top 40. Their second album released in 1999, 'Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts', however, did not have the success of the first, selling only a fraction of 'K' despite a slightly higher marketing budget. Later that year, Mills announced the band would be breaking up due to unwanted pressure loaded upon them by their label and the urge to move on.
On 11th July 2006, Kula Shaker announced that they would be reforming, and the group set about creating an iTunes-exclusive E.P. They started by touring smaller venues in the U.K. Their third album, 'Strange Folk', was released on 20th August 2007, and their fourth, 'Pilgrim's Progress', was released on 28th June 2010. While touring since then, they have also released a Christmas single. Frontman Crispian Mills is also known for his solo work and his role in the band The Jeevas
108 Battles
Kula Shaker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I don't want to talk about it
I'm saying my good-byes, though we haven't begun to party
Oh baby, it's all a catastrophe
Oh lover, it's not how it used to be
I'm just a man who's battling with his mind
[Chorus]
Minds forever changing what you began
Life's a waste of time
Minds forever changing what you began
Battle with your mind
There's magic in my eyes
But I don't want to look into it
There's thunder in the skies
And I'm frightened of what it's doing
Oh baby, it's all a catastrophe
Oh lover, it's not how it used to be
I'm just a man who's battling with his mind
One hundred and eight battles within the...
[Chorus]
The song "108 Battles" by Kula Shaker is a reflection on the mental and emotional battles we face in life. The first few lines suggest that the singer has something on his mind that he does not want to talk about, and that he is already saying goodbye even though the party has not yet begun. This could be interpreted as his reluctance to fully engage in life because of the inner turmoil he is experiencing. The chorus emphasizes the constant battle of the mind, with thoughts and emotions forever changing and making it difficult to stay grounded.
The second verse continues to highlight the fear and uncertainty that come with this internal struggle. There is magic in the singer's eyes, but he does not want to look into it, perhaps because he is scared of what he might find. The thunder in the sky is another metaphor for the unpredictable and overwhelming nature of the mind. The repeated refrain of "it's all a catastrophe" and "it's not how it used to be" suggests that the singer feels like he is losing control of his life and is unable to return to a happier time.
Overall, "108 Battles" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the universal experience of internal struggles and the difficulty of facing our own fears and insecurities.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something on my mind
I have a lot of things to think about
But I don't want to talk about it
I don't want to share my thoughts with others
I'm saying my good-byes, though we haven't begun to party
I'm already leaving even if the gathering has just started
Oh baby, it's all a catastrophe
It's terrible, everything is falling apart
Oh lover, it's not how it used to be
It has changed from its original state
I'm just a man who's battling with his mind
I am struggling with my thoughts
One hundred and eight battles within the...
There are many internal conflicts
[Chorus] Minds forever changing what you began
Our thoughts can change what we have started
Life's a waste of time
Life can be meaningless
[Chorus] Minds forever changing what you began
Our thoughts can change what we have started
Battle with your mind
We must fight our inner conflicts
There's magic in my eyes
I have a sense of wonder or enchantment
But I don't want to look into it
I am hesitant to explore my fascination
There's thunder in the skies
A storm is coming
And I'm frightened of what it's doing
I am scared of the consequences of the storm
Lyrics © Unison Rights S.L.
Written by: ALONZA BEVAN, CRISPIAN MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CosmicRuna
as far as I'm concerned this band is way more evolved in every sense, musically, thematically, etc than hipsters Oasis and Cold Play that receive a lot more praise and hipe. I guess Kula is just for initiates into the deep waters of mystical rocking psychodelia. have a long and peaceful life my brothers and sisters.
Anukaran Singh
this is the most under-rated band in it's prime and the most under rater album of all time..
Lee Smith
Reminds me of an early Beatles or 60s song! Great song, great album, great band, hugely under rated!
Brendan Walsh
Cracking album, best listened to all the way through with some top mates :)
thelastnic
you could drop this band into 1968, and would be hard to tell they werent from that era. nice to have someone time warping and doing something that doesnt suck.
Herb Winckelberg
Oh Gawd what a great band!
jcdixon97
Great track, I really like this band.
keiwa11
Excellent, I love this song!
walt michulka
Turns into a Yes song for a few bars at 'Minds forever changing' part. My fave track from this tragically underrated band.
Macarena Marin
La mejor canción de todos los tiempos!!!